Ladwood Farm - The Old Barn

We stayed in barn terrace, it was extremely cool and relaxing when there is nobody staying above us! We arrived during a heatwave but even though the living room was cool on arrival it soon got hot, unfortunately no fans were provided! The location is extremely rural but without a car your relying alot on taxis, although if your willing to walk 20-30mins up to the main road there is a regular bus service too and from Canterbury to Folkestone. The WiFi is amazing but there is no phone signal, you need WhatsApp too make any calls. The TV is massive with all normal freeview channels plus there Prime/Netflix and Disney+ available if your subscribed to them. The kitchen was well equipped, but don't buy too much fresh stuff as it's not very big fridge-freezer. The only other negatives were we had too keep all windows and doors shut as there is alot of insects! The spiders kept finding a way in! There is also alot of nice wildlife in courtyard and around the farm. Unfortunately the game's room has been well used over the past years and looks extremely tired and needs a renovation! The hosts were amazing and were really helpful with all our requests. But there was no welcome hamper which is often provided in self-catering farmhouses, airbnb etc. Not even milk in the fridge! So you need to arrive before it gets too dark! The closest supermarket is Lidl but there is plenty of choice in Folkestone for shopping.

a month ago · via Google

I've delayed writing this review for a week or so as I wanted to make sure I get it right. In discussion with the other 4 family members we are all agreed on the following points. There are many positive things here; the scenery, the outside of the barn courtyard, the location being close to Canterbury, Folkestone etc. The beds were comfortable. However the interior of the property left a lot to be desired. The key safe lock was difficult to open in the dark. The key didn't unlock the outer door as it doesn't work, it never has! The key was difficult to open the inner door, it took many times to actually open it. Many of the items in the kitchen were dirty. These included the food chopping board, the sink, the inside of the microwave, the cooker and oven,( this had burnt on food on the panels of the oven). There was no working plug in the sink so we couldn't fill it with hot water to wash dishes etc. At this point, the more we looked the worse it got. The toilet seat didn't work as it moved around of it's own free will. There were many stains on the sofas. (We got our own car blankets so we didn't have to sit on them) Under the cushions was so much food debris it was obvious they hadn't been cleaned for some time. There was also a fork under one! Both radiator covers were hanging off revealing so much dust, it boardered on unhealthy. The back of a wardrobe was hanging off. One mirror frame was broken but left on the wall. To the side of a chest of drawers was a crushed coke can, presumably from previous occupants. Moving a bed slightly away from a radiator (to be safe) revealed a used vape. Other things found included hair grips, a lighter, plastic packaging and dead flies and so many crumbs. The shower plug hole was filthy and hadn't been cleaned. There was a hole in the fragile window frame letting in cold air. There was probably more filler than wood in the frames. The fridge wasn't as clean as it should have been. And perhaps the worst part was we had to go to the local supermarket to buy cleaning products to clean the place so it was acceptable for our party of 5. None of use felt we could use the microwave or the cooker. The whole experience left us a bit shell shocked. Very poor really, and that's being polite. We booked on Airbnb but the photos on the listings and their website are misleading as the photos must have been taken years ago when the property was in better condition. We ate out most of the time. We didn't think it was worth anywhere close to what we paid.

10 months ago · via Google

Arrived at the property in pitch black to find no electricity. Prepayment meter had run out ,which we eventually located with our mobile torches. Broken light fitting, dirty dishwasher, cobwebs, broken lock on toilet door. Shame as this is a great property and location but a general lack of communication and maintenance.

2 years ago · via Google

This was my third break to this lovely, comfortable and spacious home, and once again I can't fault it. We came during a week where the weather had been getting much colder, but as always we found the house well heated and ready for our arrival. We tend to spend the entire weekend at the house playing boardgames (rather than using it as a base to venture out, since we already live in Kent), so the house is absolutely perfect for this. As some other guests have mentioned, it is very much self-catering. This year we found that the kitchen had been updated with some upgraded utensils and other trimmings which was nice to see, but it's worth checking the inventory with the owner in case you need to bring up any special cookware for meals you plan to cook (we always bring our slow cooker up now). Don't miss out on staying here. The grounds are a beautiful compliment to the surrounding landscape, and the owners clearly invest a lot of effort into making your stay as comfortable as possible. It's always a pleasure to come here.

2 years ago · via Google