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10/10 Excellent
Mamode K.
12 June 2025
A wonderful stay!
We stayed at the Barley with my family and in-laws, and what a wonderful stay! Everything was great from us walking in to leaving. This beautiful apartment is nestled in the town of Cirencester, perfectly close to all amenities and attractions. Cirencester is such a beautiful place! Our emergency contact Maddy was very nice- we noted there was no sleeping cot despite requesting one with our booking; however, this was swiftly sorted with just a phone call. I was a bit worried given the fact that it was our family's 1st staycation away from home with a 9-month-old, however, he has enjoyed himself too.
We received a Knead gift card from the host to buy some bakery items. it one of their family business as well- Knead is just under the apartment, and Oh my! It is a good thing I don't live there permanently with all the yummy bakes! This was a lovely gesture, so thanks to the Host!
In the fine print, it stated the stairs are old and not level; however, it was carpeted and maintained beautifully. There are handrails, and I can attest that I've been walking up and down with a 9-month-old safely! It may not be suitable for you if you use a wheelchair or have extreme mobility issues.
There are many restaurants in the alleyway and in town, walkable within minutes for you to enjoy. We had been to the Fleece (it was ok for the fish and chips, but I think they were too busy and they overcooked my dinner, but the other food items were nice- in case you wonder!) We have also tried the indian one -Sultan, which we won't recommend at all (save your money unless you want your curry to taste extremely sweet as a dessert!). We also enjoyed the Cornish pasty in the Cornish coffee shop a few mins' walk away. Also, do check the beautiful park behind the Abbey for a lovely ice cream.
We used Cirencester as a base to visit the Cotswolds, so we were out most of the time- recommend visiting the villages up north. We didn't manage to complete everything in 3 days, but we will return to finish it.
Some things to consider:
The apartment was nicely cleaned overall. It would have been perfectly cleaned if the flooring in the dining and kitchen had been given a good mop and the carpet had been steam cleaned .
My father in law mentioned there was a smell in the second bedroom- I think it's the aesthetic smell that wasn't to his taste, and maybe a nice reed diffuser would help.
Just be mindful that there is a bar downstairs, which can get loud on Friday and Saturday nights until probably close to midnight- if you are not a night owl like us, bring some earbuds. The windows are not soundproof, given the history of the building- unsure if it could be secondary glazed? Even with the windows closed, you could still hear noises.
For that particular time we visited, we were blessed with nice hot weather; however, the master bedroom did feel a bit hot, and having a fan could have helped, given the fact that we had to close the windows to minimise the outside noise.
Overall, we had a great stay and would return. The slight improvements we feel were required, as noted above, would not deter us from coming back!
Thank you!
