Classic Cottages have spent more than four decades perfecting the art of handpicking the best places to stay across the south and west and now we’re cherry-picking in Sussex, building our exclusive collection of exceptional homes that make great holidays. To that end, we proudly present Poppets Cottage.

Poppets Cottage is everything the name suggests, a wonderful little bolthole nestled in a peaceful setting in Buxted village. This rural retreat has a gorgeous little garden to enjoy morning coffees, al fresco brunches or a glass of something special as the sun goes down – although you might like to keep it sober as this property was once part of a convent! You can wander a woodland walk, via the owners’ adjacent garden, to the village centre, a lovely little escapade to take with your four-legged friend. The village is everything you’d hope for in a Sussex settlement, with the Buxted Oast Farm Shop on the outskirts to fill up your picnic hamper. There are also two local pubs to frequent and a train station with a direct train into London.

Bring your local delicacies back to the cottage and enjoy them at one of the seating areas in the grounds that have valley views stretching out below. This might just be the perfect spot for a sundowner before retreating to the comfort of the king-size bed. Have a lie in. Wake up to sunshine peeping through the bedroom window and stretch out those arms and legs. There’s no rush. Slip a dressing gown around your shoulders and appreciate the warmth of the solid wood floor beneath your feet before reading the paper in the light and airy sitting-room with its vaulted ceiling and dual aspect; the double doors to the garden are set in an impressive arch of windows, with even more light flooding in from the Velux in the roof. There’s a pretty vintage country vibe here, in a fresh modern conversion with an open fire in the corner for cooler evenings (or toasting marshmallows).

If you’re not planning on eating out the country kitchen, complete with Belfast sink in front of traditional casement windows, is fully equipped according to our minimum inventory that goes above and beyond expectations to create a real home-from-home. From a simple cream tea to a full-on anniversary dinner effort or breakfast in bed, create gastronomic delights at your leisure and with ease – you’ll even find a garlic press although we wouldn’t recommend that for a romantic getaway…

Buxted is perfectly situated on the edge of the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in East Sussex, where ancient woodlands, landscapes of hill and vale and a wealth of outdoor activities abound. Discover romantic places to propose among castle ruins, rediscover the simple joy of holding hands on a walk through a forest or treat yourself to a food and wine trail one day (or maybe two). Poppets Cottage is perfectly made for two but Sussex is also a great place for families, with Winnie the Pooh’s 100 acre wood to explore and inspire little ones’ stories and memories.

Home to the most beautiful coast and countryside, day trips throughout Sussex range from upmarket shopping and perfect little lunch spots in historic towns such as Tunbridge Wells or Lewes, to beach days in Brighton or Eastbourne, just a short drive away. This part of the world used to be England’s main iron-producing region, back in the Roman and Tudor periods of time, so it might be an idea to bring your metal-detector, if you’re that way inclined. There are many distractions to fill up holiday days; the steam railway, zoo, nature reserves, the Sky Tower and more. It’s a place worth exploring.

As a family company established way back in 1977 on the opposite side of the country, Classic Cottages have based our new Sussex office in Mayfield in the middle of the Wealden District, a convenient and accessible location for you to pop in and say hello. We’ve grown from the days of a handful of fisherman’s cottages in far west Cornwall to over 1000 carefully selected places to stay, but we’re still run by the same family, employing staff who live and work nearby and have a great passion for holidays. And our new office is no exception. Classic may be new to the area, but you’ll find Mark and Ali at our Sussex office, both of whom know Sussex and Kent like the backs of their hands. So we’ve got the locals on hand to talk holidays and cottages, but they’re also backed up by our holiday HQ, a team of in house experts making everything run like clockwork.

If you’re looking for your new favourite place to stay outside of Sussex, with all the love and care taken by a little company but with the security and high standards of a big one, Classic Cottages are the ideal in between. With our bespoke portfolio of properties ranging from bijou cottages for two up to grand manor houses to fit every generation for a special occasion, there’s something to suit all tastes and ages but all to the Classic standard we’re known for – we only market places we’d want to stay in ourselves so if our property manager walks in and says ‘wow’, we know you will too. These high standards are reflected not only in our portfolio, but the feedback left by happy guests who holiday with us year on year.
If you think we’re on to something, bringing together the best properties and the highest level of service, pop in to the Mayfield office or visit www.classic.co.uk