Ranmoor is a large, modern house with a touch of Hollywood glamour, standing in 4.5 acres of immaculate private garden within the Dorset countryside. The house has been very carefully thought out and decorated to a high standard, and is a fabulous holiday venue for up to 16 adults and children. There are eight bedrooms worthy of a country hotel, with soft bed linens and quilts and one or two four posters. The big, sunny kitchen is the obvious focal point, with its range cooker, adjacent snooker table and large granite-topped island where ten can sit around chatting over informal meals. The living room has plenty of sofa space and a wall-mounted, 50” flat screen TV and there’s a conservatory overlooking the garden. Outside there’s a heated pool, and a children’s outdoor play area with trampoline, swings and slide etc.
The location is ideal, some twenty minutes from Lulworth Cove and various other gorgeous beaches, and with easy access to Poole, Bournemouth, Weymouth and Dorchester.
Drive through the solid oak, electric security gates, cruise down the drive, past the fountain and you will arrive at the double front doors of Ranmoor.
The kitchen is a great gathering point, with a double oven and large hob where aspiring chefs can set to work while friends pour drinks from the American-style fridge, help with preparation at the central island or watch the snooker match in progress in the adjoining area. A full house of up to 16 can eat together in the dining room and relax in the living room which has two distinct seating areas and patio doors to the terrace. A double staircase with a galleried landing leads to six comfortable bedrooms, each with a TV and garden views. The master bedroom is large enough to include a three-piece suite and has its own balcony above the pool and terrace area (gorgeous on a hot day). There are two further bedrooms on the ground floor, ideal for those who struggle with stairs.
A 50” plasma TV with DVD. TVs in most bedrooms. A washing machine, tumble dryer. A snooker table and a children’s outdoor play area.
The large lawn behind the terrace makes a wonderful space for all the party to indulge in cricket or football – if you can prise them away from the safety-netted trampoline.
There is also a small cottage in the grounds, situated a good distance from the main house, which is occasionally used by the owners of the property.
A private, country location, five minutes’ drive from the town of Blandford Forum. Tesco at Blandford can easily deliver here.
Airport: Bournemouth (25 mins); Southampton (1 hour)
Station: Wool (10 mins); Poole (20 mins)
Dorset is a place of gentle green hills, pretty villages with thatched cottages and streams, cream teas and country inns offering excellent food. Walkers will enjoy a visit to Cerne Abbas to see the famous giant carved into the hillside, or a stroll along the South West Coast Path around the horseshoe bay at Lulworth. Lulworth Castle and Park has a children's adventure play area, pitch and putt, archery and jousting shows.
At nearby Wool is the National Tank Museum; military enthusiasts will also enjoy the Royal Signals museum at Blandford Forum. Athelhampton House is one of the finest manor houses in England and Stonehenge is a gentle drive away. Families can enjoy a day at Monkey World, near Wareham, or a trip to Splashdown Water Park at Poole.
There are miles of sandy beaches in Bournemouth Bay, with the added attraction of Bournemouth Aquarium where visitors can try the new interactive dive cage. Gorcombe Farm at Thornicombe holds all manner of events and activities such as paintball, shooting, archery, fishing, quad bikes and vehicle experience. There are also various local leisure centres and golf courses. It is 25 minutes to Bournemouth and Weymouth, 20 to Dorchester.
£1,995-£3,995 per week
Short breaks available during off-peak weeks
Additional info: £400 security deposit is payable to the owner two weeks prior to arrival.