Pool, gardens and grounds
Gardens and grounds here are like another room. The kind of room that comes with its own private, 10-metres-by-five outdoor pool heated year-round to 30 degrees. Dive in, splash away an afternoon, win at water polo, towel off and test the other toys out.
Kids will bounce away hours on the sunken trampoline and the footie nets sit at the mercy of any young Harry Kanes. For something more genteel, get the hoops out, find a YouTube video and figure out how to play croquet. Take a book out beneath the apple tree. Fire up the barbie on the patio with meat from Steyning Butchers.
Want some wow? The whole space lights up beautifully at night.
Living spaces
Everything here is super-slick, super-smart, super-smooth. And, in a serene and stylish ground floor, the open-plan living is super-sociable. The living space becomes the dining space becomes the kitchen. So the conversation never ends. Maybe you’ll talk about how luxurious and comfortable life is here.
Park on the private driveway and take the floodlit path to the door and you’re into a tiled lobby with seating for weary walkers. From here, the grand landscaping of the ground floor becomes apparent, and it’s just a short swish of the bi-fold doors to open up the place to easy-access indoor-outdoor living.
The lounge comes with TV area and big, bespoke sofas ready for chillaxing after a day on the Downs or a night on the tiles. Make it a movie night, with full Sky TV package, BT, Now TV, Amazon Prime Video and Netflix. Stream it superfast with BT Infinity. Raid the toys and books. Sing along with the Sonos. Smile. Your holiday’s barely begun.
Cooking and dining
No need to shout as you simmer and sizzle. With a fully open-plan living, dining and cooking area, this house is as sociable as it gets. It’s also teched-up to the eyeballs, with a pair of intelligent ovens/microwave/steamer, large American-style double-fridge, filtered water and induction hob. Grind your own coffee for a super-fresh brew.
You might be the greatest chef in the world, but even Heston Blumenthal puts his feet up from time to time. So book our private-dining chef for a special celebration or a fully catered break. Then spread out around the contemporary dining table for ten, open up the bi-folds, pass the wine and butter the rolls.
If the sun’s cracking the flags, as it often does in sunny Sussex, head out to the patio to light the coals on the poolside barbecue. Squint only slightly and you could be in Oz. There’s a full-on outdoor lounge here at belt-loosening time. Stock up from the Sussex Produce Company, Steyning Butchers and Quigley’s.
Subcontract the cooking at Big Fish for fish-and-chip suppers, The Village Spice for Indian takeaways and The White Horse Smokehouse for seafood, meat and veggie sharing boards. The Black Rabbit offers steak frites or lamb medallions, there’s fine dining at Wiston House, and even finer dining at Michelin-starred South Lodge.
Bedrooms
Sleeping here on pocket-sprung mattresses with deluxe toppers in hotel-quality Egyptian cotton won’t be an issue. Getting out of bed might be another story, although the master-suite balcony might tempt for croissants and orange juice.
That balconied master bedroom comes with a superking complete with en-suite featuring a two-person bath and rainfall shower, while bedroom two is a ground-floor double.
Bedroom three, also on the ground floor, is a kingsize with en-suite shower room and bedroom four is also a kingsize. The playroom offers two single sofa beds.
Children welcome
No bouncing off the walls here. The main focus of the fun will undoubtedly be the garden. Which kid doesn’t love a pool? Especially one they can mess about in all day long, all year round. The ten-by-five-metre outdoor pool here comes heated to 30 degrees and it’s water-polo ready. Are you?
Stay out for the summer to bounce the day away on the sunken, netted trampoline. Smash a ball into the back of the footie nets. Bring your four-legged friend. And figure out how to play croquet (gear provided). For bookworms, there’s a shady spot beneath the apple tree. Eat out with the coal barbie and hang around in the outdoor living area.
When exhaustion kicks in, head indoors to bag the best spot on the big, squishy sofas. If it’s a movie or match night, pick from a full Sky package, BT, Amazon Prime Video, Now TV and Netflix. And it all comes at you fast on BT Infinity. For quieter moments, toys and books abound and you can sing along with the Sonos.
What people say
Workouts, wild swims and wild animals
Stay on site for yoga, workouts and workshops. Wild-swim in the Brighton sea. Play golf at Hill Barn with views to the Isle of Wight. Or push the pampering boat out at South Lodge’s 44,000-foot spa. Kids can meet 5000 aquatic animals at Sea Life Brighton, visit Drusilla’s, the best small zoo in the country, or steam along the historic Bluebell Line.
