Entire home

A quirky character cottage on the edge of the New Forest

Photo gallery for A quirky character cottage on the edge of the New Forest

A patio with a wooden deck, potted plants, and a metal pergola structure.
A wooden gate leading to a brick staircase with a house in the background.
A traditional brick house with two chimneys, a gated entrance, and a brick wall.
A white bookshelf filled with vinyl records, a framed poster, and a potted plant.
A living room with a fireplace, a black leather sofa, and a patterned rug.

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional

Highlights

  • Made for relaxation
    Top-rated for comfort — guests feel right at home here.
  • Centrally-located
    You're never far from where you need to be with this convenient location.
2 bedrooms0+ bathroomsSleeps 6

Popular amenities

  • Onsite parking available
  • Internet
  • Refrigerator
  • Dryer
  • Fireplace
  • Garden

Explore the area

View map
Totton, England
  • Place, River Test
    ‪5 min walk‬
  • Place, Eling Tide Mill
    ‪8 min walk‬
  • Place, New Forest Museum
    ‪5 min drive‬
  • Airport, Southampton (SOU)
    ‪30 min drive‬

Where you'll sleep

2 bedrooms (sleeps 6)

Bedroom 1

1 Double Bed

Bedroom 2

1 King Bed

Common area 1

1 Double Sofa Bed

1 half bathroom

Bathroom 1

Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom 2

Toilet

Spaces

Kitchen
Outdoor play area
Garden

About this property

A quirky character cottage on the edge of the New Forest

Welcome to our Cottage on The Hill!. We are situated on Eling Hill opposite Eling Church andl Goatee beach, on the edge of The New Forest National Park. There are 2 bedrooms with a kingsize and a double bed. A spacious living room (with sofa bed), an open fire and underfloor heating. The kitchen is equipped with a cooker,fridge and all your every day essentials. The luxurious bath room has a monsoon shower, fluffy towels and eco toiletries. There is a private garden and decking.
The space
This 16th Century listed cottage is full of character. Upstairs has a distinctly crooked feel! We have shelves full of books and lots of vinyl which you can play on the music system in the living room or simply hook up to your blue tooth and play your own tunes. There is a smart TV with Netflix and Disney. Also WiFI.
Guest access
The entire property and garden are yours to enjoy.
Other things to note
Church bells on a Sunday morning!
The beach is located through the churchyard opposite and is a shingle shoreline with lots of grass fields ideal for picnicking.

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House Rules

Check in after 3:00 PM
Check out before 11:00 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

No pets allowed
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Check-out instructions

The host requires you to complete the following before checking out:
Remove personal items, remove leftover food and drinks and take out the rubbish
Lock the doors and return the keys
Failure to complete these may result in a negative review from the host.
No party’s/stag or hen dos No music after 10pm

Important information

You need to know

Property # 11167980
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Cashless transactions are available
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios and terraces, which may not be suitable for children; if you have any concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm that they can accommodate you in a suitable room

About the area

Southampton

Located in Southampton, this cottage is in a rural area and near the beach. The area's natural beauty can be seen at New Forest National Park and South Downs National Park, while New Forest Museum and Mayflower Theatre are cultural highlights. Looking to enjoy an event or a game while in town? See what's happening at Civic Centre or St. Mary's Stadium. Fishing offers a great chance to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with mountain biking, hiking/biking trails and cycling nearby.
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Map
Totton, England

What's nearby

  • River Test - 5 min walk - 0.4 km
  • Eling Tide Mill - 8 min walk - 0.7 km
  • New Forest Museum - 5 min drive - 2.1 km
  • WestQuay Shopping Centre - 18 min drive - 7.8 km
  • Mayflower Theatre - 19 min drive - 7.8 km

Getting around

  • Totton Station - 18 min walk
  • Southampton (SOU) - 20 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪McDonald's - ‬18 min walk
  • ‪McDonald's - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Peg & Parrot - ‬15 min walk
  • ‪Old Farmhouse - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪Golden Grill Kebab - ‬5 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is A quirky character cottage on the edge of the New Forest pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking at A quirky character cottage on the edge of the New Forest?

On-site parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at A quirky character cottage on the edge of the New Forest?

Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.

What time is check-out at A quirky character cottage on the edge of the New Forest?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is A quirky character cottage on the edge of the New Forest located?

Situated near the beach, this cottage is 0.2 mi (0.3 km) from River Test and 1.5 mi (2.4 km) from New Forest National Park. New Forest Museum and New Forest Wildlife Park are also within 3 miles (5 km). Totton Station is 18 minutes by foot and Southampton Redbridge Station is 29 minutes.

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 13 out of 13 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 0 out of 13 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 13 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 13 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 13 reviews

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Amenities

10/10

Property conditions & facilities

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

9.8/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Such an eclectic interesting serene vibed property, perfectly situated, perfect hosts. Real home from home everything you could possibly want, for families or couples in the property and surrounding area.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Thanks to the lovely hosts we had a wonderful time in the cottage, perfect to explore New Forest with our family with young children. The cottage is well equipped and we loved the interior and design items as well as the lush garden and terrace.
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, listing accuracy
Great place with a really nice host. We were very comfortable and the toddler loved having new toys and the back garden and outdoor space. All amenities available and we were even given really nice groceries. Also, 15 min drive from city centre. There was also lots of fun family activities nearby, e.g. longdown farms, new forest national park. Thanks to the host couple for a lovely place!
Stayed 4 nights in May 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The kind of house you dream of owning in a location you dream of finding. Amazing facilities. Lovely owner.
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities, communication
Beautiful cottage, much larger than we thought, host was very nice and easy to contact if needed but wasn’t as we had everything we needed there, plenty books and games to use we all had a great time and look forward to booking again when next visiting family in Southampton.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lovely Stay

Our family (2 adults and 3 children) had a lovely stay in the cottage. The cottage is well presented and had everything we needed. The cottage is in a lovely, quiet location and was an ideal base for our trip to Paultons Park. We would highly recommend.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

A Gem of a Place

Our second stay at this charming place. Certainly quirky but equally comfortable and convenient for exploring the area. We love it! Highly recommended.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fantastic stay

We had a lovely time for a few days in Mandy's property. She was very helpful and we could walk to the local pubs. The property itself was great, lots of records, record player, and smelt nice. Clean and tidy, we loved it Thanks again
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 22 Feb 2024
Thank you Richard. It was a pleasure to meet you and so pleased you enjoyed your stay :)
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We’ve stayed at the cottage before. We love its slightly offbeat, bohemian vibe. It is also very comfortable whatever the weather, this time we were able to sit out in its charmingly wilful garden too.Eling itself is an intriguing mix of rural village, marina, ocean port and marshland and is very convenient for Southampton, the New Forest and environs.Highly recommended.
View of the Prince Charles container port.
The Tide Mill tollbooth.
The Eling marina.
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful characterful cottage

A beautifully furnished cottage, full of character with lots of lovely individual touches. Very comfortable with everything you need for a relaxing stay. Mandy had supplied lots of thoughtful extras like toys put out for the children, fresh bread, biscuits and fizz in the fridge! The shower is brilliant, with Faith in Nature toiletries provided which was a real treat! Great location for accessing the New Forest, quiet and peaceful. We loved it and would definitely stay again.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

A Cosily Quirky Cottage

The cottage is quirky, as described but is also comfortable and attractive in an highly individual way. We spent a long (and very wet!) weekend there and thoroughly enjoyed our stay. We met and briefly chatted to Mandy, the owner, who is very approachable and friendly. We were visiting family in nearby Totton and the location is ideal for that but (during a break in the rain!) we took a stroll through the churchyard to the edge of Southampton Water and round to the Tide Mill and marina in Eling, itself an odd mixture of village, industry and seaside. We would certainly return to this uniquely charming place. Recommended.
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, listing accuracy
Stayed 4 nights in May 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2025

About the host

Hosted by Mandy Kirkman

Host profile image
Hi we are Mandy and James, we live next door to the cottage and always on hand if you need any advice or information, always happy to help.

Why they chose this property

We love this area. It’s a stones throw from The New Forest but also close to Southampton the main city.

What makes this property unique

WE hope you will enjoy our selection of books and our huge vinyl selection.

Languages:

English

Premier Host

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