Barn Owl Cottage, Brandsby is a beautifully restored stone barn in the heart of the Howardian Hills — perfect for couples, families, walkers and well-behaved dogs looking for a relaxed, break and escape.
Step Inside
Open-plan living with pitched ceilings, exposed beams, and light that fills the room. The kitchen is well-equipped for relaxed home cooking in a cosy country setting — you won't be opening drawers wondering where the tin opener is.
You book a cottage online. The photos look perfect. You drive for hours, unpack the car, open the front door — and your heart sinks.
The kitchen's not clean. The beds are tired. The countryside views are a car park. And when you ring the owner? Voicemail. Or worse — a call centre.
You spend the first morning cleaning instead of exploring. The rest of the week, you can't quite shake the disappointment
It doesn't have to be like that.
Why Barn Owl
Every room has been carefully restored and thoughtfully furnished.
Professionally deep-cleaned before every stay. We'd never let you walk into something we wouldn't sleep in ourselves.
Every image on this site is real. No wide-angle tricks. No clever editing. What you see is what you get.
Ken and Annie live right next door. If something's not right, we'll sort it — usually before you've finished your sentence.
Not just "allowed." Private paddock for off-lead exercise. Dog bowls, towels, and a treat waiting.
Not three forks and a blunt knife. Properly equipped, well-maintained, ready for anything from a fry-up to a roast.
Fresh bread, local butter, homemade cake, Orange Juice, Yorkshire tea. Not a laminated note and a bare fridge.
We are Ken and Annie. We've lived in Brandsby for nearly 50 years, and Barn Owl Cottage sits right next to our home. We restored it ourselves because we believe a holiday cottage should feel like somewhere you'd actually want to live — not just somewhere to sleep. Annie's appeared on BBC2's Take a Hike and knows every footpath within 30 miles. Ken keeps everything running, maintained, and exactly as it should be.
Testimonials
Real reviews from real guests — not hand-picked marketing copy.
Barn Owl Cottage is a well thought out excellently equipped and beautifully designed holiday cottage ideal for a family or two couples sharing. Its location is ideal; close enough to enjoy the city of York (approx 25 mins) but surrounded by beautiful countryside and gorgeous villages, country pubs and cosy cafes. A visit to The Bread Hut is a must! Several walking routes available as well as NT and English Heritage sites to visit. Host Ann was very welcoming and available if needed. Our second visit and it won't be our last. Thank you.
Great welcome package. Location OK for us as central to gardens we wanted to visit. Easy access to York with Park and ride 10 miles away. Clifton Moor shopping area good . Close to road but traffic light except early morning and evening . Easy driving around countryside as traffic is light
The cottage was perfect for what we wanted, any issues we might have had were addressed in advance. The owners very helpful and obliging.location was ideal for us but it is a quiet area and you will need to drive to get to most amenities. So clean, comfortable and beautifully decorated and all necessities were there.
I can't fault this property. We were 3 adults and there was plenty of space. The main bedroom in particular was delightful. Parking was good and off road. The positioning of the cottage was ideal, not too far from anything but enjoying the countryside that this part of the North Yorkshire has to offer.
Fabulous cottage, immaculately clean, with lovely decor and soft furnishings. Well equipped kitchen. Really comfortable beds. Hosts, Annie and Ken, who live on site, are very welcoming, helpful and friendly. Good communication and straightforward check in and check out. We loved the area, beautiful countryside, with lovely villages an market towns to potter around. If you have a dog suggest you visit nearby Yearsley Wood. Overall, high recommend.
Highly recommend staying at the Barn Owl Cottage, its interior finish is beautiful, we wanted for nothing. It really is like home away from home. Annie made us very welcome and gave some wonderful restaurant recommendations and was really helpful when adjusting the heating. Literally, any questions, Annie was happy to answer and help. Situated within a good radius of places to visit in North Yorkshire. We were also welcomed with freshly baked bread and cake, with milk and butter in the fridge, tea and coffee available. This is a hidden gem that is definitely worth a stay.
This was the best equipped cottage we've ever stayed in. It had everything we needed, and we had such a pleasant and relaxing time there. Annie greeted us on arrival, which was nice, and it was clear that if we needed anything, we could reach out. It was a perfect week. I'd definitely come back if we stay in the area again.
Annie & Ken were perfect hosts. The cottage has been refurbished to an extremely high standard with everything you could need. We had a lovely relaxing time. Thank you.
Very nice accommodation, lovely helpful owners.
Beautiful Cottage very well fitted-out and comfortable. Location rating due to being beside a very busy B road with difficult access to/from cottage. Otherwise a very enjoyable stay.
A really lovely cottage and so well equipped. Very warm and comfortable. Lovely view from the cottage. The cottage stands quite close to the road but road noise is not intrusive as traffic is not overly busy. It is a great base for discovering North Yorkshire.
I'm struggling to find anything remotely negative to say about this property. The wonderful hosts live next door, and went out of their way to make our holiday one to remember. A superb welcome pack awaited us, and the property was spotlessly clean, with every amenity you could need.
The cottage was perfect for the four of us for the week. It is well equipped and very clean. The beds were very comfortable. It would suit people with low mobility as it is all on the one level.
Lovely cottage, clean, well equipped and cosy
Lovely cottage in beautiful North Yorkshire. Ideal for touring the Howardian Hills, York and surrounding areas. Cottage very comfortable, well equipped and very clean. We could think of nothing that would have improved the cottage. The only issue was the proximity of the road.
The cottage was perfectly appointed, the Welcome Pack delicious and Annie and Ken were charming.
There was in all honesty nothing we could fault. The cottage was probably the best place we have stayed at and we have stayed at many. The whole place was made up of quality fixtures and fittings and furniture. The hosts were nearby should you need them which we didnt.
Barn Owl cottage is a very well appointed and beautifully decorated holiday cottage set in an ideal location for York and its surrounding attractions as well as attractive countryside walks. We throughly enjoyed our stay with fabulous sunny weather
Ideal location for visiting the Dales and Coast. The cottage was very comfortable and had everything we needed. Being all on one level and the wet room was great for my 96 year old mother in law. Our cockapoo really loved the field across the road to run around and the walks nearby.
We absolutely adored Barn Owl Cottage. It's beautifully furnished, immaculate and every need was thought of. The little touches like the hamper and the friendly hosts made us feel welcome. The cottage itself is spacious yet cosy, and the master bedroom is stunning with its beautiful french doors and skylight. The bed was exceptionally comfortable and the bathrooms spotless, with powerful rain showers. The kitchen is well equipped and the local attractions make it a well situated gem. Thank you!
This was our second stay at Barn Owl Cottage. Perfect location for York and the north
The most beautiful cottage we've ever stayed in. Immaculately clean, beautifully designed, and Ken and Annie are the most thoughtful hosts. We didn't want to leave — and we've already booked again.
We had an excellent stay at Barn Owl Cottage. The unit was comfortable and well equipped and the welcome pack was very useful. The location proved an excellent base for exploring the surrounding area with several NT properties to visit, impressive moorland scenery, and easy access to York with all its attractions. We had good meals out at local pubs and restaurants. Thoroughly recommended.
Great stay at a lovely cottage. Parking is a bit tight and a very busy and noisy road at certain times of the day didn’t spoil our stay.
How It Works
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The door's open, the cake's on the table, and the kettle's on.
The Rooms
Every room has been carefully restored and thoughtfully furnished.
Super-king bed, en-suite shower, Smart TV, French doors opening onto the south-facing patio.
Two single beds, beautifully dressed. French doors to the patio. Perfect for children or a second couple.
South-facing patio with BBQ. Private enclosed paddock. Off-road parking and countryside views.
Imagine This
Waking up to birdsong instead of an alarm
Morning coffee on the patio with sun on your face
Your dog running free in the paddock
Coming home to warmth after a day in York
Explore the Local Area
The Howardian Hills sit between York and the North York Moors. Close enough to everything — far enough from everyone.
Explore Helmsley Castle — impressive medieval ruins, hands-on history, open grounds and an easy walk into one of North Yorkshire’s loveliest market towns.
Discover Sutton Bank — spectacular Yorkshire views, family trails, outdoor play, dog-friendly walks, cycling and a welcoming café at the edge of the North York Moors.
AONB trails with routes chosen by Annie herself.
A peaceful tree-filled escape where you can slow down, wander gently, and enjoy one of the calmest corners of the Castle Howard estate.
Check-in from 4pm. Check-out by 10am. If you need any flexibility, just ask — we'll do what we can.
Check-in from 4pm. Check-out by 10am. If you need any flexibility, just ask — we'll do what we can.
Check-in from 4pm. Check-out by 10am. If you need any flexibility, just ask — we'll do what we can.
Check-in from 4pm. Check-out by 10am. If you need any flexibility, just ask — we'll do what we can.
Check-in from 4pm. Check-out by 10am. If you need any flexibility, just ask — we'll do what we can.
Check-in from 4pm. Check-out by 10am. If you need any flexibility, just ask — we'll do what we can.
No nasty surprises. No voicemail. Just a clean, beautiful cottage and two hosts who care.