As any regular readers of The Grown Up Gap Year probably know by now, I love a quirky place to stay. So when I saw that you can spend the night in a converted horsebox, of course I jumped at the chance. After all we’ve stayed in a shepherd’s hut in the Hampshire countryside, an airstream caravan on a rooftop in Cape Town and a concrete wigwam on route 66 in America, so why not?
One of our more unusual stays
The horsebox in question is based at Brooks Country House Hotel, near Ross-on-Wye, and one of the main selling points for me, now that our little adventurer is on the move, is that you can use all of the hotel’s facilities, including the lounges and games rooms. You also take your breakfast (which is included in the room price) and dinner in the restaurant. This meant that she would have plenty of space to explore and we wouldn’t feel cooped up in one place.
The dining room at Brooks Country House Hotel
There are three horseboxes to choose from and we opted for the largest one so that there would be plenty of room for a travel cot (which was provided for us).
As soon as we arrived I liked the bright, modern design of the horsebox and I was pleasantly surprised by how spacious it was inside.
Plenty of space for the three of us
As well as a double bed above the cabin, there is a small shower room, a couch, which can turn into bunk beds for families, two chairs and a chest of drawers. There is also an additional seating area outside which would be great for parents to make use of during the warmer months when the kids are in bed.
The perfect spot for a cuppa
My little adventurer exploring her surroundings
One of the things I had been concerned about in advance was how warm the horsebox would be, as I am the coldest person ever and absolutely hate being chilly. However I read a review from a previous guest who had stayed when it was snowing and been happy, so I figured we’d be okay. And I need not have worried, thanks to a radiator the horsebox stays warm and cosy all night and the feather down duvet on the bed felt lovely and luxurious.
Brooks Country House Hotel overlooks the Wye Valley and you can definitely see why someone chose it as a base to build their home. It’s absolutely beautiful, overlooking fields of grazing sheep and cows. On our first afternoon at the hotel we did a short walk in the surrounding area, which the hotel staff helpfully recommended to us.
The beautiful Brooks Country House Hotel
Gorgeous views as far as the eye can see
Inside the hotel is decorated with vintage touches and feels very homely, with large battered leather sofas and cosy throws. We visited at the end of October, just as the weather finally started to turn cold, and it was lovely to end our days sitting in front of the open fires.
Enjoying the cosiness of the lounge
All of the staff at Brooks Country House hotel were lovely and welcoming and we felt very comfortable there with our little adventurer, who quickly became a favourite with the other guests too.
The breakfast selection was good and we had a nice, reasonably priced, dinner there in the evening. There are also lots of great pubs nearby and we enjoyed a meal at the family-friendly The Red Lion.
In the summer months the hotel has an heated outdoor swimming pool, which I imagine will be a hit with families too.
We also had a fabulous day following a vintage trail in Ross-on-Wye and now that we’ve found a few of the area’s gems, we’ll definitely be back soon to explore some more.
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Where’s the quirkiest place you’ve stayed? I’d love to hear about it, I’m always looking for more ideas to add to my list!
Looks amazing and cozy, One question though — any horsey whiff?
emilyann.elliott / 11-4-2018 / ·
Haha, no not at all! It was hard to believe it ever actually had horses in it!
Alice | Girl with a saddle bag / 11-11-2018 / ·
This looks fab! We stayed in a coverted horsebox a few years ago down in Pembrokeshire and it was a magical few days. This looks like somewhere I’d really like to try.
emilyann.elliott / 1-25-2019 / ·
Ah, that sounds lovely! I love staying in unusual places, it’s always so much fun. You must check this one out 🙂
Looks amazing and cozy, One question though — any horsey whiff?
Haha, no not at all! It was hard to believe it ever actually had horses in it!
This looks fab! We stayed in a coverted horsebox a few years ago down in Pembrokeshire and it was a magical few days. This looks like somewhere I’d really like to try.
Ah, that sounds lovely! I love staying in unusual places, it’s always so much fun. You must check this one out 🙂