The Annex

We found Dawn the host friendly and very helpful even lending us a dog ramp for our elderly dog.

Luxury, spacious accommodation and the grounds they were set in were vast with much wildlife to spot! Great location with Bournemouth and Poole on the doorstep. Had such a lovely time here! Thank you!

Lovely little gem in the foothills of Dorest cost, quiet , tranquil, lovely to wake up in the morning and spot deer in the garden.

If I could give the rating higher than a 5 star I would.

Firstly, let’s talk about the property. Absolutely amazing. Soon as we stepped in it was more than enough for me and my partner to the point where we are now considered even buying a bungalow because the space was homely. Secondly, I planned a surprise birthday getaway for my partner and there was enough room for us to invite two private masseuse to give us a morning massage and then a private chef came in and cooked the food for when my partner and I arrived home. We were able to celebrate a nice meal for her. Thirdly, the location was so spot-on closest sort of town Centre or shops around maybe be around 10 minutes to 15 minutes to get to however just on that journey alone and the scenery is more than worth it because you get to explore and see so much while on your way to the shop to get your stuff that you may need for the stay And last, but not least and the best part of it all is the hosts. Dawn was such an amazing woman. She greeted us on arrival and made the house so warm once we got in which I can’t tell you was absolutely lovely as my partner gets cold very quickly. But then on top of that I had a conversation with her about the surprise that I had for my partner and she helped me executed it without even asking if I needed help. She helped me get the masseuse in without my partner noticing. Then when I planned to come back and leave my partner at a cafe to come back and let the private chef in the house so they can cook without us being there dawn called me and advised that she will wait for them to arrive and she will let them in so that my partner won’t be suspicious, and I don’t have to come back. Needless to say when we came back and the food was there, my partner was absolutely astounded and in shock I didn’t know a thing. This surprise would never have gone to plan without the help of dawn. So once again, if I could give this rating more than a 5 star, I would. Everything about this place was amazing and this will now be a standard getaway for us each year.

Very lovely property in great location.

Perfect for visiting local areas of Dorset. Everything needed at property. Would definitely recommend.

What a great place to stay in a beautiful setting.

Very convienient to the coast & beaches & shops . Very comfortable beds, our dog loved it as well. Very relaxing and enjoyable break. I'd give the owners 10 out of 10. Well done x

The Annex was modern, clean, warm and comfortable.

It was ideally placed to visit family in Poole. The gated entrance gave added security. The gift of milk and biscuits was appreciated. As a suggestion to the owners maybe more than one teatowel in the kitchen and a hook in the bathroom for hanging clothes/dressing gown. Would definitely stay again.

I would like to give really much higher recommendation but I can't even with the heating on most of the time it was cold it's very clinical no rugs no warmth no blanket on the bed just the duvet which at times wasn't enough there were maybe Stables or something amazing to these lodges nice thought nice owners very good hosts but the kitchen is in the lounge and so is the bathroom they're just a door separating you walk from The Lounge straight into the bathroom with the kitchen is I didn't like that the walls were dirt thin we could hear the next door neighbor very clearly in the bathroom and I could hear my sister very clearly in the next bedroom these lodges would be ideal if it was a larger party maybe eight to ten twelve so that noise and whatever would not be so invasive we couldn't go out because of weather wasn't very nice so we just chilled in watching Netflix there's not a lot of privacy in fact none and they do have a tennis court but it's right up next to the lodges so if in the summer you're looking for privacy and quietness I would not recommend I only booked because I thought it had a hot tub and it didn't perhaps it's something the owners could put in I don't know but I think it's a few more luxuries would go down a long way no hamper on arrival just a two-pint milf another myself or my sister actually touched the milk a little hamper with all meeting the guest needs as I would go down a long way and for the prices they charge they certainly could afford to do that definitely more amenities is needed

The Annex was a great place to stay.

Quiet and rural but not far from Poole and Wimbourne so a good location. Welcome packet of biscuits, milk, tea and coffee. Well equipped kitchen , bedroom and bathroom were top class. My dog enjoyed his break too.

We had a fantastic stay at the annexe.

A beautiful setting with a lovely relaxed atmosphere. The annexe is beautiful, comfortable and has everything you need for a lovely stay. We had a lovely lunch in the willet arms, a short walk from the annexe. We would highly recommend the annexe and would love to come back soon. Thank you very much for a lovely few days.

We had a lovely stay at the Annex over the Christmas holiday.

We highly recommend the property for a break especially if you have dogs. Dawn was very warm and welcoming.

We loved our stay at the Annexe.

The house was clean and comfortable. The dog enjoyed his walks in the extensive well maintained grounds. Lovely shower. Very quiet and relaxing stay.

The Annex has many plus points.

The owners are friendly and helpful and the property is spacious and immaculately clean. The kitchen is well equipped but would benefit from some oven gloves and a baking tray. There weren’t any books or games that were mentioned in the property description which was a shame as we had poor weather. The smart tv works well but the internet signal is intermittent which the owners are trying to rectify. We were without a dishwasher for 3 days whilst the owners tried very hard to get a new one fitted and their efforts were appreciated. Our little collie loved the paddock at the back of the property. The property is very well situated for visits to the coast and the New Forest with the bonus of lovely walks on Canford Heath a couple of minutes away. All in all we enjoyed our time at the annex and I would recommend the property.

The Annexe is a spacious and well thought out place to stay, in a quiet and peaceful setting, and a good base from which to explore Dorset.

The property is well equipped. It has a large and secure patio which is perfect for pets with spacious grounds and lots of parking. WiFi coverage is good, but we found that the mobile signal was intermittent, but that did not detract from our stay as we are retirees rather than business people. We appreciated the welcome milk and biscuits and fresh ice in the freezer. We found the double mattress a little hard and lumpy (sleep quality is very subjective) but the single was fine. All in all a very good stay and would stay at the Annexe or the neighbouring Cottage again if travelling with family.

Very upmarket accommodation, situated in private grounds, owners responded quickly to power cut on first evening and were extremely helpful.

No complaints, it was a super place to stay. Thank you

Firstly, the accommodation is in a nice location for exploring Dorset and the New Forest.

It is quite spacious. We contacted the hosts in advance because it was a hot period in the summer to ask if there was lightweight bedding and they ensured there were only sheets on the beds which was helpful. Unfortunately there were no fans in the accommodation and on arrival the heat was unbearable. We had to go out and buy 2 fans using some of our holiday money or we would have had to return home (we had to leave one behind as we couldn’t fit it in the car for our journey home). There was a heatwave on our arrival day but even as it cooled to usual summer temperatures it was extremely hot in the property. Although there are blinds on most of the windows, there are some high windows with no covers so its impossible to block the sun out and the children’s room doesn’t have a window or door that opens at all. The living room only has full doors to open, no windows, so you can’t leave them open at night. And in the daytime we left them open and on one occasion next doors dog came in. We had to sleep with all the interior doors open and 2 fans running. The double bed was extremely uncomfortable and also very small so we did not sleep well all week. We even debated sleeping on the sofa but as all the doors were open we thought this would disturb our son. I am told the single bed was quite comfortable. The wifi is not very strong and dips in and out. Information inside the accommodation was limited and we were unclear which areas outside around the property we were able to use. It said we could use the shared gardens but there were a lot of gates and different parts and we didn’t want to intrude on private areas so we didn’t explore. There seemed to be a children’s play area and picnic bench which my son wanted to explore but I wasn’t sure if that was the owners garden and there was a lose dog on its own in there doing its business so we didn’t explore further. There was no detail about recycling or anything and only one bin. There was a nice tennis court which you were able to use which was lovely, although on two occasions I saw people playing ball with their dogs in there. The property was relatively clean but on arrival I opened the dishwasher and it was full of soap scum so we did not use. I used the microwave once but had to clean some kind of food sauce off the door first. Although we had a nice week away I’m afraid we would not return due to the uncomfortable bed and warmth of the property.

We spent two nights at The Annex and had a brilliant time .

The back of the property looks out on the tennis court and the woodland behind ,which we explored briefly, if we had been staying longer we would have taken better advantage of this The property is in a perfect location for exploring the area ,we went to Bournmouth, Burley village ,Christchurch and visited several of the beautiful beaches ,all within about a half hour drive from the property. The weather was amazing and we could not have wished for a better short break . Dawn was very friendly and helpful and we are already thinking about we can rebook to return in the future .Thank you x

Lovely spacious property and very comfortable with everything you need.

Excellent food at the Willet Arms which is not too far away. Really enjoyed our stay at the Annex, and visiting surrounding area.

brilliant, exactly what me the girls needed!

Very nice place to stay.

The only comment I would make is that the directions into the driveway could be clearer.

We had a lovely holiday at the annexe.

The property was as detailed in the advert. Very clean, very well equipped and had everything we needed to make our stay comfortable. We were left a bottle of milk which was a lovely touch as a cup of tea in the secure quiet garden after a long journey was just what was needed.

We were well pleased with our week's stay at The Annex.

Weather perfect. Very spacious for 2 people and well appointed. Great grounds for dogs with large paddock/field and wood beyond. Babbling stream runs through.Saw local deer several days running. Dawn was very amiable, informative and lovely owner. Tony, "The Gardener" was funny and helpful too. Would love to visit again.

Perfect location everything modern and clean.

The mill and tea bags were a nice touch. The only two things that would make me not come back is that the mattress in the main bedroom was so uncomfortable we could only stay two out of the three nights. It was so hard it was like lying on a slab of wood. Plus the wi fi wasn’t great as kept dropping. Also it states that you cannot leave your dog unattended in the property which is not ideal for me. My dog is 8 and would just sleep! But thank you x

Very helpful with supplying towels and a cefetiere

Stayed over the Christmas period, was a lovely experience!

The property itself is clean, with all necessary things to make it feel like a home from home - even a Christmas tree. Would recommend highly to anyone looking for somewhere to stay in the region.

The unit had high ceilings which made it difficult to keep warm on the cooler mornings.

We were never really cold but I think others would need the availability of some sort of space heater. Although it was noted that the heating was on 24/7 it went off at night which was fine for us but the main room took a time to heat back up in the mornings, but we had no cause for complaint. Otherwise the stay was great and the space, inside and outside, to wander about in was great. I liked the automatic gates, made us feel very secure. Overall we enjoyed our stay at the Annex.

The Annex is a fantastic choice.

Highly recommended, and we can't wait to return! We had a truly delightful stay at The Annex. From the moment we arrived, it was clear that this property had been thoughtfully designed and immaculately maintained. The accommodation is cozy yet spacious, offering everything you need for a relaxing getaway. The hosts have gone above and beyond to ensure guests feel welcome, with thoughtful touches that make it feel like a home away from home.

Excellent property to rent for short or long term,very clean,spacous and internet high speed for those who have to work while there.

The owners were very friendly and there onsite if needed.

Lovely and quiet accommodation, very secure and in a good place for visiting the area.

Spacious living room, ideal when you have a large dog. Spotlessly clean, comfortable beds and a super shower. Kitchen adequately equipped with everything we needed. We enjoyed our stay and would choose to stay here again when we next visit.

Had a lovely stay 28th October to 2nd November 2024.

Annexe was warm, clean and comfortably furnished. Thank you Dawn for your welcome - despite owners next door they were not intrusive and felt property private and met our needs.

We had a lovely 4 night stay here with our Spaniel.

The Annex is spacious and well equipped a real home from home with a barn conversion look. It has a lovely large walk in shower and well appointed kitchen. Dawn and Tony were gracious hosts and very approachable as they live next door. The location is excellent for exploring the area from Christchurch to poole and Corfe and of course Sandbanks. We would certainly recommend staying here.

We had a lovely stay at the Annex, everything that we needed for a short stay.

Accommodation was comfortable and a had a relaxed feel, including everything we needed to make small meals. Lots of storage for our clothes in the bedrooms. Lots of places to visit nearby and great location for dog walks nearby. Thankyou

We had a lovely stay here, we found everything we needed.

Set in lovely grounds, great outdoor space to sit and relax or take our dog for a walk. We found everything inside that we needed, although we did eat out most of the time. Bed was comfy and plenty hanging space for our clothes. It was clean and comfortable, we had a great stay, plenty of places to visit all of easy reach of the accommodation. Would definitely recommend.

We had a lovely stay at the Annex at the end of August.

It was ideal for me and my husband plus our teen girl got to have a lovely little room of her own. It was immaculately clean and the owners very friendly and welcoming. There is everything you need here, a lovely kitchen which includes a Tassimo Coffee machine, Large mounted TV with all the apps, comfy sofa and everything is brand new. Lots of wardrobe space in each bedroom which is nice. Beds comfy (the double is a tad small) but more than ample for a few nights stay. When we arrived there were tennis rackets and balls waiting by the door to have a game on the court which is right outside the door, a lovely touch and really great fun. We would definitely stay here again and would recommend. Thank you for a lovely stay and sharing your fabulous annex with us!

The Annex had obviously had a lot of money spent on it to make it very attractive.

The quality of all the furnishings is very good and a beautifully comfortable if small double bed! All the the white goods were of good quality. But despite the accommodation being for 3 people, There were only 5 knives in total - dinner knives, 5 wine glasses of three differing shapes, 5 mugs of two patterns and one chipped, 2 bread and butter plates but at least a dozen dinner plates, no bread knife, no baking tray for bought in Cooks meals, no cafetière or any means for making fresh coffee! Sorry, we dont do instant coffee!! When we arrived the dish washer was full of dirty crockery and cutlery! The wardrobe had an empty sweet packet on the shelf. It It lacked attention to detail! Usual grumble, no hooks to hanging dressing gowns or towels on backs or doors or anywhere. Despite there being a level floor inside the property, there were three steep steps (for me) into the property. Not the owners fault, but feel Sykes should be aware by now if my difficulty.

The Annexe is beautifully done, clean and airy throughout and furnished to a really high standard.

The setting is absolutely beautiful and a real retreat to come back to of an evening, perfect for our stay visiting relatives in Poole. Our dog loved meeting Ted, one of the owners dogs, who came to say hello every morning we were there. I would highly recommend the Annexe to friends and family-one if the nicest Sykes properties we have stayed in.

Lovely property.

Just a couple of things that were not so good. Most of the dishes were still in the dishwasher from the last peoples stay and were not clean. Don’t really think we should have had to deal with someone else’s dirty crockery. And the dishcloth and tea towel supplied were stained. I’m not saying they hadn’t been washed but we’re not what you would expect from such a high end property. There was nowhere to put anything in the bathroom - no shelves or even a hook to hang toiletry bags and the shower tray was very slippery, nearly had an accident with that but I understand that it’s newly installed so probably learning curve. Also, the only way to get rid of steam in the bathroom was to leave the door open to outside - no window that could be left whilst out for the day.

Lovely property in a gorgeous location.

Everything you need in this spacious house-configuration is not as explained in earlier reviews-the property has two separate bedrooms (one single and one double) -not in a corridor as previously stated. Well equipped kitchen and lovely shower room. Beautiful part of the country and we’ll placed to explore the surrounding area,

Awful experience.

We booked 2 weeks in January 2024. Really dark and dangerous access from the road during winter with no lights to assist you with finding this property. An old garage that's been converted in someone's back garden with no thought to adequate heating or proper double glazed windows. Doors and windows were really draughty we all caught respiratory illnesses. Someone thought it would be cute to walk through a dressing area with a single bed in it to get to the main double room. No hot water for 2 days and then it was warm at best. There were 3 of us and they "generously" provided 3 glasses, 3 plates, 3 cups, 3 glasses and 3 sets of cutlery. No washing up bowl but hey, they had a massive dishwasher ( not very environmentally friendly). No oven dishes provided so you couldn't cook a decent meal. The washing machine held our clothing hostage from Sunday to the Thursday when they finally called a repair man out. The splashback on the wall behind the hob had a lovely collection of dead flies behind it. We arrived on the Saturday and asked to cancel the 2nd week on the Sunday but Sykes have a disgusting customer service plan of not bothering to answer you or call you back when they say. You chase them and both the owner and the company blame each other. I was made to feel like an ungrateful wretch for asking for a refund of the 2nd week. They have offered an appalling sum of £40 to cover the clothing. Not suitable for families with children. Not suitable to anyone who likes to go for a walk from a property. Use a car, bring your own cosy blankets when you watch TV and take a huge torch with you or even a "flag man" from the olden days to see you out safely onto the road.

The property was very clean inside however the mattresses on both the double bed and put up bed were extremely uncomfortable.

Not a nice experience. Also the outside patio area was very untidy with piles of wood stacked under the bedroom window and definitely needed weeding.

It would have helped to have made it clear that the property is part of Brooklands as it was not obvious in the description.

The property is well presented but not best suited for holiday use. The only ventilation is via the doors, the light switches are not near the entrance and the single bed is not suited to adult needs . It is not at all comfortable and the bed is in a windowless corridor. The front door was difficult to open as the wood was warped and the lower bolt fell out ! There was nowhere to hang wet coats and no cloths for wiping surfaces. The only"welcoming" provisions were a scimpy bit of toilet roll, some sugar and a few tea bags.. We will not be coming back !

A great location, and really nice room, however it was advertised with an enclosed courtyard which it does not have.

Having a young puppy we were unable to let her out off the lead as we expected to be able to do so. In addition, the beds were incredibly uncomfortable. If the beds were changed and the advert was changed to remove the statement about an enclosed courtyard I am sure this would be a 5 star booking.

We were very happy with the Annex.

The fold out bed was very comfortable. It might be an idea to have a proper bed in the second room with the option of the fold out bed as well. The Annex was ideal with people with mobility issues with steps. The steps into the property were manageable. It would of been nice to have a few dishes for heating food. A few brochures of things to see and do, especially for people who are not technically minded. The position of the Annex was ideal for visiting several places and very tranquil for those who prefer it quieter. I would definitely recommend this property.

Arriving through the electric gates and entering lovely open plan lounge was great.

tennis court set in the trees was a surprise. Good for touring round. Lucky with the weather and would recommend Alum chine and Weymouth . Good place for dog lovers .

The Annex is a lovely property in a great location, the owners were very welcoming and friendly and it was very dog friendly for our energetic puppy.

However the one big thing that we found was the bed and mattress were extremely uncomfortable, we struggled to sleep and would recommend a new, bigger bed and better mattress. Other than that we had a great weekend! Thank you

We’re a couple with a little westie.

The property was lovely, clean, bright and it had everything we needed. We tend to stay in on an evening as we go out exploring all day and we had everything we needed to cook and relax. We even woke up one morning to see a deer in the grounds which was lovely! The property doesn’t have an enclosed space outside, so just be aware of that if you’re with a dog (ours doesn’t go off lead if not enclosed), apart from that I couldn’t fault anything. We visited a few areas, Poole (dog friendly shopping in The Dolphin, good cocktails in the Viper and a boat trip from the quay), Swanage ( beautiful beach and seaside town - highly recommended), Weymouth and Bournemouth - all easily accessible by car. Wimborne Minster was lovely too and the hubby enjoyed a few cocktails in the Dancing Moose, which had a lovely fire and is dog friendly, whilst I had a wander around the shops. We’d happily return without hesitation - thank you!

This will be a lovely place to stay once all the outside work has been completed but unfortunately there was a lot of noisy work going on when we were there for a lot of the days.

This meant we had to be out earlier than planned most of the time so not very relaxing. The owners were very nice and apologetic, they didn’t realise the work was scheduled as builders just turned up. It might be worth checking if anything else is scheduled if you want a quiet stay. The owners contacted Sykes and to attempt some redress we were offered 50% off another stay there before the summer by Sykes but when we declined Sykes just marked that as resolved. The owner kindly offered us a takeaway meal but we had already made plans. The Annex is brand new, in excellent condition, the owners live next door. Nice touches like milk, biscuits and tea were welcome. Other thing to note is the second bedroom is like a dressing room, and has a comfortable single put you up bed.