Holly Cottage is a substantial, detached Cotswold property with a perfect combination of character features, including an inglenook fireplace, oak beams and flagstone flooring, alongside modern facilities including underfloor heating. There's a great pub, community shop and walks right from the door. Sleeps 8 guests across 3 double bedrooms and 1 twin, with 1 ensuite and a large family bathroom. There is a private courtyard garden with covered eating area and barbecue and parking for four cars. This picture postcard, late 18th century Cotswold stone cottage has a wonderful welcoming feel, with original oak beams, flagstone floors and and an inglenook fireplace with modern wood-burning stove which makes autumn and winter nights a cosy prospect . Holly Cottage is bright and airy too, with modern facilities and plenty of entertaining space with a large sitting room and dining room and a fabulous conservatory/garden room. A covered outdoor dining area makes a great spot for a barbecue dinner in the Summer too. The cottage is decorated and furnished in a contemporary style with soft white and grey paintwork setting off Holly Cottage's traditional features. Thoroughly renovated by the current owners just five years ago, the modern facilities include underfloor heating throughout the downstairs area (beneath the flagstone flooring) and a fully equipped kitchen with everything guests might need for a self-catered holiday. Eight guests are comfortably accommodated in the cottage's four bedrooms, that include two king-size double rooms on the first floor (one of which can be converted to twin beds if preferred), and a further double room and one twin-bedded room on the second floor. The master bedroom has a large ensuite bathroom with a walk-in shower and full-size bath, while the second bathroom also provides a further walk-in shower and full-size bath imn a generously sized room. Holly Cottage sits on a quiet country lane leading to the 12th Century church of St John the Baptist. The front garden wraps around both sides of the cottage and leads to a large courtyard area with lawn and borders, a covered seating area, charcoal barbecue and a summer house. Private parking at the rear of the cottage provides ample space for three or four cars., with further parking available on the lane if required. Coln St Aldwyns is steeped in history, dating back to Roman times. Just up the lane is the 12th century church and two-minutes’ walk around the corner is the village community store and a brilliant village gastro-pub, The New Inn which has been receiving accolades from contented diners since Baz & Fred refurbished the charming 16th century coaching inn in 2020. Ground Floor Entrance: We normally enter Holly Cottage through the back door into the utility room. Utility Room: This handy room leads off the back garden and courtyard and has a freezer, sink, washer-dryer, storage cupboards (containing garden-safe glasses) and hooks for coats and hats. It’s a great place to remove shoes and boots before heading into the cottage proper. Cloakroom: Off the utility room there is a small downstairs lavarory with a washbasin and a map featuring Coln St Aldwyns village, dated 1881 in case you are either geographically or chronologically disoriented. The Kitchen: The pretty and welcoming double-aspect kitchen, with its original oak beams and flagstone flooring (with underfloor heating), draws you all the way to the far window, with its window seat, two little children’s tables and a comfy armchair – which allows guests to keep the chef company, particularly if provided with a glass of wine from the adjacent wine-rack! This practical, fully equipped kitchen has everything you need for a self-catered stay, including a Lecford induction range, dishwasher, two fridges, plenty of cupboard and preparation space, a double sink and a Nespresso coffee machine. Sitting Room: The kitchen leads through to the cottage's beautiful sitting room, with its original oak beams, flagstone flooring (with underfloor heating) and a large inglenook fireplace with a wood-burning stove. Two large leather sofas and a wing-back armchair surround a useful coffee table. A TV perches unobtrusively in the corner of the sitting room together with a DVD player and a wide choice of DVDs, although of course the cottage's ubiquitous and speedy wi-fi network makes streaming the default option. A ladder bookcase and further bookshelves in the corner of the room hold some interesting books, including local history and, reflecting the owners' background, a treasure trove of sports biography. The dining area overlooks the rear garden and has a large wooden dining table which comfortably seats eight adults. Tucked away in a cupboard under the stairs is a highchair, ironing board, clothes airer and vacuum cleaner. Conservatory/Garden Room: Through the sitting room you will find a bright and spacious modern garden room that provides a light and relaxing room for guests to enjoy some TV-free time to read, chat or snooze. Furnished with a three-seater sofa and wingback armchair, the room features original flagstone floors, now thankfully updated with modern underfloor heating. A large wicker basket contains a choice of family board games and the French doors open out to a flight of stone steps leading to the courtyard garden. First Floor Stairs lead up from the sitting room to the first-floor landing and the cottage's first two bedrooms. The upstairs is carpeted with a light bark-coloured sisal (from which stains are almost impossible to remove - which therefore motivates us to ask guests not to take their shoes, food or drink upstairs to these carpeted areas!) Master Bedroom: A lovely light and spacious double bedroom with original oak beams looks out to the beautiful Coln properties on Church Lane. The room has a sumptuous king-size bed on an iron bedstead and is also furnished with a very comfy maroon velvet wingback armchair, bedside tables with reading lamps and a double fitted wardrobe (where you will also find a travel cot and stairgates.) Behind the bed are some deep shelves, which were the original staircase leading up from behind the sitting room’s inglenook fireplace. The master bedroom has an ensuite bathroom with smooth oak floorboards, which looks out over the rear garden. The bathroom has a walk-in shower, a free-standing, roll-top bath, (with central taps and a handheld shower attachment), a lavatory, washbasin and a helpfully heated towel rail. Second Bedroom: The dove grey walls of the second bedroom offset the oak beams of the second bedroom which also overlooks Church Lane – a quiet, no-through road along which very little traffic passes. The king-size double bed can be set up as a twin-bedded room if guests prefer, with bedside tables with reading lamps, a large chest of drawers, a full-length mirror and a double wardrobe (an adjacent single wardrobe houses the cottage’s hot water tank.) Family Bathroom: Also on the first floor the spacious family bathroom features polished oak floorboards and provides plenty of space to accommodate a family’s requirements, with a walk-in shower, a full size, built-in bath (with end taps and a handheld shower attachment), a lavatory and a washbasin with a mirror on a wide windowsill that provides plenty of room for personal items as well as another heated towel rail. Sisal-carpeted stairs lead up to the second-floor landing and two further bedrooms both with sloping ceilings and exposed oak beams, a Velux window to the rear garden and pretty windows overlooking Church Lane and the rooftops of Coln St Aldwyns. Third Bedroom: The cottage’s third bedroom features a standard double bed on an evocative wrought-iron bedstead. This simply furnished but cosy bedroom has a freestanding wardrobe, a large chest of drawers and sufficient room to tarry awhile to consider the splendid views over Coln’s rooftops. Fourth Bedroom: This bright and cheerful twin room with Beatrix Potter pictures, children’s books and a welcoming soft toy on each bed is ideal for younger guests, but can be made to suit even demanding teens and adult guests too. Two standard single beds sit either side of a table and lightstand. The bedroom has a built-in double cupboard with hanging space. A small credenza houses some toys and children’s puzzles in case of bedtime need! Outside The back door (into the utility room) and the French doors (in the garden room), lead out into the large courtyard garden, a covered seating area, charcoal barbecue and summerhouse. The covered area has a large table with seating for eight and a charcoal barbecue provides a good solution for outside dining on Summer evenings. A gravel driveway runs from Church Lane, between planted borders, to the main courtyard where there is ample space for four cars. The garden wraps around both sides of the cottage to the front, where there is a pretty, gravelled and paved front garden with rambling roses, winter jasmine and mature bushes.