Rachel's Farm — Hotel in Great Britain

I recently stayed here for 2 nights as part of a group of 24 on a hen weekend. We hired multiple properties on-site as well as the barn to host our activities. On arrival, we were warmly welcomed by the owner, and the accommodation was clean, modern, and presented to a good standard.

During our stay, we were contacted by the owner regarding a noise complaint. This was unexpected, as we were using a silent disco setup and had kept all doors and windows closed. We were later informed that another hen party on-site had received a similar message.

That same night, a few members of our group were approached while using the hot tub. The group went inside immediately when asked, but it was unclear whether the male who approached them was a staff member or another guest, which caused some confusion and upset due to their aggressive tone.

We acknowledge that quiet hours are in place between 10pm and 8am, though not all guests were aware of this in advance. Given that two hen parties were booked at the same time, it would have been helpful to have clearer guidance on how the quiet hours were expected to be upheld in that context.

While the website states “no parties,” hen party bookings were accepted, which created some uncertainty about the expectations during our stay.

While our stay wasn’t perfect, we were prepared to let some things slide. However, after departure, we were informed that all of our security deposit would be retained due to some decorations marking paintwork. Additionally, we were told that we would be contributing to refunds being issued to other guests due to the “noise level”. We felt that the amount proposed to be withheld was not clearly justified or reasonable.

Some of the issues we had whilst staying here were

The Gatehouse property had no hot water all day on Saturday meaning guest could not shower and had to use showers in the other properties, this resulted in the start of our day being delayed. Again in The Gatehouse properties the stench from the drains was unbearable causing guests again not to be able to use the facilities.  There was even a sign stating that the drains were not great which we would not have expected from a luxury property. We paid £120 for hire of the electronics and the speaker that we paid for did not work meaning we lost a full evening and most of Saturday of use. The terms and conditions state that no parties are allowed yet two Hen Parties were booked to stay over one weekend with other guests staying, were the other guest informed that there would be 2 Hen parties surrounding them for their weekend stay? Whilst we appreciate guests were in the hot tub post 10pm, the manner in which an unidentified male screamed at us was no acceptable and we would very aggressive and disturbing. There was a wasps nest outside at the hot tub in The Gatehouse meaning that guests could not use the Hot tub for fear of being stung. The relentless messaging about the noise complaint after we had acknowledged and said we would deal with it caused emotional distress and in all honesty actually ruined the remainder of our weekend. Whilst we tried to ensure that the houses were left clean and tidy that wasn’t entirely possible due to broken hoovers in 2 of the properties meaning we were unable to use these for the duration of our stay.

Overall, the accommodation itself was modern and a great space, but clearer communication and consistency around house rules would have made for a smoother experience for all involved. This whole saga has put a huge dampener on the weekend and is yet to be resolved as the owner has not replied to our email’s. We feel that this accommodation is not suitable for hen parties and we wouldn’t recommend anyone book it for this purpose. We are hugely disappointed in how are weekend turned out feel that it has not been dealt with fairly or...

We recently stayed at Rachel’s Farm for a hen weekend, during which we hired three of the available properties to accommodate our entire group. Upon arrival, we were warmly welcomed by the host, and the accommodation itself was spacious, modern, and initially met our expectations.

On the first evening (Friday), we held a silent disco with all doors and windows closed to minimize any potential disturbance. Later, a few guests used the hot tub, engaging in quiet conversation without any music playing. During this time, we were approached in an abrupt and confrontational manner by a man who shouted at us and demanded we exit the hot tub immediately, stating this was our final warning. The experience was quite unsettling, particularly due to the late hour and the aggressive nature of the interaction. Our group immediately complied and returned indoors.

The following morning, the host informed us of a noise complaint. We were also made aware that another hen party staying next door received a similar complaint. We responded with sincere apologies and made it clear to all guests in our group that we needed to be mindful and respectful of other visitors on the premises.

We did note that the website states “no parties allowed,” which raises concerns about the booking of two hen parties during the same weekend. It is unclear whether other guests were informed in advance that multiple group bookings were taking place.

Unfortunately, we encountered several issues during our stay: • One of the properties was without hot water for an entire day. • There was a persistent, unpleasant odour coming from the drains. • A speaker we paid extra to hire was broken and unusable. • A wasp nest located directly above one of the hot tubs rendered it unusable. • We were provided with incorrect cookware, which made meal preparation challenging. • The vacuum cleaner supplied was completely inoperable.

Three days after our departure, we were informed that our entire £1,000 deposit would be withheld. The reasons given were to compensate other guests (no evidence has been provided for this claim) and to cover minor paint touch-ups in the main hall. These touch-ups were due to decorations we had put up but unfortunately we were not advised at any point that decorations were prohibited. There is also no mention of this restriction in the terms and conditions. Had we been informed in advance, we would have happily refrained from decorating.

While the property itself was modern, spacious, and conveniently located, we would not recommend this venue for hen/stag parties or other large group events. The overall experience was significantly marred by the handling of the noise complaint, the maintenance issues, and the unexpected withholding of our full deposit.

This situation has been deeply disappointing and has caused unnecessary stress for our group. It is especially disheartening considering the months of planning that went into organising this special weekend to celebrate my sister’s...

We stayed for two nights as part of a group of 24 on a hen weekend, booking several properties and the barn. The accommodation was clean, modern, and well-presented, and we were warmly welcomed on arrival.||However, several issues affected our stay. Despite using a silent disco with windows and doors closed, we received noise complaints—something another hen party on-site also experienced. Later that night, some guests were approached aggressively while using the hot tub by an unidentified man, which caused confusion and distress.||There was no hot water in The Gatehouse on Saturday, forcing guests to use showers elsewhere, and the strong smell from the drains made some facilities unusable. A paid speaker setup didn’t work, which disrupted our planned activities. There was also a wasp nest near the hot tub that made it unusable.||We received repeated messages about noise even after we had addressed the issue, which added unnecessary stress. Communication about quiet hours and expectations—especially with two hen parties on-site—was unclear. The property advertises “no parties” yet accepts hen bookings, which seems contradictory.||After checkout, we were informed that our entire deposit would be retained for minor damage and noise-related refunds to other guests. This felt unfair and poorly justified.||Overall, while the setting was lovely, the experience was disappointing. We wouldn’t recommend this property for hen parties or any other large parties and feel the situation was not handled...