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We hope you’ve found just what you’re looking for, but just in case we haven’t yet answered all of your questions…

Image overlay of flowers
Image overlay of flowers

General Questions

No I’m afraid not. We have a strict no dogs/pets policy. While we’re dog lovers we’re also a working farm with livestock and a nature reserve with free range deer and plenty of wildlife, and experience has taught us that it’s just not worth the risk no mater how well behaved your dog is promised to be. So it’s a one size fits all rule – no dogs.

Yes, as our guests you park in our barnyard area and we transport you and your luggage to your accommodation in our farm buggy. We collect you and return you to your car on the day you check-out. In between times you’re free to explore the farm on foot. Farm vehicles are the only vehicles allowed on site.

Rye is the nearest train station – six miles away. It’s not on a direct line from London. Trains from London run into Ashford International and then there is a connecting train to Rye. Trains from Brighton to Rye require one or two changes depending on the service.

If you are staying in The Longview, The Roundhouse or Woodcutter’s Cottage you will be able to charge your phone in your accommodation as you will have a power supply. If you’re staying Meadow Keeper’s Cottage, Wood or Penfold Cabins your holiday will be completely off grid – there is no power supply. You may use the power points in our honesty shop to charge your phones but you leave them there at your own risk.

Please take a look at our farm map. You’ll see that the two cabins are in a shared paddock in the centre of our farm about five minutes’ walk from the barnyard where you park your car. Meadow Keeper’s Cottage is about ten minutes’ walk from the barnyard as are The Long View and Woodcutter’s Cottage – each in a different direction as they occupy their own private areas. The Roundhouse is about five minutes’ walk from the barnyard.

Accommodation FAQs

We welcome everyone at Swallowtail Hill and will always do our very best accommodate all but we do need to point out that our landscape isn’t the easiest for those with special access or mobility needs.

There are no concrete/tarmac paths, there are steps up to all of our accommodation spaces and steps up to our compost loos.

Three of our cabins are at the foot of a very steep hill and the two more are in a wood, with a further cabin at the end of a very long track.

Our conservation work here requires that the environment is left as natural as possible, this requires the loos/accommodation spaces to be mobile which necessarily means they are raised from the ground and on wheels / chassis / skids – so access could be difficult for those with additional mobility needs.

No, only The Long View, The Roundhouse and Woodcutter’s Cottage have wood fired hot tubs. The hot tubs are an optional extra at each of those accommodations – the hire charge is £30 for one fill and enough logs to heat it twice.

No, all of our bedding is hypoallergenic.

No not all of them. The ponds which are closest to accommodation spaces are fenced, but others you may discover and enjoy as you walk around the farm are left open and the landscape unspoiled. We provide a map of the farm so you can see where the ponds are. Please ensure your children are supervised.

Yes absolutely all of our accommodations have both smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Each is also equipped with a fire extinguisher and a fire blanket. All wood burners also have a fire guard.

Catering FAQs

Yes, we sell wine and beer in our honesty shop. For special occasions such as anniversaries you can pre order Prosecco or Chapel own Sparkling Wine.

Yes, all of our campfire suppers are gluten free and we provide a list of ingredients and allergens for all prepared food orders. Our picnics, teas and special meals can be made gluten free or vegan for a small supplement. Other dietary requirements can be accommodated for with prior notice. A small supplement may be charged.

While all precautions are made to accommodate those with allergies and intolerances please note that all of our food is prepared in a kitchen where nuts and gluten are used.

All of our breaks are self-catering. We do offer a small menu of campfire suppers, breakfast & BBQ boxes, picnics and afternoon teas which are at an extra cost. We will provide you with a menu once your booking has been confirmed and you can let us know what you would like to order. You can settle up for extras you’ve ordered when you check out at the end of your stay – either by card or cash.

Each of our accommodations has their own fire pit and grill for barbecuing. We will provide you with instructions once we have taken you down to your accommodation and demonstrate how to use them if there is any uncertainty.

We have a small tuck shop that operates on an honesty basis. It mainly stocks drinks, treats and snacks, but there is a modest range of canned and jarred goods and basic essentials such as loo roll and matches. We do not stock fresh produce in our shop as we aim to avoid food waste – if you wish to order fresh food including milk, you will need to place your order in advance.

Kids Off Grid FAQs

No, we don’t have a holiday club. We’re all about encouraging our young visitors to explore the landscape and engage with it in their own way – we promise it’ll happen, with permission to explore, the freedom fires their imaginations and they create their own games. If you need a little structure then you’ll find plenty of self-guided activity sheets in the shop for your kids to help themselves to.

Once you’ve finalised your booking we’ll send you our digital guide to download to your phone. It contains everything you need to know about your stay and includes menus. You simply email us with your order in advance of your stay and we’ll have it ready! Prices are on the guide and are payable at the end of your stay when you checkout.

We only have a handful of animals and they live in our garden so we don’t offer tours. But you’ll definitely get to meet the two donkeys – George and Buttons who hang out next to the barnyard most days!

Our landscape is managed but not manicured, so you won’t find tarmac’d paths with handrails, or neatly mown lawns. The beauty of our place is that kids can run free for a few days, under your supervision of course – in the knowledge that tracks are uneven, slopes may be slippery, there are brambles and nettles, ponds and puddles, mud and fallen wood all of which are important habitats for wildlife and are part of our conservation work.

If you want to venture beyond the farm then there’s plenty to do in the area from horse riding to ebike hire, paddleboarding, kayaking and sailing. We’ll send you our digital guide once you’ve booked with links to all of our nearby attractions.

The S'Lowdown

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