Our theme has been ‘less is more’ and ‘form over function’. All rooms are modern, clean, and spacious. Building from new enabled us to incorporate a number of environmentally friendly features.

Four of our six rooms are on the ground floor. One of these is especially wheelchair friendly. In addition we have incorporated many features that make life easier for those with special needs, i.e. ramp, no steps, wide doorways without thresholds, low light switches, exterior battery charging points and reserved parking adjacent to the ramp.

BEDROOMS

We have six spacious bedrooms with luxurious hand made super king size or twin beds. We used luxurious deluxe Wilton and the thickest of under-lays to carpet the bedrooms. There is soundproofing to afford you maximum privacy, exceptional levels of insulation to keep you warm in winter and cool in summer. The windows are double glazed security windows that you can open. Each room has an electric central heater that you control. The reading lights have independent controls so either or both partners can comfortably read in bed. All rooms have hair driers, desks, chairs, full length mirrors and meter square makeup mirrors, wardrobe, dresser and chair, beverage-making facilities, towels, soaps, colour TV, DVD/CD players, free Wi Fi broadband & printing, radio alarms, hair dryer, smoke & fire alarms. A safe, trouser press, hair straightener, iron & board are all available.

BATHROOMS

The ensuite bathrooms are purpose built with electric showers that guarantee constant hot water. The flooring is Polysafe non-slip flooring. Each bathroom has a hot air heater that you control. We supply bottled soap, and towels.

LOUNGE DINING ROOM

We built the guesthouse round this room. Unlike many guesthouse who lay-up for breakfast in the lounge during the previous morning we do not do so until the evening. We are happy for you to spend all day in here if you wish. We are happy for you to bring your own wine and use the glasses in the sideboard. If you do not feel like eating out please feel free to bring in cold food from a delicatessen and eat it in here – we regret you cannot use the kitchen.

The lounge contains comfortable seating, work-tables and chairs, a top of the range PC/ commercial speed broadband, CD rewriter, zip drive, printer, scanner, fax, photograph downloading software, SKYPE, web cam & microphone and flat screen TV, etc.

Because the room is large, guests can enjoy their breakfast without sharing their conversations with others. It has large patio windows and you may have breakfast in the private courtyard amongst the bamboos.

The floor is the finest quality solid Appalachian oak – ideal because we can wash it down every day and you know it is clean.

KITCHEN

This is the envy of many of our guests. A kitchen purpose-built in which only to prepare and cook breakfasts.

GARDEN AREAS

When we are viewed from the road you do not realise how far back we extend. There are a number of distinct areas in which to enjoy total privacy. We have areas ideal for reading, sewing, or simply listening to the Minster Bells.

THE SALAD GARDEN

Protected by a mature Indian Bean Tree and old brick walls this area was formerly our Japanese garden. Now it produces 20 different leaf salads (help yourself), rocket, garlic, onions, parsnips, spinach, carrots, horseradish, and herbs. The border contains over 100 Alliums, some growing 6 feet tall. The gazebo is a great place to enjoy your wine in inclement weather. If you are quiet, you may see the nocturnal hedgehogs that live under the shed.

THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN

Here you can sit and watch the fish and newts whilst listening to the Minster bells. When we built this garden we discovered an old well full of pottery and old handmade bricks. York Archaeological Society dated these as Elizabethan (pre-1590). We used the bricks to make our footpaths. The society was more interested in all the large stones that we dug up – these are Roman.

This area enjoys a microclimate, enabling us to grow, outdoor dessert grapes (made 30 kg. into marmalade this year), palm trees – one bore fruit this year, figs (two crops this year), Passion fruit (over 1000 edible this year), Olives, Kiwi Fruit, plums, purple hazel nuts.

THE PATIO AREA

Great place for a post breakfast coffee, screened by sixteen feet tall bamboos and Coral Bark Maples. Anne loves bamboos and has a collection of named specimens. The raised Victorian water feature is the home of Fred and Mrs Fred; frogs that you can pick up and stroke. They leap to the lip of the feature and watch you. With luck, you will see them catching small flies. This feature provides soothing ‘tinkling’ music as the water gently splashes back into the pool. The borders grow scented lilies, sweet peas.

REAR PATIO

Used as a potting/work area but contains a fantastic passion fruit (over 1200 edible fruit this year), roses, jasmines and clematis.

FRONT GARDEN

A hornbeam hedge and crab apple trees (made 25 kg of crab apple jelly this year) border the car park. In spring, like all the garden areas, it comes alive with thousands of spring bulbs.