Widley Retreat

Widley Retreat is a five-bedroom group house in Widley, on the northern edge of Portsmouth, sleeping up to 12, with a driveway for three or four cars, a games room and a big back garden. It's made for get-togethers: an open-plan kitchen, dining and living space keeps everyone in the same room, there are two bathrooms, and dogs are welcome. You can book it direct with us right here.

Widley Retreat at a glance

• Sleeps 12 across five bedrooms, plus a sofa bed in the games room
• Open-plan kitchen, dining and lounge with a breakfast bar and a large TV
• Games room with darts, table football and an Xbox
• Family bathroom with a separate bath and shower, plus a downstairs shower room
• Utility room with a washing machine and tumble dryer
• Large back garden
• Private driveway for three or four cars
• Dog-friendly
• Travel cot, high chair, children's books and toys
• Self check-in 4 pm to 9 pm, check-out 10 am

Living together, without the squeeze

Downstairs, the kitchen opens straight onto the dining and lounge area, so whoever is cooking is still part of the conversation, which guests love. There's a breakfast bar, a dining table for proper sit-down meals and a large TV for the big match or a family film. The kitchen is set up for cooking for a crowd, with a dishwasher, oven, hob, microwave, kettle, toaster and coffee maker, and plenty of pots, pans and crockery.

The games room

When the adults want a rematch and the children need somewhere to burn off energy, the separate games room has a dartboard, table football and an Xbox, with a stack of board games for rainy evenings. A sofa bed in here sleeps a twelfth guest.

Bedrooms

Bedroom 1: a double bed.

Bedroom 2: two single beds.

Bedroom 3: a king-size bed and a single bed, good for a parent and child.

Bedroom 4: a double bed.

Bedroom 5: two single beds that we can zip together into a super-king if you ask when you book.

Every bed is made up with crisp white linen, and every bedroom has a fan for warm nights.

Bathrooms and laundry

Upstairs, the family bathroom has a separate bath and shower, perfect for a soak after a day out. Downstairs there's a shower room with a toilet, next to the utility room with its washing machine and tumble dryer, and an iron, which helps on longer stays and with muddy children.

The garden

Out the back, the large garden gives children room to run about and the adults somewhere to sit out on a summer evening. Dogs are welcome, but the fencing isn't fully dog-proof, so please keep an eye on them outside.

Good to know before you book

The house is on London Road, a main road with a bus lane, but it's set well back, so you don't hear the traffic indoors. The gateway onto the drive is a snug fit for wide vehicles, so take it slowly. The seafront and the city centre are a drive rather than a walk, so you'll want a car.

• Check-in 4 pm to 9 pm by lockbox (check-in closes at 9 pm); check-out by 10 am
• Up to three dogs; a pet fee is added in the booking box
• Travel cot and high chair in the house
• No smoking, and the house rules don't allow parties or antisocial behaviour
• A doorbell camera at the front door records video and sound when triggered; there are no cameras inside
• Two bathrooms for up to 12 guests: the family bathroom upstairs and a shower room downstairs
• After booking, the lead guest completes a short ID check and deposit step with our partner SafeGuest

Where you are in Portsmouth

Purbrook Heath recreation ground is about 10 minutes' walk, and the views from Portsdown Hill and Fort Widley are about 5 minutes away by car. By car, Cosham station is about 6 minutes, Port Solent 8, Portchester Castle 11 and Staunton Country Park 12. Gunwharf Quays, the Spinnaker Tower and Southsea seafront are 15 to 20 minutes away, and guests have enjoyed days out in Bosham and Wickham, each a 15 to 20 minute drive. Goodwood is around 25 minutes (allow longer on event days), and the New Forest is about half an hour. Queen Alexandra Hospital is close by.

Parking, arrival and departure

All parking is on the private driveway, which takes three or four cars, and guests have fitted a van as well. Check-in is self check-in with a lockbox, any time between 4 pm and 9 pm, and check-out is by 10 am. We send everything you need before you arrive, and our local team is on hand by message every day from 8 am to 8 pm.

Questions guests ask

• How many beds are there? Eight beds in five bedrooms (two doubles, a king and five singles, two of which zip into a super-king), plus a sofa bed in the games room, for up to 12 guests.
• Is there parking for several cars? Yes, the driveway takes three or four cars.
• Can we bring our dog? Yes. The garden fencing isn't fully dog-proof, so please keep an eye on them outside.
• Is it suitable for young children? Yes: there's a travel cot, a high chair, children's books and toys, and plenty of garden.
• Is it noisy, being on a main road? The house is set well back from London Road, so you won't hear it inside.
• Can a work crew stay? Yes, with beds and parking for everyone, Wi-Fi and laundry.
• Can we stay longer? Stays of up to 89 nights can be booked online; for 90 nights or more, or for a company booking, please get in touch first.
• Can we arrive after 9 pm? No. Check-in closes at 9 pm, so please plan to arrive between 4 pm and 9 pm.
• Is there a bathroom on each floor? Yes. The family bathroom, with a bath and a separate shower, is upstairs, and the shower room with a toilet is downstairs next to the utility room.
• How many dogs can we bring? Up to three, and a pet fee is added in the booking box.
• Are all the bedrooms upstairs? Four are upstairs and one is on the ground floor.
• Is there a barbecue? Yes, there's a barbecue and a fire pit in the back garden.
• Can the twin beds in Bedroom 5 become one big bed? Yes, we can zip them into a super-king if you tell us when you book.

Booking direct

Booking Widley Retreat here is cheaper than booking the same dates through some of the big booking sites. Planning a celebration or a longer stay? Email us before you book and we'll see what we can do for you.