Hi Matt Arnold here. The Villa's listing is a nod to my former career with the Nations much loved Breakfast TV programme that I worked on for many a happy year and so if it caught your eye for that alone then it worked!
Essentially though here is the French Villa I bought in 2002 which was originally intended for private use only while the career was in full swing and we could afford to leave it for us and close friends only!
These days though I'm working running a boutique hotel in Suffolk and in order to pay for the upkeep and running costs we now have taken to letting the property out providing we can have a good chat with the prospective renters and feel that we all are singing from the same hymn sheet regarding looking after the place and respecting the chance to go and stay there!
I have taken down the same fabulous Mattison Monarch 1400 mattresses that have proved so popular at the Bridge Hotel Brandon (Suffolk) so you will sleep in the most comfy beds I have ever known while you are away. They are the exact same mattresses as used by five star establishments like the Gleneagles Hotel to name but one! Have a look at the hotel's reviews on tripadvisor and you will see that we have a good reputation for quality accommodation.
What you're renting is a simple modern one storey two bedroom villa with private garden end gated ten metre pool. The pool and garden have been laid to a beautiful paved area which includes a built in barbecue and the whole idea is to enjoy the superb hot sunny weather while relaxing in and around your own private pool.
The villa is in a very quiet small village in the heart of the Minvervois wine region but has great access to the coast and the cities of Narbonne and Beziers.
You won't see much traffic and you will have to travel at least 2km to the nearest small shop but if you like lazing on the terrace by the pool and like fine wine and discovering fantastic restaurants in little known, beautiful but nearby villages and towns and self catering when you're not doing that?..... Well then it can't be beat!
For families (my kids are 9-11, we have twins and an elder) there is a stack of stuff to do ranging from the usual water park and animal related excursions to the great beaches on the Med just 40 mins away and the Canal du Midi is really close by so you can relax by water in a number of stunning locations without having to drive too far.
There is a small 'mountain' behind the property looking down on Agel which form one of several brilliant walks/trail runs or cycle routes in the immediate vicinity and is one of the many reasons that I absolutely adore the place! I am a keen runner and there is no better way to spend the early morning than running up the mountain and padding around the pine scented trails that loop the summit before running down to a breakfast outdoors on the patio and getting ready for some serious sun worship with the occasional dip to cool off!
Keen cyclists will already know the the Tour goes right past this region every year and the road or mountain opportunities are just fabulous and if you are looking to get out on two wheels it is a superb place to do it as nature intended and not get blasted by traffic every few hundred metres!
We clearly love it. I have life long friends in the region because of owning it and if anyone is interested I can even ask my good friend Mel if he'd do one of his nature walks for you for a small pecuniary offering as he knows the area brilliantly and is big on the flora and fauna of the region as well as the wildlife!
I am pricing sensibly to sell some weeks. I want it to be enjoyed but also I need to keep it maintained and serviceable and the French are hot on their taxes so it definitely is something that I would like to make a success of by listing on this site. We use Holiday Lettings for our cottage that is on the hotel's property in the UK and I have been impressed with the standard of our clients that have booked that particular cottage so I am hopeful that the site and listing will be popular choice for people looking for what I would call an old fashioned summer holiday where you make your own adventures and enjoy the fabulous South of France Climate!
If you'd like to ask me anything at all please don't hesitate to get in touch
Matt Arnold
Bridge Hotel Brandon