Gins Barn is a luxury holiday home from home at the end of the Beaulieu River.

A very glorious slice of up-river, down-town chic, opens its doors for up to 8 people who want to stop the world and get off.  The relaxed, luxury, quirky style is seamless throughout this place which is owned by internationally respected furniture designer Julian Chichester.

The Beaulieu River is one of the few privately owned rivers in the world and has been in the ownership of the Montagu family for over 400 years.

The farm is so close to the sea, it’s a sailing landmark. To the south is a private conservation wetland reserve, deep in clouds of chattering migratory birdlife and fields of wild ponies – all silhouetted at champagne-o’clock under big-sky sunsets and towering storms from the English Channel.

Sawdays, our favourite ‘super-guide’ for where to go, says this about Gins. Read more here. 

The jetty is 80 metres long and there is a small pontoon at the end. You can see far out into the Solent and up the river from much of the jetty. In the warmer months, passing boat traffic is high so this is a great place (or on the benches in the garden) to sit and mull. You can even moor your boat here.

The barn is beautifully furnished. The photographs don’t do it justice because the interior colours are muted and soft. The U-shaped buildings used to be a stable yard and after a serious fire, was left unloved for years. Recently rebuilt it’s now a serene and peaceful escape with plenty of living space for family groups to be together but not on top of each other.

The kitchen is very well fitted. The long table will seat 8 and there are masses of smart bowls to pile salads and stews into. The fridge is huge – useful if you’re catering for a big family do.

Gins is aimed at the top end of the rental market and may not be suitable for toddler aged children due in part to the river 80m away across the garden. The river is banked by tidal flats near Gins and DOES occasionally breach it’s banks into the garden during the winter and spring – so it is not well fenced. Flooding doesn’t reach the barn, and it means that masses of the local migratory birds enjoy the garden!

Family

Babies and children are welcome here but there are few toys. The sitting room is big and the kitchen is a generous size for family meals. If you need more space there is the massive Tithe Barn sitting/dining room to rent if required. We provide two high chairs, a small bed (for upto 7’s) and two travel cots.

Using the Tithe Barn Space when you book the Barn for accommodation: 

For Gins Barn guests, the Tithe Barn is NOT included in the accommodation rental.

You may be able to use the Tithe Barn during your stay but please ask when booking. During the winter months we are less inclined to rent it because it gets very cold – it takes 24 hours of wood burner heat to warm it (to a temperature where you can’t see your breath).

Charges for guests who are staying in the barn accommodation:
For groups of 8 or 12 and under;
– who wish to use it informally during their stay, for supper or lunch and it is £150.
– who wish to use it for the full duration of your stay, and have it fully clean, it will cost £500.

If you are planning to invite over 10 guests to use the space then we consider this a once off ‘event’ and charge £500 for events up to 30 people. This will need to be discussed with us at the time of booking.

The reasons for this are that the Tithe is not a specifically set up event venue, it is part of the owners house and is set up, each time, for rental rather than private use. This means moving furniture, parking issues, guests walking through the owners gardens etc. More on the Tithe Barn here. 

Weddings

We hosted our first big wedding celebration, with giant marquee on the lawns, in May 2016. Then our first small wedding, using the Tithe Barn only, in June this year.

If you want to talk Weddings, call Robyn, so take a look at our Weddings microsite and call us if you would like to discuss.

Best for…

… family celebrations – 70th and 80th birthdays with the whole family in tow. Plus with The Tithe Barn adjoining to seat 45, you can invite more for lunch/supper for your VIP’s big day.

Accessibility

The barn is suitable for less mobile people too. There are two steps 8″ each step into the barn from the parking area. You can park right outside the main door. The doorways are wide enough for regular sized wheelchairs but there isn’t any specific adaptation through the house for chairs. There is a very slight step of 2″ between the hall and the sitting room which will be a speed bump for those in chairs.

So if you are organising a group with less mobile people then read our ideas (and tested excursions) here in our blog ‘Holidaying with less mobile folk? Here’s where to go, what to do!’

And if you are organising a celebration for those in their 60’s + please visit our blog post ‘Four easy ideas for memorable 60th, 70th & 80th birthdays’