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A great location for a family holiday.

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An outdoor patio with a table, chairs, a vase of flowers, and a view of the interior through glass doors.
Convenient open-plan living space | Swallows Retreat, Hartland
A modern kitchen with an island, built-in oven, and pendant lighting.
A white building with a brown window frame, a clear sky, and a distant view of the sea and hills.
A dining area with a wooden table, white chairs, a small cabinet, and a TV mounted on the wall.

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional

Highlights

  • Made for relaxation
    Top-rated for comfort — guests feel right at home here.
  • Fishing available on-site
    A rare find — cast your line without leaving the property.
  • Discover nearby landmarks
    Close to North Devon Coast

Popular amenities

  • Barbecue
  • Washing machine
  • Internet
  • Onsite parking available
  • Garden
  • Non-smoking

Explore the area

View map
Hartland
  • Place, North Devon Coast
    ‪1 min walk‬
  • Place, Widemouth Bay Beach
    ‪37 min drive‬
  • Place, RHS Garden Rosemoor
    ‪48 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

2 bedrooms (sleeps 4)

Bedroom

1 King Bed

Bedroom

2 Single Beds

2 bathrooms

Bathroom

Bathroom

Spaces

Kitchen
Garden

Add dates for prices

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About the area

Bideford

Located in Bideford, this cottage is in a rural area and on a river. The area's natural beauty can be seen at North Devon Coast and Cornwall National Landscape, while The Castle Bude and Holsworthy Museum are cultural highlights. Docton Mill Gardens & Tea Rooms and The Milky Way Adventure Park are also worth visiting. Spend some time exploring the area's activities, including golfing.
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Map
Hartland

What's nearby

  • North Devon Coast - 1 min walk - 0.0 km
  • Bude Beach - 31 min drive - 29.8 km
  • Widemouth Bay Beach - 37 min drive - 35.0 km
  • Clovelly Village - 44 min drive - 36.0 km
  • RHS Garden Rosemoor - 48 min drive - 46.0 km

Restaurants

  • ‪Bradworthy Inn - ‬16 min drive
  • ‪The Hart Inn - ‬11 min drive
  • ‪Farmer's Arms - ‬13 min drive
  • ‪Wrecker's Retreat - ‬15 min drive
  • ‪The Old Smithy Inn - ‬8 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is A great location for a family holiday. pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking at A great location for a family holiday.?

On-site parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at A great location for a family holiday.?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at A great location for a family holiday.?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is A great location for a family holiday. located?

Situated by the ocean, this cottage is 2.8 mi (4.6 km) from Docton Mill Gardens & Tea Rooms and within 6 miles (10 km) of North Devon Coast and Welcombe Mouth Beach. Hartland Forest and Spekes Mill Beach are also within 6 miles (10 km).

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
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Rating 10 - Excellent. 26 out of 27 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 1 out of 27 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 27 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 27 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 27 reviews

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

From a partner site

10/10 Excellent

A very comfortable and well presented farmhouse.

A very comfortable and well presented farmhouse. Mrs Gorman was always available to help if needed. It was quite spacious, easy to get to and well maintained. We enjoyed our stay there and will certainly recommend it.
From a partner site

10/10 Excellent

Absolutely gorgeous place to stay the accommodation was perfect.

Absolutely gorgeous place to stay the accommodation was perfect. My only suggestion would be another small sofa.
From a partner site

10/10 Excellent

Absolutely amazing cottage, high quality furnishings great lication , lovely outdoor space.

Absolutely amazing cottage, high quality furnishings great lication , lovely outdoor space.,, comfy beds We had a great week , weather was lovely
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, listing accuracy
This property was stunning and beautifully decorated. Very peaceful and quiet area. Loved our whole week there, we both felt very relaxed. Had everything you needed, including an iron, ironing board, hair dryer, games and plenty of information about the area. Would definitely stay here again.
Stayed 7 nights in May 2026
From a partner site

10/10 Excellent

Beautiful location,down some narrow lanes,but may be an issue for some as not particularly close for

Beautiful location,down some narrow lanes,but may be an issue for some as not particularly close for a pub.Supermarkets are about a 20/25 minute drive to Asda/Aldi but can’t fault the peace & quiet.Host/owners very nice.Cottage lovely with everything you need,quality furnishings & fittings & a welcome pack on arrival & enough room to move around.Also nice decking area for good weather.Couldn’t have asked for better
From a partner site

10/10 Excellent

Beautiful cottage.

Beautiful cottage. Extremely comfortable, clean, well equipped and cosy. Great for our short break
From a partner site

10/10 Excellent

wonderfull, spotless bungalow, beautiful location and lovelly owners on hand if you need anything, c

wonderfull, spotless bungalow, beautiful location and lovelly owners on hand if you need anything, couldnt fault it at all. highly recommend.
From a partner site

10/10 Excellent

Swallows Retreat is a lovely spacious cottage, ideal for a family of 4 or like us, two couples.

Swallows Retreat is a lovely spacious cottage, ideal for a family of 4 or like us, two couples. The bedrooms are at opposite ends which gives a good degree of privacy. Nicely appointed, immaculately clean and with plenty of board games and lots of information on the local area, you really would be hard pushed to find fault. Nice welcome 'basket' of bacon, eggs, sausage and bread. The beds are VERY comfortable, with plenty of pillow and extra bedspread options for your comfort. There's a small decked area outside where we sat in the evening with a table and wicker furniture. The cottage is on a farm and is a little remote. It was perfect for us for a 2 night stay, but for a longer stay you might find it harder to nip out for supplies, etc. The owner came and said hello on the first day but other than that we had complete privacy. The views of the surrounding countryside are spectacular. Take kitchen roll , shower gel, shampoo & sauces, but loo roll is provided. TV n each bedroom and the lounge. If you're looking to get away from it all this is the perfect place.
From a partner site

10/10 Excellent

We stayed here this Christmas and had a lovely time, very cosy, clean welcoming and well equipped th

We stayed here this Christmas and had a lovely time, very cosy, clean welcoming and well equipped the cottage was even decorated for Christmas which was so lovely. We will be definitely staying here again. Review independently collected and verified by Reevoo
From a partner site

10/10 Excellent

The most wonderful week spent at this wonderful cottage.

The most wonderful week spent at this wonderful cottage. A recently refurbished milking shed on a working farm. Beautifully decorated and furnished. Every thing you can think of is there. The hosts are lovely people and care about your stay. The location could be a bit remote for those who want a bells and whistles holiday but for a peaceful relaxing and restful holiday it will be hard to beat. Easy to find your way around once you have gotten used to the grass in the middle of the lanes. Would we recommend this staycation mos definitely. Review independently collected and verified by Reevoo
From a partner site

10/10 Excellent

As a family of 4, we stayed in Swallows Retreat between 22nd - 31st August 2020.

As a family of 4, we stayed in Swallows Retreat between 22nd - 31st August 2020. We had read some very positive reviews and on arrival we were not disappointed. This stunning cottage on the Hartland peninsular was exactly as described. It is beautiful, peaceful, comfortable, very clean and extremely well equipped for a relaxing family stay. We were greeted by Heather, who was very welcoming and left us a beautiful breakfast basket on arrival. Although remote (access to a car is essential) the cottage is ideally placed to visit the north Cornwall and Devon coastline. We enjoyed visiting the beaches at Bude and Croyde Bay whilst we stayed there. We wouldn't hesitate to recommend this cottage and we will most certainly be back again! Review independently collected and verified by Reevoo
From a partner site

10/10 Excellent

Extremely quiet, peaceful and picturesque rural location.

Extremely quiet, peaceful and picturesque rural location. Very modern fittings and equipment in the cottage with everything you could need. Friendly owners provided a wonderful welcome pack which set us up with food for arrival. A great location to explore both North Devon and into Cornwall. We had a lovely week and used this as a base to explore north devon and we went to bude, westward ho, biddeford, combe Martin, clovelly abd even Newquay, and many other locations. We would highly recommend this cottage for a relaxed break and as a base for exploring. The only point of note is that this is a very rural and secluded location with many narrow small lanes to negotiate. You will need a car and willingness to use your car to travel to get to beaches etc as required. We had a lovely week and will return to Devon again. Review independently collected and verified by Reevoo
From a partner site

10/10 Excellent

everything about this holiday was amazing from the moment we arrived to the point when we left.

everything about this holiday was amazing from the moment we arrived to the point when we left. I can't think of anything that could have been done better. the rooms are clean and spacious and both have an en suite and on your arrival you are provided with a wonderful breakfast basket which made the whole experience that little more special. I cannot wait to go again. Review independently collected and verified by Reevoo
From a partner site

8/10 Good

Very nice cottage but the Tv did not work for 4 days and then just free view channels .

Very nice cottage but the Tv did not work for 4 days and then just free view channels . Otherwise nice and quiet but No local amenities . Review independently collected and verified by Reevoo
From a partner site

10/10 Excellent

Swallows Retreat is a great property in beautiful surroundings.

Swallows Retreat is a great property in beautiful surroundings. The cottage is very comfortable and clean with a well equipped kitchen. The owners are lovely and even left a much appreciated breakfast basket. The property is in a really quiet and peaceful area with views across open country to the sea. A great location for access to both North Devon and Cornwall. This has to be one of the best properties we have rented and will definitely be looking to stay here again next time we visit North Devon. Many thanks for a great week.
From a partner site

10/10 Excellent

Excellent enjoyed the rest and tranquility, would recommend to anyone.

Excellent enjoyed the rest and tranquility, would recommend to anyone.
From a partner site

10/10 Excellent

Brilliant cottage beautifully furnished & very well looked after.

Brilliant cottage beautifully furnished & very well looked after. We were impressed with the cleanliness & how much care must have gone into ensuring that everything we could have wanted was there. Highly recommended.
From a partner site

10/10 Excellent

Excellent cottage in peaceful location but within easy access to a variety of attractions.

Excellent cottage in peaceful location but within easy access to a variety of attractions. Had a great week exploring Devon and North Cornwall with our 2 teenage daughters.
From a partner site

10/10 Excellent

We had a wonderful week staying at Swallows Retreat.

We had a wonderful week staying at Swallows Retreat. The cottage was very clean, beautifully furnished and had everything you could need. There any many great places to visit nearby and we had a brilliant time!
From a partner site

10/10 Excellent

Great place to stay ,very clean and tidy,best cottage I’ve stayed in.

Great place to stay ,very clean and tidy,best cottage I’ve stayed in.very private to,would defiantly recommend
From a partner site

10/10 Excellent

We have stayed in lots of holiday cottages, but none of them have ever been as clean and comfortable

We have stayed in lots of holiday cottages, but none of them have ever been as clean and comfortable as this one. The owners have thought of every comfort. There was a lovely welcome pack all the ingredients for a cooked breakfast. Beautiful setting very quiet. I would describe this cottage as luxury and would recommend to all my friends and family.
From a partner site

10/10 Excellent

We would thoroughly recommend a delightful stay in this lovely cottage, really beautiful.

We would thoroughly recommend a delightful stay in this lovely cottage, really beautiful. Hartland is a good choice to stay as you have the best of both worlds, Devon and Cornwall. Such a glorious part of the country.
From a partner site

10/10 Excellent

Swallows retreat was absolutely lovely, clean, comfortable and had everything you could need.

Swallows retreat was absolutely lovely, clean, comfortable and had everything you could need. It was in a picture perfect location and was so quite and peaceful. They owners were also very friendly and accommodating. We would definitely recommend anyone staying there.
From a partner site

10/10 Excellent

A lovely place to stay accommodation was excellent.

A lovely place to stay accommodation was excellent. The owners were very welcoming nothing too much trouble.
From a partner site

10/10 Excellent

We had an absolutely brilliant long weekend in this delightful cottage.

We had an absolutely brilliant long weekend in this delightful cottage. The facilities were fantastic and the view down to the sea was stunning. The welcome pack was superb & the owner was very welcoming & helpful. We would love to come back to this cottage.
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