Guest Book

'The Barn' Vegetarian Guest House - New Forest We are members of the Vegetarian Society's Food & Drink Guild

"Exclusively vegetarian accommodation in the beautiful New Forest"

112 Lyndhurst Road, Ashurst, Hampshire SO40 7AU

"Wow - that was good!" Typical reaction of satisfied Barn guests!

For about a year we had an on line guest book. Unfortunately, however, it started attracting so many spam entries that we had to stop using it. So we've started to do our own version. Please see some of the more recent entries below. And if you've recently stayed with us and would like to add an entry please email us the text and we'll paste it in. Many thanks.

Dear Richard and Sandra,

Now we are back home we wanted to say thank you for our wonderful stay last week. We had the very best of the weather for the two days we stayed and the warm welcome and comfortable accommodation made our brief stay fantastic. It was so great not having to worry about whether there would be anything we could eat - in fact we will have to go on a diet because of all the wonderful food we had (we even found space for the sticky toffee pudding). We will be extolling your virtues to all our friends and I am sure be will be back for another visit in the future.

Kind regards,

Chris and Judy Leeming - (Yorkshire) - March 2008

We highly recommend The Barn to anyone who is looking for a wonderfully peaceful stay with delicious menus where you are spoilt for choice and are pampered by your hosts without intrusion on your privacy or plans. We would even recommend the breakfast menu and delightful evening meal to meat eaters - you won't miss it!

The rooms have everything you need - space, tea/coffee, comfortable beds, en suite, TV, warmth and quiet - best night's sleep in ages. And finally, at The Barn you are close to places of interest and the New Forest trails and can benefit from Richard and Sandra's expert advice.

We hope to be back.

Alayna and Geraldine - (London via NZ) - February 2008

Hi Richard & Sandra, I would like to say a huge thank-you for a wonderful 3 days and making Mike’s birthday so special. I searched your website so I could write a glowing testimonial, but whatever I tried to say has already been said many times over. Yes - the 100% vegan food with all those superb flavours really was to die for, the service was outstanding, the room was extremely warm and comfortable. That said – it still doesn’t do justice to our experience as there was so much more than that. It was the little thoughtful touches that made it so special. We never once had to ask for anything – it was already there as if by magic. The evening meals were blissfully unhurried and relaxed. Not once did anyone commit the usual ‘waiters sin’ of keep popping in to see if everything was alright. We just can’t wait to come back and do it all over again. Kind regards, Jean & Mike -(Devon) - February 2008

Dear Sandra and Richard

Thank you very much for the lovely dinner and night at the Barn.
We wish we could have stayed longer....
We had a lovely horse ride in New Forest, what a beautiful day!

I want to ask you if you can please send me the recipe of the delicious
pancakes you made for us, really we kept talking about it!!

We look forward staying with you again!

Elisabeth and Felipe - (London) - February 2008

Hi Richard and Sandra,

We would very much like to thank you both for a really lovely stay at your wonderful vegan B&B. We felt very much at ease and were able to relax and enjoy our few days. The food was fantastic, and such a relief for both of us not having to worry about what is suitable to eat.

We had a safe journey home and managed to go to Coventry and get our supply of foodstuffs including the rice milk Chris liked.

Dawn and Chris - (Nuneaton) - February 2008

Hi Richard & Sandra,

Thank you for your hospitality and great grub. We both enjoyed our stay very much. Great meeting Watson and co. and we’ll be back next year.

Stuart and Izzie - (Sussex) - November 2007

The perfect place for a relaxing weekend, with a warm welcome and wonderful food. We have visited in summer and winter and could not possibly choose between the delicious seasonal menus - you will just have to sample them both!
Thanks again!

Sheila and Mark Smith - (Hampshire) - November 2007

Dear Richard and Sandra,

Writing to say what a lovely stay we have just had at your Guest House.
You both made us feel really welcome and the food throughout our short stay has been first class, in fact the shallot and chestnut stew we had on the first night we are both still talking about, and wondered if we could trouble you for the recipe.
The only dampener on our short stay was the weather, but hopefully when we return next year that will be a little kinder to us.
We will certainly be recommending you to others.

Kind regards

Gary and Angela - (Canterbury) - November 2007

Dear Richard and Sandra

Just wanted to say a huge 'thank you' to you both for your hospitality last weekend. We had a really lovely time.
We thought it was a really great spot to stay in, the house was lovely, the food was great and we appreciated all the other little added touches. We will not hesitate to recommend your accommodation to friends and we hope to see you again sometime in the future.

many thanks and best wishes

Kerry & Robin - (London) - October 2007
xxx

Dear Richard & Sandra

Thank you for a wonderful couple of days. We think you should open a restaurant because your food was so delicious, innovative and nutritious. We've book a couple of the cookery books that you recommended and tried a few of your ideas but they're not quite the same. Can't wait to come back for more!

Diane and Norton - (Bracknell) - October 2007

Dear Richard & Sandra

We just wanted to say how much we enjoyed our stay with you. You made us feel very welcome, your house is lovely and "Rufus" was very comfortable to stay in.

Breakfast was delicious and set us both up for the day. It was so nice to stay somewhere knowing that the food would be OK to eat without having to ask lots of questions about the ingredients to make sure! Also, the efforts you have made to reduce the carbon footprint of your home eased our conscience a bit about going on holiday.

The New Forest area was beautiful with plenty to see and do, aside from the walking. I am sure we will come back in the future.

Thanks again

Sarah & Paul - (Milton Keynes) - September 2007

Hi Richard and Sandra,

Just a quick email to thank you for a fantastic week. We really enjoyed our stay - such warm hospitality and amazing food! Breakfast back home this morning was a little disappointing after a week of DIY muesli and cooked vegan breakfast - especially the scrambled tofu. The evening meals were creative and delicious. Thank you for the recipes.

We look forward to returning for another break at the Barn in the future, and will recommend it to others. Off shopping tomorrow to try to find some of the rice 'ice-cream' and oat cream!

With thanks and best wishes,

Paul and Emma - (London) - August 2007

Hi Richard and Sandra - both Katy and I just wanted to thank you both for your hospitality during our stay. We really enjoyed the whole concept you've obviously worked so hard to create. It is just about the most relaxing guest house we've stayed at, surrounded by like minded people, beautiful countryside, delicious food, and the most handsome and adorable guard dog we've met!

Thanks again to you both...

Jason and Katy - (Lewes) - July 2007

Dear Richard & Sandra,

Just to thank you for our lovely stay. Everything was top notch and we really enjoyed ourselves - superb food and great service and accommodation. Vegan Organic Network will be running an article on everyone's visits so you will get some more publicity then. It was kind of you to donate a prize.

Regards

Angela & Edmund - (Herts) - July 2007

Dear Richard and Sandra,

Many thanks for a lovely, albeit short, stay at The Barn this week.  
You made us feel very welcome, and we really enjoyed the evening meal 
and breakfast.

The weather was kind to us at Bucklers Hard, and we had a good look 
around and a pleasant walk to Beaulieu along the river.  Fortunately, 
the forecast rain did not arrive until we were driving back home at 
about 5pm.

Thanks once again for your hospitality.  We have pencilled in a full 
week at The Barn next year.

All best wishes,

Lyn and Andy - (Swindon) - June 2007

Dear Richard and Sandra

We just wanted to e-mail you to say how much we enjoyed our honeymoon in the New Forest. The scenery was beautiful and only enhanced by the delicious meals you provided and your hospitality. We have both been inspired by your innovative cooking skills - particularly that "mystery ingredient" in the aubergine bake - and a soya milk maker has been ordered and is on its way!

Thank you again for a wonderful stay. We look forward to coming down again when we can.

With kind regards.

Sharon and Nigel - (Surrey) - May 2007

We were looking for a veggie Guest House and this time choose The Barn which was one of the best choices we have ever made. The food was really imaginative, seasonal and tasty. Richard and Sandra were lovely hosts and made us feel very welcome. They set us all a very good example of how to live a 'green lifestyle' Looking forward to returning one day.

Ian & Jacqui Harding (Suffolk) - April 2007

Dear Richard and Sandra,

A rather late note to say thank you for having us! It was a wonderful break; we loved the New Forest and the coast, but most of all we loved staying with you and eating your wonderful meals and meeting your other guests. I am now the proud owner of a soya milk maker, and have made yoghurt and tofu as well as the milk. We’ll look like a soya bean soon! I have developed a taste for scrambled tofu – much prefer it to eggs now. I tried the mushroom and leek gratin we had with you which was on your website, and have made a couple of improvements (!!) – I added some dried wild mushrooms to intensify the flavour, and used oat cream instead of soya cream, which made it really yummy. When we got back, we discovered Waitrose round the corner had started to stock Oatly cream during our absence, which was wonderful. Only trouble is, if they don’t sell enough of a product they do tend to withdraw it, so we’ll have to buy it by the caseload, I fear.

Thank you for enriching our lives.

Love

Ruth and Martin - April 2007

Hello Richard / Sandra,

Just wanted to say thank you for an excellent stay. We thoroughly enjoyed our time at the Barn and have recommended you to our friends and family. You might like to put the comment below on your web site…

We spent a few nights at The Barn in the run up to Easter and could not have wished for a better place to stay. The service was excellent and the food delicious and varied. As for the location, the New Forest provided everything we were looking for, from woodland walks to quiet cycle tracks. Thank you!

Jay & Laurence

April 2007

Hi Richard and Sandra

Thank you very much for a great stay at your Guest House. The food was really really delicious. I was inspired by everything you have done there.

We visited Beaulieu and managed the Tide Mill on the way home. Bought some flour for bread.

Keep up the good work
Steve & Isabelle - April 2007

Just wanted to say thanks for a great weekend, really enjoyed seeing the area and the fab breakfast (I lasted all day)! I cannot imagine that I won’t be back!

Åsa - London - March 2007

Thanks for a wonderful weekend. We really had a super, hassle-free time. The food, the forest, the company, the house... everything was lovely.

Nell - London - February 2007

"Thanks for a lovely stay. Food and accommodation were excellent and we'll be recommending you to our friends and family."

Jane - Reading - January 2007

"We had a lovely stay at the veggie barn, we would
definitely recommend eating in - the food was
excellent!

Very excited to see pigs as well as ponies in the
forest even if we did get very wet!

Hope to visit again soon"

Louise and Colin - Reading

"I really enjoyed my stay; the food was excellent, the atmosphere friendly and relaxed and there was evidence of good taste everywhere in the house! Perfect for my needs." Roger Simmonds

"Thanks Richard and Sandra, had a great time. Our first trip to the New Forest. Barn was warm, welcoming, well maintained. Food was superb and glorious (death by chocolate!). Lovely house. Lovely stay. Thanks, see you again :)" Catherine & Guy

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