Catherine C - 02.05.24 - 10/10

You have all that you need at the Studio. The house, gardens and surrounds are beautiful. We enjoyed lots of wonderful walks by the river.

Beautiful house, perfect for celebrating a 50th with family and friends. Had the best time with everything that we needed. The studio is the perfect place and we'll be coming back again. Thanks so much to Big House Lets, Jo and Phil.

Hetty H-D - 12-.0.24 - 10/10

The house was perfect!! I'm finding out hard to pick one thing we paticularly enjoyed because everything was great. Having a big drinking room area was perfect and something often neglected in big houses. Everyone got a proper bed, no sofa beds. The sounds system was fantastic. Kitchen was great and having the extra fridge and ice machine was a great idea. The house is decorated nicely and not just thrown together like some big houses.

Alex M - 18.03.24 - 9/10 

There’s a nearby castle and Monmouth town is lovely
Really enjoyed the unique nature of the property and its beautiful surroundings. Was an exceptional host to my 30th

Natalie J -04.12.23 - 10/10

Monnow Valley Studios is an incredible house. We had the best week end for my husbands 40th birthday. We couldn't have dreamed up a better venue. The history of the studios is just amazing and we loved reading about the artists who have recorded there and stayed there. Jo and Phil, the owners are lovely. We honestly had such a fantastic week end with our friends. Saturday night i organised caterers (Infamous Catering) and also a murder mystery, using Death on Demand. It was brilliant. We then made use of the PA/sound system there and our friend DJ'd for us. Wish we could do it all again.

We spent all week end at the house, as it wanted us to make the most of the amazing property it is. We went into Monmouth for a walk around. There are some nice coffee shops there. We also went on a lovely country walk, starting at the house.

Billy C 10.11.23

 

Monnow Valley Studio

We stayed at Monnow Valley Studio. The house itself is absolutely incredible and even better than the already amazing pictures suggest. You really get a sense of it's history also. We had the most perfect time celebrating our marriage and the flow of the rooms enhanced the whole experience. The hot tub and the games room are brilliant additions and were loved by all guests in our party. The kitchen is also excellent and easily catered for everyone.

Jo and Phil are extremely good hosts, offering information on the house and surroundings (including the alpacas!!) generously whilst also giving guests the space to relax and enjoy themselves.

All booking and handlings through BHHL were first class and would thoroughly recommend their services too

Date of experience: 10 November 2023

Billy C - 15.11.23 10/10

The house itself is absolutely incredible and even better than the already amazing pictures suggest. You really get a sense of it's history also. We had the most perfect time celebrating our marriage and the flow of the rooms enhanced the whole experience. The hot tub and the games room are brilliant additions and were loved by all guests in our party. The kitchen is also excellent and easily catered for everyone.

The only improvement we can think of is that it might be worthwhile having a movable ramp to assist getting a wheelchair around the rooms. This absolutely didn't impact our stay, just something that we thought handy.

Jo and Phil are extremely good hosts, offering information on the house and surroundings (including the alpacas!!) generously whilst also giving guests the space to relax and enjoy themselves.

We already can't wait to return. Thank you

(We tried to rate the stay as 11/10 but it wouldn't allow us to)

Hayley C - 17.10.23 - 10/10

Best Weekend ever.
This is my second stay at Monnow Valley and it never disappoints. Will be back again in the future.
We did a treasure hunt round Monmouth, some beautiful sights and some lovely old buildings

Mary M -11.10.23

 

BIG BIRTHDAY WEEKEND

Monnow Valley Studio
We rented this property for our Daughter’s 40th birthday celebration, and it did not disappoint
Such comments as “WOW”! “what a find” and “this place is amazing” were to be heard as the party turned up and explored. The bedrooms are individually styled and very comfortable, the kitchen is modern, huge and well equipped for large groups. The group loved the games and party rooms and as the weather was good we were able to enjoy the hot tub and have cosy chats outdoors.
The house has a wonderful history and has hosted many famous musicians over the years; this is reflected throughout the property in photographs, books and memorabilia all of which amplifies its’ charms, particularly for music lovers!
Our hosts Jo and Phil are lovely people and were on hand to sort out any little niggles. They also spent time with us sharing stories about their famous guests (all good of course!) and the history of the house.
Our family and friends enjoyed local walks and visited Monmouth and a cider mill.
Truly a memorable weekend at this charismatic property, we highly recommend it and hope to return one day.

Date of experience: 29 September 2023

Stephen E - 05.09.23 10/09 

Jo & Phil we’re amazing hosts, really helpful, kind and friendly. Fantastic location. Beautifully clean and tidy, decor and rooms were all amazing. Wonderful stay and would recommend to anyone to stay here. Loved it.

We had our wedding here so we stayed in the house all weekend and it was fabulous. Amazing place and very special.

Stephen E 02.09.23 

 

Fantastic weekend here at Monnow Valley…

Fantastic weekend here at Monnow Valley Recording Studio for our wedding. My wife and I stayed here from 1/9-4/9 2023 with our families and had the most wonderful time. Jo & Phil were amazing!!! Very helpful, excellent communication and always a phone call or text away and did everything to make our wedding experience as enjoyable and relaxing as possible. The place itself is stunning, peaceful and full of character. We love our music so we fully embraced the history on Monnow Valley! Would certainly recommend staying here to anyone - you will have the best time!! 100% will come back at some stage in the future.

Date of experience: 02 September 2023

Tracey R 29.08.23 10/10

The house was perfect for us. I can't think of anything except maybe a slightly earlier get in and later get out option but I understand the amount of cleaning that needs to be done between hirers. We hardly used the lounges as there was plenty of space in the garden, kitchen, games, dining and party room and the weather was kind to us. maybe a blind for the door in the games room so you can see the tv when it's light out. We used a blanket so it was fine.
Jo and Phil were lovely and made us very welcome. Can't thank you all enough for making my husbands 50th so perfect.

The guys went to Monmouth Golf Course and had a good time but other than that we didn't leave the house.

Ann P - 23.08.23 9/10

we had a wonderful family holiday - as one member of the family said 'we made lots of lovely memories'
the children of the family aged 9 yrs to early 20's all found lots to do and enjoy both individually and together.

puzzleworld - wonderful !

Julie B -19.8.23 - 10/10 

We loved the house and the facilities - the history of the house was fascinating. Jo and Phil were very helpful and always on hand to sort out any issues.
Kitchen was very well equipped (the only thing we couldn't find was a measuring jug).
Plenty of retreats and rooms for a large group to spread out. Hot tub, pool table and table tennis table were very well used.
Lovely setting in a picturesque area.
Fabulous outside area with ample seating. We enjoyed stargazing on the clear evenings.
Would not hesitate to recommend this house.

Puzzle wood was fabulous
Raglan Castlebay great and reasonably priced
Skirrid - great walk with fabulous views from the top
Shire Hall in Monmouth- Court room was interesting

Yvonne B 05.08.23 10/10

The house was amazing plenty to do and facilities to entertain. Jo and Phil were helpful and let the children visit the lamas and chickens. The weather wasn’t brill but you can’t order that. Fantastic place for a family gathering.

Local castle and fun day at Barry island. Abergavenny for mooching and a few shops. Symonds yat local forest walk wye valley.

Valerie J 

 

Monnow Valley Stuios, WOW!…

It was our 16th year for a big family get together. it comprised of Nan and Grandad, our three children plus other halves and six grandchildren. we have stayed all over the country. This year we chose Monnow Valley Studios as my husband and I have been aware of both it and Rockfield Recording Studios for many years, having been brought up in Monmouthshire. This holiday has surpased all the others. We all made good use of the studio with 4 electric guitars and drumkit plus the piano with many jamming sessions. We also ventured into the river Monnow for a very cold swim. I would not hesitate to reccommend this property for a fantastic holiday experience.

Date of experience: 21 July 2023

Paul J -02.08.23 - 10/10

Big family holiday. Made great use of facilities. Brought 4 electric guitars and electronic drumkit, so lots of jamming sessions. Piano well used plus cinema room and hot tub. Swam in the river(cold) so a heated pool would be a great addition!!! Really couldn't fault it.

Climb the Skirrid and Sugar Loaf.
Rowing on Wye from SymondsYat, bit costly though

Jeremy B - 19.07.23 -10/10

The whole experience was perfect for our wedding weekend from start to finish.
Raglan Castle.

Charlotte P -17.07.23 - 9/10

The property was absolutely perfect for our special occasion. The owners were lovely and the whole process has been smooth and easy.

You are right in the heart of the Monnow Valley - there are loads of walks, towns and places of interest within just a few minutes' drive. Definitely not stuck for things to do!

Wendy N - 24.05.23 10/10

It was a lovely holiday and all the family thoroughly enjoyed it. The hosts were both lovely, welcoming and helpful. Everything was clean and tidy with plenty of good quality equipment. I loved the attention to detail, the little touches that gave interest and individuality to the property. We got to feed the Alpacas and chickens, a real treat for the kids. I would 100% recommend the property for a get together. We might come back again as a group of adults next time. Thank you for your service. We didn't go out much as the house had everything we needed for a good time.

Phillip H -  23.05.23 9/10

Second time staying and really enjoyed again thanks. A great house which we will continue to highly recommend. The only small negative was the removal of the ice machine which was there last year. A much needed necessity for a thirsty group ;-) As stated last year, a toilet downstairs would be good rather than having to go upstairs or rely on using one of the bedrooms downstairs which you don’t like to do as they are bedrooms.

Jessica L - 16.05.23 10/10

We enjoyed all the facilities and having a house big enough for a fabulous weekend away with friends and family. It's a shame that you couldn't be in the outside area or in the hot tub after ten because it was a lovely weekend and would have been nice to sit outside and enjoy the warmer nights we had.

Sue M - 02.05.23  9/10

We really enjoyed our stay in Monnow Valley Studios. It’s an excellent location, in the peaceful countryside of Wales with the Monnow river at the bottom of the garden. Yet only a few minutes car trip to Monmouth. The digital guide book provided prior to our stay was a really good idea and very informative.  The house was just perfect for a family get together/Golden Wedding celebration. The kitchen is well equipped for larger groups and the sound Studio enabled us to really enjoy our Saturday night party/karaoke.  It was a good job the possible “visitors” in the house were highlighted in the guide book, as we saw the bats and a cat. The grandchildren loved the house and the games equipment …….they didn’t want to leave!

Sam M - 25.04.23  10/10

The sound proof room was amazing for us to be able to party on our wedding night until 3am without disturbing some of the guests who had gone to sleep earlier. We had the best time. The only thing was the water in the showers went very cold quickly. We may not have done something right with the heating but there was an electric shower in one of the rooms so we’re able to use that.

Bethan I - 22.04.23  9/10

The house was amazing and we had the best time!  Days out:  Puzzlewood was a lovely day out but there were lovely walks around house too.

Dan H  -  16.04.23  10/10

The location and facilities were absolutely perfect for us. The property was a great place to return to after a long day of hard training at the rowing club. We'd love to come back in the future

Becky T -   12.04.23  9/10

The kids had fun at the giant inflatable park that was set up in Rockfield for the weekend!

Charles R  -   03.04.23  10/10

Heather S - 27.03.23  9/10

Everyone said it was a great venue, the only issue was that the WiFi wasn't very good.

Amy E     08.03.23  10/10

Great House with great facilities and rich and wonderful history. Unusual that there was no downstairs toilet but didn't effect our fantastic weekend!!! thank you so much!

We did a fun trail in Monmouth obtained from here: https://www.treasuretrails.co.uk/products/things-to-do-monmouth-south-wales?variant=39342504542253.

We also had a lovely circular walk on the Sunday from the house.

Frances H  28.02.23  10/10

Really brilliant house, we thought it was amazing and are already looking to book for next year.
Beautiful house, had everything you could think of needing. Plenty of space for kids to run around in. Really easy going and accessible owners.
Only thing we couldn’t find much information on was check out - would be useful to have an extra page in the book explaining time we need to leave, whether to strip beds etc!    Days Out:  We stayed in the house most of the time!   Monmouth Leisure Centre soft play for kids was great.

Sophie T  15.02.23  9/10

The property was fabulous for our group, we especially enjoyed the party room and had the most brilliant party. Lots of treasured memories were made! We would highly recommend and are already consider returning. Thank you 😊  Days out:  Monmouth Town Centre, Tintern Abbey

Janet P  13.02.23  10/10

We were a family of 20 with two small children. There was plenty of room and privacy - Enough space for us all to be together but also quiet corners to relax in. The kitchen is very well equipped and the studio and singing was amazing fun! Would highly recommend! Will definitely be going back

Andrew P  10.02.23  9/10

Massive property plenty to do

Oliver D  08.01.23  9/10

The house was perfectly setup for a large gathering, with excellent facilities and grounds. We had a lovely New year's break

Joan C     29.12.22  10/10

The only criticism is the house was cold for the first 12 hours and some of the rooms were without hot water for a while. However, Jo and Phil were on to the case and fixed the problem quickly. The log fire was soon lit and warmed us up and we thoroughly enjoyed our weekend in a wonderful, interesting property and can thoroughly recommend the accommodation and its lovely friendly owners.

Rhiannon Y  17.12.22  10/10

The house was superb- especially the party room, which gave us so much space and entertainment. We especially enjoyed the pool table and sound system. The owners have really thought of everything- the house was so beautifully decorated and thoughtfully furnished- every item of equipment we could possibly need could be found. Our only comment would be that there was a smell in Room 2, which we thought might have been coming from the boiler cupboard.
We loved the house so much that we are hopefully in the process of booking again- we have stayed in many similar sized properties over the years, and nothing has come close to Monnow Valley Studios.

Claire N   15.11.22   10/10

A fabulous venue.  Days out:  Circular walk: turn right ou of house, down to the river then follow the river back to the house.  About 2 miles.

Kay W  11.11.22   7/10

I enjoyed the space of the house . There were enough rooms to accommodate all the different needs of an extended family, ages ranging from 1 to 64 years. You could find a space to read chill alone or join in on board games (trivial pursuits) Play pingpong, pool, hot tub , or plain partying in without intruding on others activities . And when everyone was together there was plenty of kitchen and dining area spaces.
The hosts Jo and Phil were great. Jo regaled us with many stories of stars that she had worked with over the years. And on our first night Phil kindly offered to pick up an Indian take away we ordered.  Everyone thoroughly enjoyed their stay at Monnow Valley

Days out:  Monmouth nice market town to explore when it rains.

Catherine S   29.10.22  9/10

We loved the house, gardens and hot tub! It was really well kitted out for large scale catering and dining.  The rooms were beautiful and we liked having a number of lounge spaces so we weren't on top of each other all the time.  The kids really enjoyed the table tennis, cinema room and they had incredible games of hide and seek!

There were a couple of nigggles with hot water but Jo was great and they were both sorted out.  We would highly recommend this house for big family gatherings and I hope we'll be back some time.

Days out:  We had a great time at Goodrich Castle.  Our group included 9 adults and 11 kids of various ages.  The kids loved exploring the castle and we all enjoyed learning the history, taking in the beautiful views and listening to the actors tell us local stories.

We also enjoyed a trip to Wye Valley Butterfly Zoo and Hedge Puzzle.

Daphne H   27.10.22  10/10

Our party of all ages had a wonderful stay. Perfect house for our long overdue family get together. The party room, well just awesome. Highly recommended thank you.

Kirsty H    18.10.22  10/10

Steve L     15.10.22  10/10

Tilly W     15.10.22   10/10

The studio was amazingly equipped and owners were beyond helpful and friendly. Jo and Phil took the time to come over to talk to us about their experiences at the studios over the years, which was a particular highlight!
Great space for a party. Children loved playing hide and seek and escaping the adults in the games room and of course the alpacas! Couldn’t have asked for anywhere better to have a get together- everyone is very keen to come back. Huge thank you to Jo and Phil and the team.  Lots of great walks and a dip in the Monnow (yes, even in October!) 

Caroline D     11.10.22    10/10

Everything was brilliant. Delightful owners and especially loved the alpacas, cats and chickens.

Leon K     03.10.22    9/10

Great house, Enjoyed my stay. Had a great time playing Pool and Ping pong, great activities at the house.

Phillip H                      07.09.22                                 10/10                   

 Fabulous house with great facilities and really attentive hosts. Comfortably accommodated 20 of us. Throughly recommended.

Suzanne B                    31.08.22                                  10/10 

 

The house is incredible. The kitchen very well equipped for catering for so many people, having 4 ovens was a God send for our Christmas dinner (yes, Christmas in August!)
The only slight downside was the 2 downstairs bedrooms, both had ensuites which was great but you had to go through 1 room to get to the other one, good job we're all family but other parties might find this an issue. The dining room and party room was fabulous. So much space for us all to chill out without all sitting together.

Bridget L                 13.08.22                              10/10

 

The games room was a hit with the children and some of the adults. Playing pool was also great fun.
The pianos were played by the more musical amongst us and the children loved singing along.
The table tennis room was also well used and much enjoyed.
It was a step too far for everyone to eat together every mealtime but we managed to get everyone together for an evening meal in the fabulous dining room. The very well equipped and spacious kitchen allowed lots of people cooking/preparing many different meals throughout the day.
The many sitting rooms enabled us all to find a quiet place to relax or play board games (which we brought with us) if needed/wanted.
Several of us spent much time swimming in the beautiful river and enjoyed the small fish exploring our feet :-)
The bedrooms and shower rooms were decorated to a high standard, all with their own character. The beds were comfy and the showers were large and luxurious. The attic rooms were rather too hot during the heatwave. However, by adult bedtime they cooled sufficiently to sleep. They heated again when the sun came up. A fan was provided but during the really hot weather, this had little impact. Maybe a small air conditioning unit might help.

The cleanliness of the whole property was 5 Star - A special thanks to the housekeepers for doing such a fabulous job.

Thank you for helping make our long-awaited for family gathering a very special one to remember.

Lorraine L                 09.08.22                      10/10

Everything was perfect x

Lyn B             08.08.22                                     10/10        

 The house was amazing and so full of music history! Part of the fun was "sitting where the rock stars have!".
The only thing that we came up with was a 2nd dishwasher. Not because there weren't enough plates etc. but just that the one we had was on constantly.

David H            06.08.22            10/10

 It was perfect, only thing to say was the recycling is very regimented.

 Stephanie K       06.08.22             10/10

 We enjoyed the space in the   house. There was plenty of room for people to mingle in various groupings or do something on their own if they preferred. Everyone in our group said this was the best house they had stayed in.
The only thing that would have improved the experience would be a downstairs toilet. We understand there are already plans for this.

Fritjof K            06.08.22                  10/10

 The house was just perfect with a huge "Wow"-factor. Young and old were equally impressed. The amount of space we had was just unbelievable, recording studio facilities, pool table, and table tennis table were very much appreciated. Thanks to Jo and Phil for entertaining us with stories about the artists who recorded their records at the studio. It was very entertaining.

Paul G           03.08.22           9/10 

Great house and facilities

Chrissy 

 

Monnow Valley Studio, excellent holiday house!

Just returned from an amazing few days at Monnow Valley Studio, 20 of us ages 5-75, what an absolutely stunning place this is, our grandchildren voted it the best holiday house ever and we have stayed at many over the years!
Brilliant location on the banks of the River Monnow, house is extremely well equipped, comfortable beds, spotlessly clean, we plan to come again next year! The games room, entertainment and party rooms such a huge hit, massive kitchen and dining room. what a great place!
Thank you to all the staff at BHHL, our trip all together had to be postponed 4 times since Summer 2020 but it was well worth the wait!

Date of experience: 26 July 2022

Angela R                 23.07.22                 10/10

 The only thing we found that was a little inconvenient was the lack of tea towels at the house.

 

 Christine R            23.07.22                         10/10

Our children and grandchildren rate this house to be the best Holiday House we have ever stayed in, and there have been many!! The location is perfect, on the hottest days of the year we loved being able to get in the river to cool off; the huge games room, dining room was where we all had so much fun! We were a party of 20, aged 5 - 75, everything was perfect, house exceptionally well equipped, bedrooms comfortable with plenty of space for everyone. We would love to return!!

 Christopher W      14.06.22         10/10

 A fantastic property, really clean & better than the photos! Jo & Phil were great. Jo was great abswering questions before we arrived & once we we were there, she made sure we knew how everything worked & was happy to answer questions about her music career. One of the highlights was Phil inviting us to help feed the alpacas & chickens. A fantastic long weekend, noone wanted to leave!

Jess H        25.05.22         10/10    

The thought & provisions in you have put in place for a large group was noticeable. We did a lot of in house catering, so the 3 fridges + wine fridge were very helpful! We loved having plenty of glasses, of all types, plus a glass dishwasher was a great bonus! - really well suited to a 'party house'.
We made good use of the party room for our own disco one evening, and a line dancing lesson on the Sunday; it was a great space to have for a hen party, as it meant everyone could be together in one space.
I feel we didn't even find half of the provisions on offer until the Sunday evening, such as board games, and other outdoor games; this house would be great for a longer stay too, with plenty of space for people and things to do.

 

                

Keith S         20.05.22         10/10  

The property is very spacious and has a huge cinema screen, pool table and tennis table. The hot tub has to be paid as an extra but is good fun. The owner, Jo, was very welcoming and informative about the studios.

Diane H            26.04.22               10/10

 The river was undersold. It was great for swimming and bodyboarding.
The house was wow. Absolutely superb

Chris H         26.04.22                       10/10 

Fantastic house and lovely setting. Jo and Phil very friendly.

Alys O        29.03.22       10/10

It was an excellent house for a large group. The kitchen was incredibly well stocked, and the hosts could not have more helpful.

I appreciated the automatic email prompts you shared and the payment portal you used made the whole booking and payment process incredibly seamless.

 

 Claire C     27.03.22       10/10

The fascinating recent history of the property, the setting and the comprehensive facilities.

 Sharon L   01.03.22    10/10

 The whole house is amazing , don’t change a thing

Emma M   20.02.22   10/10

 Beautiful house, fully equipped for anything you may need. Lovely spacious place to relax, spend time together and party. Games room was a massive hit and many great hide and seek places for the young ones. Jo was very helpful from start to finish. Would definitely consider staying again. Thank you. Becky and the rest of the party.

 Alan Carr    -   18.02.22   10/10

 The house was perfect ...great attention to detail and provided everything we could have wanted for a musically themed birthday event. Every one of the guests commented on how much they enjoyed being there

 Carol T   -  29.12.21    10/10

The accommodation was high standard and gave us more than we expected, especially having the space and facilities to be all together with all the children. We also enjoyed the history of the place. Both Jo and Phil made us very welcome and if it wasn't for the understandable problem of accommodating dogs on the property, we would all return time and time again. I doubt we could ever find anything better and over many years of all being together, we had the best family get together that we've ever had. We thank you for accepting us this time with the dogs, when we booked they were allowed.
Jo is aware of the only thing that could be improved, which is a better organisation of recycling. It will be easier when the Council change to their new system. We also understand that it's even more difficult when there are 20 of you with more than normal Christmas present rubbish to dispose of..

Sam W  -   16.11.21     10/10

 Incredible place for a party, awesome sound system, but this history of the building is what makes this special. So many of my musical heros have been here. Jo, the owner, was absolutely wonderful with great stories to tell, thank you so much. This was an unforgettable experience of a lifetime.

Kirsty H  -   16.11.21.  9/10

 The house is amazing and the owner Jo and her husband are brilliant. They were really warm and welcoming, Jo gave us a fab talk about the history of the property and all the artists that had recorded there. The house was a brilliant place to party but also comfortable and cosy when you wanted to chill out. We will definitely be rebooking. Thank you.

Liz P  -   16.11.21     9/10

 Amazing host and amazing stories

 Catherine D  -  27.10.21      10/10

 The house was super spacious with lots of different areas for people to gather in to chat, play music, play table tennis or watch TV. The kids particularly enjoyed the games room! All the bedrooms were really nice and individually decorated which gave the place real character. We would definitely book again.

Becky K  - 27.10.21  10/10  

Loved the venue all round esp the dining area, fab kitchen and drinks room. Only criticism might be the TV lounge was a bit chilly! 

Ruth W -  26.10.21  10/10

 Jo gave us a lovely welcome and we enjoyed all the facilities inside the house so much.

 Hollie M - 15.09.21    10/10

We stayed in and made the most out of the beautiful house