FAQ's

Where?

How far are the Norfolk holiday cottages at Home Farm Cranmer from London?

North London to Cranmer is approx 110 miles and takes roughly 2 1/4 hours. Directions

How far are the holiday cottages from Stanstead airport?

Cranmer Holiday Cottages are approx 86 miles from Stansted airport and takes roughly 2 hours 9 minutes. Norwich airport takes approx 1 hor 20 minutes.

Which is the nearest rail station?

Kings Lynn is 44 minutes from Cranmer, Norwich 1hour fifteen minutes. Travelline

How far is it to the north Norfolk coast and beaches?

The magnificent Holkham beach is approximately 7 miles from Home Farm Cranmer and Wells-next-the-Sea is 8 miles.

Which are the nearest towns and villages?

The holiday cottages at Home Farm Cranmer are just south of South Creake, within 2.5 miles of Barsham, 4.5 miles Walsingham, 3.5 miles Fakenham, 6.8 miles Burnham Market and 8 miles from Wells.

Is there a pub within walking distance?

Biking distance maybe but not walking distance.

Where is the nearest place to eat and can we book a table in advance?

There are several pubs nearby and fish and chips from Wells or Fakenham - see Eating Out

How?

When is the best time to call with a booking query?

The office is open 9.00am - 5.00pm except for weekends. Telephone enquiries are answered between 9.00 am and 6.00pm on 01328 6823135 Monday to Friday, and 10.00am - 11.00am Saturday. For enquiries outside of these times please Email us. We will try to get back to you within 24 hours, maybe longer if it is during the weekend.

Where are the prices shown, can I book online?

To ensure you get the dates you want and to receive rapid confirmation it is best to book online through our booking system. Just enter a start date in the calendar and the system will do the rest. Prices are shown as part of the real time availability chart. If a period is booked you will not be able to see the price. We will need card details to process the booking. Debit cards are free of charge but we do make a charge of 1.5% on all credit cards excl Amex which is extra. Sorry.

We are a large family group we are not sure of exact numbers yet?

When your booking is made you need to know exactly how many guests will be using the properties. If you have spare beds that is ok. For insurance reasons we cannot exceed the numbers stated in our details including the number of children and infants. We will ask you to complete a booking form for each property. Each property needs to be covered by an insurance waiver from a person staying in the cottage this covers liability for use of the swimming pool.

We have a number of children in our party can they sleep in with us or on blow up beds?

All children and infants must have an allocated bed or travel cot - ages must be indicated on the booking form. We can supply one travel cot per cottage. It may be possible to accommodate an aditional cot in the second bedroom of Garden House or Avocet only if guests would like to bring their own additional cot. We can supply a z bed for Tern cottage only with bedding @£25.00 . We do not supply bedding for travel cots.

Do we ever have any cancellations?

Only very rarely do we have cancellations during peak season. However if you sign up to our newsletter you will be first to hear of cancellations, late availability and special offers.

How do I pay my security deposit, when will it be refunded after my holiday?

We will ask you for credit card details for housekeeping deposit payments alternatively you may send us a cheque but it must be cleared through the bank before you arrive for your holiday. The cottages are checked by our staff after you have left. We will only take payments from you if the cottage is left in an untidy state or if anything has been damaged or broken during your stay.

Do I need to bring bedding & towels?

We provide freshly laundered 100% cotton bedding and towels for your cottage. You will need to bring towels for the swimming pool and cot bedding if you have reserved a cot. We do not provide cot dedding due to allergies.

I cannot arrive on the Friday night before 6.30pm how do I get into my booked property?

Please email us and let us know your ETA if it is likely to be later than 6.30pm. If we hear nothing we will leave the key in the keysafe adjacent to the front door you will need to give us a call at the office 01328 823135 or on the duty mobile 07582 462066 to find out what the code is. We will arrange a suitable time to go through things the following morning - usually before 10.00am or later in the day if more convenient. There is plenty of info available in the cottage welcome folder including pool times and local knowledge etc. If we are not around at the farmhouse at 10.00am please call the duty mobile on 07582 462066.

I am on holiday, I would like a rest from cleaning/I prefer not to spend my last day cleaning - is there a daily maid service?

You can book a maid service in advance of your holiday subject to availability. A daily service is £20.00 per day and includes making the beds tidying up stacking the dishwasher and a quick clean. Mid holiday clean is £25.00 - £30.00 and end of holiday clean is £30.00 in sleep 4 properties and £40.00 in larger properties. If you are staying for 2 weeks we will provide clean linen & towels for all beds (not cots & z beds). If you would like us to make up the beds and give your property a clean the price will be £25.00 - £30.00.

How can I arrange tennis coaching during my stay?

You can arrange tennis coaching through Premier Raquets & Fitness - just send prf an email with your request and they will arrange to send a coach to site subject to agreed price and availability. you can pay them directly by card. They have indoor courts at Sedgeford if the weather takes a turn for the worst! Premier Raquets & Fitness are at Hunstanton 14.5 miles from us.

How can I arrange swimming lessons during my stay?

Swimming can be arranged through Faye our swimming teacher. just send Faye an email and she will try to fit you in.

How can I arrange a babysitter during my stay?

We have several sitters - please fill out a babysitting enquiry form or send us an email and we will let you know who is available you can book directly with your sitter.

I would like to book a caterer to cook for us during our stay?

Please see our website for our 2 recommended local caterers details & menus or email us and we will email their contact details by return.

Who?

Are we child friendly?

Very deffinitely - holidays for babies & preschoolers to teens, with baby friendly extras available on request. Please note the new Eco Barns and have very beautiful solid travertine floors with rugs and underfloor heating. Therefore they may not be suitable for a family with a toddler. If booking Coot Avocet or Garden House guests accept any risks involved. Children should be supervised at all times. other cottages Owl Wagtail Tern Swallow & Woodpecker have laminate or bamboo flooring with the exception of the bathrooms. The wet room bathrooms in Wagtail and Tern have non slip safety flooring.

Is the pool suitable for infants?

The water is heated to 29 degrees although it is often at 30 degrees. Unfortunately we do not advise swimming in our pool for infants under 6 months. We also ask that infants come prepared with neoprene swim nappies these are obtainable from splashabout.net

Are there childrens plates and cutlery in the cottages?

Yes, you will find cutlery etc but not feeding beakers. We provide travel cots (no linen), highchairs, baby listeners etc. these must be booked in advance.

Do we accept pets?

Sorry no, we do not accept pets due to allergies and young children on site.

Are our cottages wheelchair accessible?

One cottage - Tern has been designed with wheelchair access in mind. Full access statements are available on request.

Are we a suitable party house venue?

Although we are a suitable location for family and friends to get together - we are not suitable for all night parties, stag or hen do's or wedding receptions. We live on site and we may have other guests staying.

Can we let off chinese lanterns in the grounds?

Sorry. We are an arable farm and there is a high risk of fire particularly at harvest time. We do not permit use of chinese lanterns or fireworks by our guests at any time of year.

During our stay would we have assured private access to the pool?

It may be possible to book a private hour in the pool subject to availability. The private hours are not available beyond 9.00pm. Please see our pool rules

What?

What level of serivce can I expect during my stay?

Home Farm Cranmer offers 4 and 5 star quality self catering accommodation and facilities. The independant self catering nature of our business means that you can come and go as you please once you have checked in and are familiar with the site, unlike a hotel. The cottages are cleaned and checked by our housekeeping team before our guests arrival and we aim to provide all you need for an enjoyable stay in Norfolk. Unlike a hotel we cannot provide a concierge service and we do not guarantee that our office is manned throughout the day every day. The office is closed at weekends. However our friendly team are around on site throughout the week and we are on hand most weekends, if we are away our manager has a duty mobile for emergencies. We have all bought our children up in Norfolk and are happy to impart our inside knowledge about our lovely location.

What happens if the owners are away during my stay?

We have a full time manager to deal with emergencies and any quality issues. The manager has an emergency phone for use out of hours. If the matter is not vital he can offer advice over the telephone and if it needs urgent attention he will arrange to meet you onsite within 12 hours. If there any problems please let us know immediately by telephone or if there is no one around place a note in the office door and we will get back to you. The office is manned Monday to Friday - weekend call outs for emergencies only must be arranged by calling the duty mobile on 07582 462066.

In what state do we expect to find the property when customers have checked out?

The property must be left as it is found. Bathrooms & toilets clean, used towels on the floor, clean towels on the bed. Kitchen worktops fridge microwave etc clean and free from food products. Kitchen floor free from food & spills(they attract the ants if left) Furniture free from spills and food residue. We reserve the right to make a charge if the cottages are not left in a suitable condition.

What is a Housekeeping deposit? Will it be refunded promptly? When are charges made?

The Housekeeping deposit is paid and cashed as part of your final balance payment. We rarley make charges for small items but we will charge if the premises have been left in an untidy or dirty condition, if keys have been lost or if items are missing or have been damaged or broken. We will inform you if we need to deduct charges from your deposit payment. We aim to refund payments within 7 - 10 days. The deposit also covers loan of Ba Ba blackout blinds, games room kit and swimming pool keys.

Are we part of a larger holiday cottage agency?

No, we are an independent family owned business. When you make your booking itis directly with us - no agency fees when you enquire and make your booking through our website.

Is Home Farm Cranmer a working farm?

Cranmer Country Cottages is part of Home Farm Cranmer an arrable farm of 165 acres which is run seperately from the cottages. There is no livestock on the farm at present.

Cranmer country cottages offer weekly breaks and short breaks out of school holidays. Norfolk weekend breaks Friday to Monday and midweek breaks Monday to Friday. Two night breaks maybe available in low season ie Novemeber to mid Feb excluding christmas and New Year. Please Email us.

When?

When can we use the swimming pool?

The pool is open to Cranmer Holiday Cottages guests: Monday to Thursday from 7.00am in the morning to 12.00am. It is closed for lunch and then reopens between 3.00pm and 7.00pm. On Fridays the pool is open until 9.00am and then reopens at 5.00pm until 8.00pm. Saturdays the pool is open all day until 8.00pm. The timetable may differ from this from time to time but only by an hour or so.

The cottages swimming pool is open to guests of Cranmer Cottages only and not their visitors. Access to the pool is via an electronic key available on receipt of a £10.00 deposit payment and only once the pool rules disclaimer has been read and signed by the guest.

When can we arrive and depart?

Your cottage is booked from 4.00pm on arrival day. Departure is 10.00am. It may be possible for you to arrive earlier but you would need to ring us after 1.00 pm to see if we have finished cleaning your cottage.

What happens if we arrive later than 6.30pm and the office is closed?

Advance warning of late arrivals would be appreciated. Please ring us on 01328 823135 or email bookings@homefarmcranmer.co.uk to let us know when you are likely to arrive. We like to welcome our guests personally however, meet and greet is between 4.00pm & 6.30pm on a Monday or Friday. The office is closed at weekends. Outside of prescribed meet & greet times we will either arrange for you to call at the farmhouse or we will leave a key in the keysafe and give you a unique code. If we are unable to greet you because you will be arriving late we will arrange a mutually convenient time to go through everything on Saturday morning once you have settled in. In our absence our manager will arrange to meet guests on a Saturday morning when he comes to check the pool. This is usually between 9-10am. Please call the duty mobile duty mobile on 07582 462066 before this time to make arrangements for him to call in. We can only leave the pool key in your cottage if we have received a signed copy of the pool rules in advance of your stay for health & safety reasons.

We would like to arrange food delivery from Tescos or Waitrose?

Please organise this to arrive after 5.00pm on arrival day or on the following day. We cannot guarantee that we will be able to check your delivery and stow refrigerated food during change over or meet and greet. please give the Home Farm address; Cranmer Country Cottages , Your cottage name, Home Farm Cranmer Fakenham NR21 9HY.

We would like to order a locally prepared oven to table meal for our arrival - when should we place the order?

We can arrange local food deliveries but we do need a minimum of 2 weeks notice to organise this. Local food delivery

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