Contemporary Lodge

In a lakeside setting on the Oastbrook Estate, this lodge house offers wine lovers doorstep access to the estate grounds and tours as well as a beautiful base from which to explore East Sussex. The dramatic fortress of Bodiam Castle is just 2.5 miles by car; a scenic 1.5-mile riverside walk will take you to the castle site on foot. Captivating Rye is 12 miles – set aside a day to wander Rye’s historic, rambling streets, lined with independent shops, cafes and restaurants. Just 4 miles south-east of Rye, the vast Camber Sands provides a picturesque beach walk – a glorious, 7-mile golden stretch.

This fabulous lodge house is impressive in its setting and just as striking indoors, with stylish, Scandinavian-inspired interiors. You’ll find an open-plan lounge/kitchen/diner with full-length gable-end windows and French doors which open out onto a balcony. Here, a sleek kitchen area is flanked by a breakfast bar with stool seating for four, and an adjacent dining area has a smart dining table and chairs framed by light from an overhead skylight. The lounge area is cleverly positioned by the glazed gable end to make the most of those lake views. Here, a large, comfortable sofa – a sofa bed which can be used as a double bed – and a TV area will be made wonderfully cosy by lighting the wood burner on cooler evenings. A modern shower room with a rainfall shower completes the ground-floor accommodation. There is a king-size bedroom and a staircase leading up to a snug, mezzanine-level loft set up as a twin with zip-and-link single beds which can be arranged as a king-size on request.

Outdoors, the leafy vineyard setting is even more romantic when enjoyed from the hot tub on the decked balcony. Savouring a glass of the estate’s wine after a tour of the vineyard, while admiring the lakeside views will prove irresistible