Avocet

6
3 Bedrooms
2 Bathrooms
Close to Coast
Family Friendly
Dog Friendly

Avocet is a first class little find in an extremely quiet location. Keyhaven hamlet is sleepy and coastal. The cottage is in one of the sleepiest parts of it, on a tiny, gravel road cul-de-sac bordered by fields.

Originally it is Edwardian but has recently has enjoyed a full renovation. The owners, who live nearby, have done a sterling job and given it a modern, fresh feel. Everything is new, good quality and comfortable. The garden is well fenced and a proper sun-trap. The deck stretches the width of it and we expect that you’ll have the doors wide-open to let the sea breeze in.

Walks from here to the quay and coastal path in 3 minutes. You’ll pass The Gun Inn on the way (famed for it’s many whiskies and smuggling history). Walks left will take you to Lymington along the sea wall (passing some excellent cafe’s) and walks right will get you to Hurst Castle for crabbing, foraging, hide and seek. Or further on to Milford on Sea beaches for wild swimming (some folk do it all year around), and the sand that is revealed at mid-low tide.

Foodies will love Milford village. There are some really good, local spots here, and a Microbrewery that encourages board-games and allows you to order in food from the village.

from

£215 per night

What makes this place special...

Highlights staying at this house and in the local area...

Crabbing at the Quay

You can crab at Keyhaven harbour, or for bigger crabs, a walk twenty minutes to the west will take you to the bridge over Sturt Pond. This is also a fabulous 'Pooh sticks' bridge.
Foodie Milford...

Lymington is 10 minutes drive away, but you'll have missed Milford Village on the way and it has everything you would want, except a large supermarket, and is far nicer. Hollands Independent (mini) supermarket is excellent.
Blow away your cobwebs on the Hurst Spit

Don't miss taking the tiny ferry to huge Hurst Castle Spit and the Castle itself. We love it for family play and couples time out. There is enough space here for a quiet and sunny picnic spot out of the wind or wild games of Hide and Seek. There is café which is tiny and excellent, or our favourite thing is picnics on the castle keep roof. Take the boat trip if you don't want to walk both way...
Boat trip to Hurst

We had to actually put this in as a 'good thing' on it's own. The trip, there and back, or walk back, but either way, we totally love it. The team who run the boats are great, the lagoon is always smooth travelling and it's worth taking a picnic for fuelling up when you explore the end of the spit.
Walk to nearly Lymington

Walks left will take you to Lymington along the sea wall (passing some excellent cafe’s). We love the Yachthaven. You can hire funky vintage-looking ebikes in the village to whizz about on the coastal paths and explore further. Or further on to Milford on Sea beaches for wild swimming (some folk do it all year around), and the sand that is revealed at mid-low tide.

Tried and tested

We only choose places we've been to see and loved!

Customer service

We care a lot, for our guests and many stakeholders

Always fair

We beleive in fairness for our guests, owners and team

Eco Conscious

We engage with sustainable practice to actively reduce our impacts

Championing local

We celebrate the culture and traditions of the New Forest

Proudly independent

We are a small, mum-run local business at heart

All the essential details.

Here's your full run down of this place, inside and out...

Inside: Everything in the house is new in summer 2020 and it feels fresh and re-loved! It now looks super smart and the pictures show it. The style is coastal and calm with a sprinkling of wader birds thrown in... the owners favourite....hence the name of the house.

Walk in the front door to a little hall and straight into the kitchen-sitting room which is now the length of the whole house. A broad deck, the width of the garden makes it feel even longer and there is plenty of comfy seating for lounging around. The kitchen is well set up for 6.

Downstairs there is a good bedroom - it has an ensuite shower and loo and the beds split into two singles - so it's really perfect for anyone with granny in tow.

Upstairs the bedrooms are medium sized, but certainly enough to get a child's cot in Bedroom 3. There is a family bathroom in the eaves. The owner is very particular about the house and it's run very well and everything sparkles.
Floor plan

Sleeping...

Bedroom 1. : Downstairs. Super king or Twin with ensuite shower.

Bedroom 2. : Upstairs. Double 5ft.

Bedroom 3. : Twin

Bathrooms...

Family Bathroom : Bath, toilet, sink and heated towel rail.

Ensuite shower : Shower and loo for bedroom 3 downstairs.

All the rest...

Kitchen : Oven and hob / Fridge freezer / Microwave / Nespresso Coffee machine / Dishwasher / Washing machine / Wine Cooler

Mod Cons : Smart TVs with DVD Built in / Hive Active Heating / USB plugs / Electric Roof Windows / Wine Cooler

Connectivity : Good WIFI but rural speeds. 4G and mobile service is generally good here.

Kids' Stuff : One cot and one highchair. Travel cot size - 70 x 103 x 73 cm. A small selection of children's toys are provided. Kids plastic plates and cups.

Pets : Dogs are welcome for a small charge.
Outside: The garden is well fenced at the back and children and don't won't be escaping. The deck is a winner and it's sofa is huge. At the end of the garden is a small fire pit for kids marsh mallow toasting, you can BBQ on it too but need to kneel down to cook.

At night, sit out in the garden and watch the sky. Viewing is good here and there is little light pollution so you can see the stars too. For those who need the excuse, if you walk to the sea wall to watch the stars, you'll pass The Gun pub on the way....

Garden : Enclosed back garden with full width decking. Fire pit that doubles as a grill, one bag of coal supplied. Tee Pee for the kids. Large L shape garden sofa and table. The garden has been totally renovated in 2020 and the planting is new with a contemporary feel.

Parking : Parking for 2 cars outside the house
Home truths: The Gun Pub is really good, and 2 minutes walk away. This could be a negative thing... ?!
Accessibility: You can park within 4 metres of the front door, and there is one small step up into the house. The downstairs bedroom with ensuite shower. It's small and doesn't have handrails. Check the virtual tour for more information.
Booking Information: Free and included in your booking cost are: all bedding and linen, towels for the house, kitchen essentials, any baby kit you've requested and cleaning the house after you leave. We also supply some treats to get you going for tea when you arrive. Enjoy!

Arrival & Departure

Arrive from: 5pm

Depart before: 10am

Payment Info

Deposit: 50%

Balance Due: 45 days before your stay

Security Deposit: £350

Guests that have stayed here rate this place:

4.9 out of 5

Psst...read more real reviews on upfront reviews and facebook

Just perfect......clean, great welcome pack, great location and lovely people to deal with. We had a fantastic time.
September 2021
The property was exactly as described and wonderfully clean and tidy. We were able to settle straight in and feel instantly at home. There was even a lovely welcome pack with butter, milk, bread, bacon and a wonderful cake. This was a lovely touch to arrive to and just what we needed. There was sufficient space for us all and the kitchen was stocked with everything we needed and in immaculate condition, we were a party of 6 and could have done with a larger fridge. It is a quiet location which is what we were looking for but still easy to access the next village for food. It was an ideal location for a stroll to the water for a spot of paddling and crabbing and easy to walk to either Hurst Castle or Milford. The local village pub was excellent and highly recommended for both adults and kids, although only open Wednesday to Sunday which was the same for a number of restaurants in Milford, the wine bar and the Lighthouse were open all the time and had great service. The kids enjoyed making use of the garden. Great place for cycling, bird watching and walking All in all I would highly recommend the property and location and we will definitely look to return.
August 2021
The property was exactly as described and wonderfully clean and tidy making the arrival process lovely and smooth. We were able to settle straight in and feel instantly at home. There was even a lovely welcome pack with butter, milk, bread, bacon and a wonderful cake. This was a lovely touch to arrive to and just what we needed. There was sufficient space for us all and the kitchen was stocked with everything we needed and in immaculate condition. It is a quiet location which is what we were looking for but still easy to access the next village for food. It was an ideal location for a stroll to the water for a spot of paddling and easy to walk to either Hurst Castle or Milford. The local village pub was excellent and highly recommended for both adults and kids. The kids enjoyed making use of the garden and there was a box of toys which made our son very happy, plus a perfectly sized twin bedroom which was great for the kids. The only slight issue we had was the lack of blackout blinds in the bedrooms. Due to the glorious weather we had during our stay it did mean the kids struggled a little with getting to sleep and waking early as they are very thin fabric blinds. All in all I would highly recommend the property and location and we will definitely look to return.
July 2021
Avocet is a beautiful cottage. The property was immaculate and had everything you could wish for. The location was amazing. I would happily rebook. The attention to detail in furnishing this house was second to none. Thank you for a great week.
July 2021
Avocet is a lovely house set in a quiet, private location. To have the sea and a great pub, Gun Inn, a stones throw away was a real bonus. After some research, we found some outstanding restaurants in surrounding locations and a fab wine/ tapas bar in Milton. House is well equipped and the garden is a real sun trap! Our dogs loved it and ample swimming was partaken! Highly recommend!
July 2021
We were very lucky to have fantastic weather during our stay which made it even better. The house is comfortable and very nice indeed inside. Great for 4 adults. The garden is nice and private and you can walk to the pebble beach in 20 minutes and a 15 minute walk to Milford on Sea. Keyhaven has a nice feel to it and the Gunn Inn serves good food as is only a five minute walk away. Would happily stay here again
June 2021
Avocet is one of the nicest holiday lets I've ever been in - comfortable, open-plan living with all the details thought about in advance. There was a delicious coffee and walnut cake waiting for us on our arrival and a thoughtful supply of eggs, butter and bread (sourdough at that!). I would recommend it without reservation.
June 2021
Avocet in Keyhaven is a well located and well presented property. On arrival, we were pleasantly surprised with all the amenities and cleaning items supplied. The kitchen has quality appliances and everything needed for the avid cook. The bedrooms are spacious and well presented. My only suggestion would be to improve the quality of the sheets, pillows, and duvet, or bring your own. It may be that we are a little fussy, but bedding that keeps you cool rather than making you hot is definitely our preference. The beds themselves are very comfortable and obviously good quality. The bathrooms are excellent, with a lovely walk in shower downstairs and a large standalone bathtub upstairs. The back garden looked lovely but we couldnt enjoy the fire pit and seating or the comfy garden sofa due to the weather. Hopefully a trip back in the summer will give us an opportunity. The house was warm, homely and really well located for trips out to Hurst Castle or morning walks along the sea front. Thanks so much.
November 2020
We stayed for five nights at Avocet. It was a stunning property, decorated and furnished to a very high standard. Lovely touches - welcome basket, toys for the kids (throughly cleaned and marked so in these covid times) etc.. a really comfortable property and just a short walk to the key side. It was a great location to explore the beaches and forest. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and would definitely hope to return soon. Thank you all
October 2020
In short, the house is fantastic. The condition of the house is immaculate, and everything was brand new. The kitchen and main living space is perfect for friends or families as it is such a lovely social space. The rooms are all good sizes and the beds nice and comfy. Location is really good. At Keyhaven you have the sea right on your doorstep with lots of nice walks if that's what you are after. It's about a 15 min walk into Milford on Sea where there are lots of nice pubs, and restaurants and it's only a short drive to the New Forest where there are loads of walks and cycles.
September 2020
All our family enjoyed an excellent mini break in this contemporary styled, immaculate and spacious AirBnb. The beds were extremely comfortable and everything in the house so well equipped with beautiful furnishings and decor. We very much appreciated the welcome extras and the garden seating too. We loved the fact that the house is ideally situated within walking distance to the Keyhaven beach with many interesting places nearby and found the whole area picturesque and peaceful. We thoroughly recommend this property and hope to re-visit in the future.

airbnb
Lovely recently renovated quite cottage in a beautiful spot, hidden away from the usual masses in the NF, but close enough to popular restaurants and beaches if you want them. Lisa and her team give you a warm personalised welcome. Her attention to detail is something you don’t always find in holiday cottages and was greatly appreciated. We all had a most enjoyable couple of days and will be back without a doubt.
We were very happy with our stay although it was only for a short time, we had everything we needed. The basket of food stuff was a lovely touch when we first arrived. Fresh bread and milk very much appreciated. The kids stayed in one room together and we were all very comfortable at night. The decor at Avocet is great and we made use of the rattan garden furniture during our stay. We took in a Ferry trip to Hurst Castle and the local town of Lymington; as well as the forests for a cycling day! We were really chuffed to find this little gem of a cottage and to stay for 3 nights/4 days. Thank you very much.
A wonderfully equipped and located cottage with everything that you could want provided for. We would highly recommend Avocet to anyone wanted a relaxing break in the New Forest.

airbnb

Book now for Christmas…

Fern Freud, forager, chef, social media rising star

Walking in the New Forest

Find out more about hosting your home with New Forest Escapes

Book now for Christmas…

Fern Freud, forager, chef, social media rising star

Walking in the New Forest

Find out more about hosting your home with New Forest Escapes

coastal, chic, smart