Against the chaos, stress and sadness that 2020 has thrown at us all, it has been an utter joy to host our guests this Summer. It is always special to welcome guests to Elmley, but this year it has been a real a privilege to provide the setting for families to gather and reconnect with each other and nature. And to give our guests the opportunity to stop, breathe and disconnect for a few days. We have loved helping guests young and old explore the wild setting of Elmley.

It has been very sad (as well as very quiet) to postpone our gorgeous 2020 wedding celebrations to next year, but we’re sure next year’s celebrations with be even better for it! And we were so pleased to welcome the wonderful couples to enjoy a weekend in the huts and mark their date together.

Thank you so much to all our Summer guests, for coming and being so wonderful to have!

The Rule of 6

So, after this busy Summer it was rather a blow to have the Rule of 6 brought in – in the houses we had many family gatherings planned for special occasions over the Autumn and it has been heart-breaking to have to adjust plans or cancel these.

We are, however, a positive bunch at Elmley and, as many of you know, we do like a challenge (being surrounded by nature and big skies probably helps). So, we’ve got some exciting news to share with you…

We are opening up booking of individual room in Kingshill Farmhouse.

This is something we have been considering for some time, and was in fact in the original plans for the Farmhouse renovation. But we have been so busy welcoming families, parties and corporate retreats to the house that it hasn’t yet happened.

We weren’t expecting to do this now, but hey – pretty much most of 2020 has been unexpected! We really are so excited about this, and are enjoying the challenge of setting up boutique rooms in 3 weeks.

Elmley Cottage and Kingshill Farmhouse are both still available to book as a whole house on request as long as your group is no more than 6 (or more if you are from the same household or support bubble)

Rooms in Kingshill Farmhouse

There are five spacious ensuite room spread over the first and second floors, each offering a unique escape. All are individually decorated with vintage furniture and bespoke touches. All rooms have large beds, soft linen, comfy seating, bathrobes, Bramley products bath robes and of course stunning views across the Reserve from either a comfy bed or a roll top bath.

Eating and drinking

Downstairs guests can settle in and relax in a choice of stylish reception rooms, with antique furniture, cosy seating, unique artwork, fires and gorgeous views.

Come the evening the Farmhouse downstairs will become an intimate and elegant bar – serving a curated selection of drinks and bar snacks – open to guests from the Farmhouse Rooms and the Huts. With seated service and use of all the rooms, guests will have space to relax.

The Barn and Linhay are open throughout the day, offering gorgeous rustic spaces serving local and wholesome food along with teas, coffees and snacks.

We’re making a few changes so that from October The Linhay will be open as cosy evening space, complete with a wood burner and festoon lighting. In this rustically romantic setting, we will be offering a Supper menu of simple, hearty dishes, put together with love using seasonal ingredients we have carefully sourced from the best of local producers.

Visiting for the day

We have been welcoming day visitors on a pre-booked ticket basis since July, and have been working hard to enhance the experience of our visitors. Guests coming for the day have been enjoying the local snacks, drinks and meals in the Barn and Linhay. We’re so pleased to welcome our lovely new nature guide, Abbie who is running a programme of wildlife tours for those you want to explore Elmley a little more. And as the days draw in we’ll be lighting the courtyard firepit for hot chocolates and marshmallows!

Keeping you safe

With the nature reserve to explore and plenty of space to spread out around the farm and within the Farmhouse, we are lucky that social distancing is part of the experience here – allowing our guests to escape and relax in nature. The safety of our guests, our team and our community are still our priority and you can read in full about our commitments to safety here.

Finally…

Thank you to all for your support. 2020 has been a challenging year for all, so we are so pleased we can welcome guests safely and give you a wonderful experience and chance to relax. We are fortunate that we have the ability to adapt and develop our business and continue to grow our fantastic local team.

With very best wishes,

Gareth, Georgina and the Elmley team x