Five Acre Barn

UK England East Anglia Suffolk Aldeburgh

07788 424 642   Aldeburgh Road, Aldringham, Aldeburgh, Suffolk IP16 4QH

  • From £150 a night
  • 5 Double Rooms
  • Contemporary Boutique B&B
A contemporary Aldeburgh B&B that's ideal for exploring the Suffolk Coast

Set slightly back from the coast midway between Aldeburgh and Thorpeness, Five Acre Barn makes a lovely base for seeing the best of the Suffolk Coast. Guests enjoy a renovated red brick barn and a cedar shingle-clad extension with a distinctive zig-zag roofline (judged by RIBA as one of the top 50 buildings of 2018), and in just over six years, this contemporary B&B has gone on to be recognized by the Guardian, Sunday Times, Daily Telegraph and Condé Nast Traveller as one of the best in the country.

Previously hailing from uber-cool Peckham, David and Bruce have sought to bring an urban sensibility to a rural setting – think concrete floors and lots of plywood. The space is filled with mid-century furniture, art, and ceramics from local makers, creating an eclectic space that's part Scandi, part retro. There are five guest rooms, four of which are better classified as suites, complete with separate sitting rooms and mezzanines with king-size beds dressed with cotton sheets and duvets. Enjoy the soaring ceilings of each room’s cool, crisp living area, equipped with Freeview TVs and good WiFi, and later on, climb the stairs, lie on your bed, and gaze at the big Suffolk skies through the large roof lights, drawing the solar-powered blinds when it’s time to go to sleep. Bathrooms are small but well-thought-out – two with wet rooms and showers, two with baths, and equipped with Laura Thomas toiletries.

Room five is enormous, enjoying the full six-metre height of the roof, and boasting sweeping views over two garden aspects. Set on one level, it's perfect for people who want a bit more space or prefer to do without stairs. It has a fully accessible shower and a luxurious bathroom, plus an ottoman that expands to a single bed for an additional guest. It's possible to put an ottoman in any of the rooms to accommodate additional guests – indeed, you can even rent out the whole place if you have a dozen or so people to fill it. Dogs are welcome, but they don’t accept children under 12.

Outside each room, there's a deck surrounded by exuberant ornamental grasses and wildflowers, and guests are free to roam through all five acres of garden and woodland. The grounds are a combination of mature trees inherited from the previous owners and new ‘rooms’ – a Beth Chatto-inspired gravel area, a white garden, and even a Japanese-inspired space. However, the overall feeling remains wild and informal, and you'll spot pheasants, lots of birds and even the odd muntjac deer.

Breakfast is a relaxed and sociable affair, with a choice of Full English, smoked salmon and scrambled eggs, waffles, latkes and omelettes – made to order in front of guests in the Barn. If you wish, you can chill out for the rest of the day in the Barn, and it’s tempting – there’s a Sonos music system, comfy sofas, games, books and a wood burner that will almost make you hope for rain.

That said, we love the location of this fabulous – and fabulously friendly – B&B. It provides great value, with prices that compare extremely well with other options in what can be a pricey area. David and Bruce are big fans of the Suffolk Coast and can tell you all about their favourite walks, restaurants and other attractions, of which there are many. Aldeburgh itself barely needs an introduction – it's perhaps Suffolk’s premier seaside resort, with loads to see and do, including a lively high street, a busy beachfront with stalls selling the freshest of fish, and a handful of great places to eat, including one of East Anglia’s best and most popular chippies. The home of composer Benjamin Britten, The Red House is virtually within walking distance of Five Acre Barn and well worth a visit, and the sea at Thorpeness, just over a mile away, is easily reached on foot through the woods. From there, follow the wonderful Suffolk Coast Path to nearby Sizewell and even up to Dunwich and Walberswick. You may be staying in one of Suffolk’s most state-of-the-art B&Bs, but we’re lucky that some things never change.

Details

Open

Open all year.

Pricing

Double rooms with breakfast from £125 to £185 a night. From £1950 for a weekend for the whole place.

The Owner Says

Centred around a 19th-century barn (albeit now brought very much into the 21st century), our five guest suites are set within a new shingle-clad extension. Each room enjoys a dramatic, light-filled full-height space with access to the garden and an individual decking area on which to while away the day.

Stay with us either for ‘bed and breakfast’ or take over the whole place to enjoy with your family and friends (we can comfortably sleep ten to twelve).

Explore five acres of garden and woodland or sit out and relax in your own private seating area. Watch the rabbits and pheasants, and if you're lucky enough, you might catch sight of muntjac deer, woodcock or even slow worms.

Location

Contact Website  07788 424 642  Five Acre Barn, Aldeburgh Road, Aldringham, Aldeburgh, Suffolk IP16 4QH

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Getting There

Five Acre Barn is located in the village of Aldringham about 2 miles from Aldeburgh on the outskirts of Leiston. Follow the A1094 for Aldeburgh and after about 3 miles take a left towards Knodishall on the B1069. Go through Knodishall, past the Butcher’s Arms on the left, and take a right turn at the end of the village to Aldringham. Continue through the village and at the Parrot and Punchbowl pub you reach a junction. Turn right towards Aldeburgh on the B1122 and Five Acre Barn is on the left.

Facilities

  • Gardens & Grounds
  • Adults Only
  • Beaches
  • Car-free option
  • Dog-friendly
  • Walking
  • Boutique B&B

Related Guides

See B&Bs in Aldeburgh

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