A perfect location for a lovely weekend.

The Coach House is very different from the scores of self-catering cottages we have stayed in. Every room is fascinating and has so many features to interest and entertain you. We were particular impressed with the rooms upstairs, all with their small en-suites, but perplexed by some bricked-up or boarded windows reducing the light in bedrooms 2 and 3. Downstairs, however, was positively weird. On what turned out to be some of the hottest and brightest days of the year the living room was so dark that all the lights had to be on all the time we were in the house. A combination of blocked out windows, a courtyard full of ancient items protected by a sloping roof which blocked out so much of the light and a garden on the other side of the kitchen which was so overgrown that barely any light could get through meant that you were in a state of perpetual darkness downstairs and had nowhere to sit outside. It just cries out for an elegant courtyard and an accessible garden with a couple of tables and chairs. We longed to sit outside each morning, enjoying a leisurely coffee before setting forth or a glass of wine at the end of the day. The potential is enormous but we have the feeling that the property is veering away from a cottage packed with character and history into a cross, especially downstairs and outside, between Steptoe's yard and a Malaysian rain forest. I'm not sure how we would have coped had we brought 2-3 friends with us, as the present arrangements in the lounge are inadequate, with only one two-seater sofa and just one other upholstered chair and a very narrow table that would struggle to cope with 5 people. We loved Ely and enjoyed our chats with the hosts, Jenny and Richard. Our bedroom was very comfortable and we will have fond memories of our stay, but we left feeling a little frustrated and spent part of the journey home discussing what could be done to turn the Coach House into the very best self-catering accommodation in the city.

Cottage is like a little hideaway. Very peaceful and comfortable. An amazing experience!