Top 10% of guest reviews in this areaTop 10% of guest reviews in this area
2 bedrooms1 bathroomSleeps 4
Popular amenities
Onsite parking available
Kitchen
Washing machine
Barbecue
Deck or patio
Free Wi-Fi
Explore the area
Fordingbridge, England
Fordingbridge Library
Place, Fordingbridge Library
2 min walk
Fordingbridge Museum
Place, Fordingbridge Museum
3 min walk
New Forest National Park
Place, New Forest National Park
3 min drive
Southampton (SOU)
Airport, Southampton (SOU)
51 min drive
Rooms & beds
2 bedrooms (sleeps 4)
Bedroom 1
1 Queen Bed
Bedroom 2
1 Double Futon and 1 Single Bed
1 bathroom
Bathroom 1
Toilet · Shower only
Spaces
Deck or patio
Kitchen
Garden
Dining area
About this property
Beautifully Appointed Riverside Thatched Cottage. Town Centre, Yet Secluded
Originally built as a fisherman's cottage, Weir and Duck Cottages have been sympathetically renovated and extended. Outside it is 'chocolate-box' looking but inside is mostly very contemporary, an unusual mix. Please note that unlike many hosts no cleaning fee is imposed but we do ask that the property and neighbours are respected and the property left clean and tidy. High quality bed linen and towels are provided. Two bedrooms are upstairs sleeping 3, (4th child, not two couples at supplement on folding bed in smaller room BY PRIOR ARRANGEMENT). One shower room upstairs; a cloakroom with WC at ground floor level.
The Cottage as you see it from the picture has been converted to form two beautiful self-contained units - Weir Cottage (on left) and Duck Cottage (on right) - see pictures. This listing is for WEIR COTTAGE: TWO BEDROOMS SLEEPING THREE (maybe a fourth in folding bed subject to supplement and prior agreement) - Master bedroom with a very comfortable queen size, restored Victorian bedstead. The single bedroom, sleeping one (+), overlooks the beautiful garden. Luxury linens are provided. The attractive shower room/WC (NO BATH TUB) is also at first floor (upper) level. Please note the original staircase is a little windy so not recommended for guests with limited mobility. Infants can be accommodated if you bring your own travel cot. Older child in a regular bed is fine but less than ideal for the in between age. The optional second bed in smaller room really only suitable for children or petite adult. Sorry, pets are NOT accepted. A further chic detached self contained pied a terre is available to rent on enquiry or this site, sleeping two plus sofa bed. See picture showing the divisions of the three cottages as viewed from the rear garden. On entering the cottage is a charming hall with antique furnishings. Also a cloakroom with WC. The kitchen is wonderfully equipped with American Fridge Freezer including ice-maker, Neff cooking Appliances, induction cooking hob, dishwasher and washer drier. Smart TV. The kitchen overlooks the park-like garden extending to approximately two acres. Also off the hall is the cosy sitting room with quality leather furnishings, Smart TV, and flame effect electric fire. A further small sun/reading room leads to a deck area. Guests may enjoy the garden but please be aware that there are multiple hazards especially if venturing beyond the river. These include natural ponds and a weir so especially unsuited to young children because the river is quite deep with no fence. Tripping is a further risk on the boardwalks. The garden is an oasis in the middle of town and even locals are unaware of the natural treasures that are behind the cottage! A deck, table and chairs exclusively for your use accessed from the small reading/sunroom. Deer and ducks are frequent visitors even a kingfisher if you are lucky enough to glimpse it. If anyone is in Duck Cottage or Riverside Lodge during your stay then the extended garden might be shared but there is plenty of space to go around and space exclusively for your use We regret that no pets are accepted under any circumstances. Fordingbridge is In New Forest District Council on the Hampshire/Wiltshire/Dorset border and has numerous pubs and ethnic restaurants all within a few minutes' stroll. Also supermarkets, butcher and bakeries. So no need to drive to enjoy anything within the town. New Forest National Park is one mile away and Salisbury, Bournemouth, Poole and Southampton all easily accessible by car. A very good public transport bus service exists linking Fordingbridge with Salisbury to the north and Ringwood/Bournemouth to the south all of which have wider national connections.
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We do not charge a cleaning fee but ask that you leave the cottage as you found it (we do the laundry)
Please remove outdoor footwear to avoid damage to the oak floors
No additional occupants or visitors unless pre-approved by owner
Important information
You need to know
Property # 8381654
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
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Note from host: No additional guests allowed at the property
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, a first aid kit and a deadlock
About the area
Fordingbridge
Located in Fordingbridge, this cottage is in a rural area and on the waterfront. Breamore House and Countryside Museum and Edmondsham House and Gardens are local landmarks, and some of the area's activities can be experienced at Bramshaw Golf Club and Go Ape at Moors Valley Ringwood. Travelling with kids? Consider Paultons Family Theme Park - Home of Peppa Pig World, or check out an event or a game at Southampton Skating. Jet skiing and fishing offer great chances to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with cycling and horse riding nearby.
Bournemouth (BOH-Bournemouth Intl.) - 24 min drive
Restaurants
Costa Coffee - 13 min drive
Altrullo - 14 min drive
The Ship Inn - 4 min walk
The Foresters Arms - 4 min drive
Bat & Ball Pub - 5 min drive
Frequently asked questions
Is Beautifully Appointed Riverside Thatched Cottage. Town Centre, Yet Secluded pet-friendly?
No, pets are not allowed at this property.
How much is parking at Beautifully Appointed Riverside Thatched Cottage. Town Centre, Yet Secluded?
On-site parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at Beautifully Appointed Riverside Thatched Cottage. Town Centre, Yet Secluded?
Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.
What time is check-out at Beautifully Appointed Riverside Thatched Cottage. Town Centre, Yet Secluded?
Checkout is at 10:30 AM.
Where is Beautifully Appointed Riverside Thatched Cottage. Town Centre, Yet Secluded located?
This family-friendly Fordingbridge cottage is located on the waterfront, within 1 mi (2 km) of Fordingbridge Hospital and New Forest National Park. Fordingbridge Town Hall and Fordingbridge Library are also within 5 minutes.
Reviews
10
Exceptional
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Our stay at Weir Cottage was wonderful! Beautiful property and house that’s well-maintained. Shane provides everything his guests could need and more, and was great with communication. If you’re thinking about this one, just book your stay. You won’t regret it.
Lovely cottage
Very well equipped kitchen
Amazing garden
Great location for exploring the new forest
Shane was very welcoming
Emma J.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 27 Oct 2022
Hi Emma. So glad it worked well. This time of year, the weather can be uncooperative! Thanks for leaving the cottage in super condition which was much appreciated. Hope to welcome you again one day.
Best.
Shane
Lovely property in lovely surroundings. Great contact with the host and a lovely homely feel to the cottage. Good location for the new forest and great for a short walk to local shops and restaurants. Would certainly recommend
Frances B.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 4 Aug 2024
Thank you for your generous words. Sorry not to have welcomed you in person but I was away myself. So pleased you had a nice time
We loved staying at Weir Cottage, Shane welcomed us and explained different procedures for the cottage. Location was good and the information given to us by Shane was very helpful.
Jill B.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 11 July 2024
Thank you very much for reviewing your stay at Weir Cottage. So glad you had an enjoyable time even though the weather was not entirely cooperative. Hope to welcome you again one day.
Kind regards. Shane
Easy to find with everything you need within walking distance. Could not believe it was so close to the town with such a rural garden and feel about the property and garden. We felt so at home. It had more mod cons than we are used to, so it felt like a holiday. Wish we could have had more time away from our farm and animals to enjoy the property and new forest even more
Weir cottage was a beautifully presented and well appointed thatched cottage close to Fordingbridge town centre yet with a feeing of being remote. Shane was easy to communicate with and provided lots of local information. I would definitely recommend this accomodation for short or long breaks in the New Forest.
Iain R.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 24 Mar 2025
It was a real pleasure meeting you and Denise and to know you had a great time here on your short break in the New Forest area. Thank you for leaving the cottage in wonderful shape for us. Hope to welcome to welcome you again one day.
Verified
10/10 Excellent
jane
21 Apr 2024
Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, communication
Fantastic cottage. Beautiful cottage, stunning gardens. Very comfortable, stylish and well equipped. Quiet place but close to local pubs and restaurants. Friendly and helpful host.
We loved our time in Fordingbridge and the property was wonderful. Shane was welcoming and available if we needed anything.
Heidi M.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 11 July 2023
Hello Heidi,
Thank you for taking the trouble to review your recent stay at Weir Cottage. It was a delight to meet you and so glad you were comfortable. Hope to see you again one day!
Regards
Shane
This property is immaculate and well appointed. Shane is the perfect host and his attention to detail excellent. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay. The surrounding area at the edge of the New Forest is a delight!
Philip B.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 7 June 2022
Thank you so much for your great review and for choosing Weir Cottage for your anniversary celebration. My thanks, too, for leaving the cottage in such immaculate order. Hope to see you again one day.
We really enjoyed our stay.
The cottage has everything you need and is beautifully presented. The host made us feel very welcome he was very attentive.
The garden has a wow factor.
There are plenty of lovely restaurants nearby and the New Forest is on your doorstep.
Thank you!
Joanne C.
Stayed 4 nights in May 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 31 May 2024
Hi Jo. Thanks for taking the time to review your experience at Weir Cottage. So pleased you had an enjoyable stay and hope to welcome you again one day. Shane
Weir cottage is a beautifully appointed cottage set in beautiful private gardens. Our host was very helpful and provides first class accommodation. Although located in the center of Fordingbridge it is very quiet and peaceful. I have no hesitation in recommending this cottage.
We couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful place for our staycation holiday. Beautiful cottage, clean and comfortable. Peaceful, beautiful gardens and quiet surroundings.
A great base for exploring the New Forest and surrounding areas. Shane is an excellent and very friendly host.
Highly recommended.
Verified traveller
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 28 Aug 2023
It was a delight to meet you and your family. Thank you for your kind remarks and for leaving the cottage in immaculate order. Hope very much to welcome you again one day.
We had a fabulous long weekend at Weir cottage and loved every minute. From the easy parking (essential when travelling with a baby!) to the well stocked, clean, well furnished cottage, to the wonderful views in the fantastic garden our time there was perfect. We very much enjoyed sitting on the decking in the evening listening to the birds and wildlife.
Would definitely come back!
Rachel Meyrick M.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 5 Aug 2022
Thank you so very much for your kind words. So pleased you enjoyed your stay and really hope to welcome you again one day.
Weir cottage was a delight in every respect. One of the prettiest and definitely the cleanest 👏🏻
From check in, our stay was everything we wanted it to be. Shane and Lindy were soo friendly and helpful and their beautiful home contained all we needed for a comfortable, relaxing stay. The property was soo clean and well equipped with everything you could possibly need. Would love to revisit. 😁💞
Sarah H.
Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 11 Sept 2021
Dear Sarah,
What a pleasure to meet you and Richie. Glad you were able to host your friend to stay and have lunch in the garden with other close girlfriends.
It makes us feel so good when we hear visitors love our surroundings as much as we do, when there.
Would be lovely to see you again one day.
Keep safe.
Shane & Lindy x
Really enjoyable stay at Weir Cottage for the May bank holiday weekend. The accommodation was great, very well appointed and comfortable for the three of us. The outside space is beautiful and obviously a labour of love. Fordingbridge is well positioned for exploring the New Forest and the beaches around Bournemouth so we couldn’t have asked for more. Shane was a genial host, his knowledge of the local area was very welcome as we had never been to this part of the country before. Would definitely recommend a stay here, we will certainly be back.
Steven S.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 1 June 2023
Hi Steve. Thank you for taking the time to thoughtfully review your stay at Weir Cottage and the New Forest area. A delight to meet you and the family. Appreciate your kind words very much.
The cottage is immaculate, well appointed and in an excellent location on the edge of the New Forest. There are lots of pubs, restaurants, and shops just a short walk away.
Every detail from the flowers at the front door to the heated towel rack was designed for the comfort and convenience of the guest. Shane was a terrific host and didn’t miss a thing. We will definitely return on our next trip to England.
Derek A.
Stayed 6 nights in Jun 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 2 July 2022
Hi Derek, thank you for your most generous review. Thanks too for leaving the cottage in immaculate order and even putting my bin bags out for me, ready for collection. Perfect guests! Certainly hope to see you on your next trip to UK.
We had a wonderful stay at this charming, well-equipped gorgeous cottage. It is walking distance to all the local amenities and has some great restaurants that are walking distance, The George in particular has great food and atmosphere.
What really makes this a wonderful stay is the charming garden - you can really see that love and nurture that the hosts have put into the garden over the years, it is beautiful. I loved sitting in the sun room or terrace reading my book in the evenings.
Would thoroughly recommend the property and look forward to coming back soon.
Fantastic hosts and Shane is very responsive and helpful. Thanks again for making it a memorable stay.
Jhumi N.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 16 Apr 2024
Hi Jhumi, thank you so much for taking the trouble to review your stay at Weir Cottage.
The garden this year is taking much longer to recover so hope you do get to return in the summer months. It was a pleasure to welcome you, your husband and son.
Kind regards.
Shane
Verified
10/10 Excellent
Ross
11 Apr 2023
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities, communication
Had a fantastic stay at Weir Cottage. Shane, the host was very welcoming and friendly and we even had a fresh loaf of bread from the bakers and some milk upon our arrival. The cottage was beautiful and had a great mix of technlology without losing its original charachter.
The garden is absolutelyvstunning with a pond, a river runjing yhrough and a weir to walk around. I went with my 3 year old daughter who loved running around in the garden.
The location is also perfect. Just 30 mins drivr from Bournemouth and just a coiple of kiles from the New Forest. The high stret of Fordingbridge is just a 2 minute walk away.
Perfect throughout.
We have stayed in a few guest houses recently. I have to say, this is probably the best place we have stayed at in terms of quality of accommodation.
This time we wanted to avoid using the main "B&B" website, as they appear to be getting more and more greedy, so we looked for alternative sources, and found Weir Cottage.
Shane really knows how to host, he has thought of everything possible in order to make life as functional and as easy as possible so guests can just get on and relax or do what else they want to do.
The cottage itself is gorgeous and absolutely pristine, honestly, not a speck of dust anywhere. It's *extremely* well kitted out with functional and useful furnishings and implements/equipment. The king-size bed was as comfy as you can get.
I really really struggle to think of any improvements that could be made, and I honestly can't think of anything that could be done any better.
There's loads of kit in the kitchen, the IT/AV is as good as you will get, there's loads of games for kids & adults, the furnishings are extremely practical, and the place has a great modern, yet homely/cottagey feel to it.
And, the local town is really really nice, and it's just a stones throw away - it has all you need there.
Shane's communication is exceptional - again, he knows what it means to be a host, and a proper one at that.
There's no way 5 stars does this cottage and experience justice.
I'd love to just book it for 3 months straight and live here for a while.
Highly recommend
Ruth J.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 8 Jan 2024
It was a pleasure to host Ruth & James. Communication was first class and the cottage was left in excellent order which was much appreciated. Highly recommended to other hosts.
Really lovely place to stay with a garden to die for.
Timothy T.
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2022
About the host
Hosted by Shane Dowling
Hello, I'm Shane and have owned Weir Cottage since 2007 - that's me on my weir in the picture! A while ago I decided to make the cottage in to two units so my eldest daughter could live independently in what is now, self-contained, Weir Cottage. My daughter has since married, moved and made me a proud grandfather of Ada and grandson, Ted! My partner has a house in Salisbury so we spend a lot of time there or abroad. Hence the decision to offer Weir Cottage to rent. Duck Cottage may or may not be occupied when you are here. Please respect each others privacy in the garden or loud music etc. Riverside Lodge, pied a terre, also available to rentin addition to Weir Cottage cottages!
Why they chose this property
Weir Cottage is a very special place. The garden is a real gem because although town centre, once in the garden you will think you are in the middle of the country. Even locals are amazed to see what lies behind the cottage. A great benefit is being able to walk to local pubs and restaurants rather than having to drive as is often the case with character properties. Few kitchen windows have a view as pleasing as you will get from Weir Cottage. High speed, unlimited Internet is available throughout the cottage. Water is softened, linen is high quality Egyptian Cotton and my aim is to ensure your stay is wonderful! Unlike many properties I do not impose a cleaning charge and just ask you respect the property and leave the cottage clean and tidy.
What makes this property unique
Rarely do picturesque homes have such a unique yet practical setting. Thatched cottages can sometimes look great on the outside yet disappoint inside with everything as equally old! Weir Cottage is beautifully and fully appointed with modern fittings for your total comfort. You should find everything you'd expect in a very well equipped home.
Languages:
English
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