Inspired luxury in a Suffolk idyll

Where England lives as it once did, sits Greene Farmhouse. In this rustic Suffolk idyll, it’s a huge slice of inspired luxury, where you’ll pick from seven refined and regal double bedrooms. Watch blockbusters beneath the cinema-room beams, pass log-fired evenings under the pergola, play tennis, burn some logs, count the reception rooms.

Refined, regal and ready to play

Pakenham is the Land that Time Forgot, England as it once was, with a watermill, a windmill, and an active theatre group and village hall. It’s the kind of place where you chat to the postie and buy your eggs from a roadside honesty box. Greene Farmhouse sits within it, a huge slice of inspired luxury in a rustic Suffolk idyll within easy reach of London.

A polished period property on a vast estate where beef-suckler herds graze, Greene Farmhouse sleeps 14 in seven refined, regal doubles. But that’s the subplot. The main narrative is the fun you’ll have watching blockbusters beneath the beams in the cinema room, playing tennis, and passing log-fired evenings under the pergola.

This place is vaulted and vast. How big is it? It has more bathrooms than bedrooms and many more beams than either. And two drawing rooms. That’s big. Relax in the drawing room with parkland views, or the log-lit snug over Netflix and Nespresso or Prosecco and Prime Video. Walk the estate to the jetty and jump in the rowing boat.

Stream the Wi-Fi, catch a match or a movie on TVs everywhere. Escape with a book to The Retreat, piled high with logs, or The Vinehouse. Break out to The Greenhouse, with its own wet room. Make use of the gym equipment. Bathe in freestanding baths. Sleep in Hollywood luxury. Try to count the reception rooms. Try again.

Garden and grounds

Live outdoors beneath the big Suffolk sky and the sparrowhawks and siskins. Hang out under The Vinehouse pergola on a south-facing sandstone terrace with loungers and dining table. Pick from gas or coal barbecues and burn some bangers. Or repair to The cloistered, covered Retreat with a book and load the fire from the log pile.

Explore the parklands and paths, or potter down to the lake for a picnic, with its jetty and rowing boat. Get all zen in the orangery-style garden room with its feature wall of greenery. Bring your rackets for the astroturf tennis court. Take on the family at table football in the games room and raid the drinks fridge for post-match beers.

Living spacesLiving spacesLiving spacesLiving spaces

Living spaces

No shortage of rooms here to be as sociable or solitary as the mood takes. You’d need a recount to be sure about the reception rooms and you’ve even got covered spaces in the garden in which to break out, get booky, or just be you. Back in the mothership, you can pick from the drawing room, snug, alcove, cinema room and Pit Stop.

Get together in the airy drawing room beneath the oak beams, get the fire going and kick back on the comfortable sofas. Pick your plonk from one of two wine fridges or just pop a pod in the Nespresso. Or escape to the snug with its big sofas, sofa bed and armchairs, pluck a board game from the chest or get a movie going on the 55” TV.

Catch up on email on the desk in the alcove. Then spend your evening in the cinema room, with its wall-to-wall sofas, big beams, beanbags and iconic movie posters. Binge blockbusters all night on the 75” smart TV linked to an Origin acoustics surround-sound system and Bluetooth DVD player.

Pull in at the Pit Stop for table football and gym equipment. Change the scenery in The Greenhouse, an orangery-style room with underfloor heating, smart TV and big sliding doors to the south-facing patio. Freshen up in the wet room. Spend your nights with the log mountain at The Retreat. Chew the fat, pour the wine, burn some wood.

Cooking and dining

Heat your food in the double electric ovens and warm your toes on the underfloor heating. Cool your drinks in the American-style fridge and the two wine fridges. Catch a quick Nespresso on the bar stools. Load up the two dishwashers to deal with the dirties. Or get our chefs to do it, right after they’ve made you a magnificent meal.

Just downhill from the drawing room, the dining room’s good for 14 beneath the beams with the electric wood burner going full tilt. You’ve got just another 4 chairs if you need them. Or eat out in The Retreat with meat from the gas or coal barbies. Let your dinner get down by retiring to the reading nook to bag a book and gaze at the gardens.

Put the pans down for the night and head out to The Pakenham Fox, a village pub with award-winning ales and an enticing beer terrace. The Bull in Troston promises proper grub from a gastro pub, with on-site microbrewery thrown in. Or work your way through the tasting menu at the Brewer’s Arms in Rattlesden.

Dive into luxury local fare served with a French accent at Maison Bleue in Bury St Edmunds, including pan-fried Cornish sand sole and Sutton Hoo free-range chicken. Sample a Michelin-starred supper at Pea Porridge. Or tuck into roast loin of lamb or fillet of venison at Theobald’s.

Bedrooms

You won’t thank us when you return home to a bed that feels like rocks. In the meantime, luxuriate among Hypnos cashmere mattresses and goose-feather bedding in seven bedrooms and eight bathrooms with more than a hint of Hollywood about them. All rooms come with smart TVs. The room names here are inspired by the fields on the estate, you’ll have to see if you can find them all during your stay.

On the first floor, all four rooms offer smart TVs and stunning en-suite bath or shower rooms. Warm your toes on the underfloor heating and wrap up in the fluffy towels. Purnell (bedroom one) and The Laies both offer a superking bed and en-suite rainfall shower, while Swiften is a superking with en-suite wet room, and Carr a luxury double.

On the second floor, Martins offers a superking bed, underfloor heating and bathroom with rainfall shower. Conyers is also a superking. The wet room comes with underfloor heating and a walk-in shower. Finally, Rushie provides two singles and access to the other two rooms.

Children welcome

For kids who love expansive space and exploring, Greene Farmhouse is a gift. But they also love toys, especially those with bucketloads of bling and wow. Let’s kick off with the two-acre garden. Walk the estate trails, pack a picnic for the lake, launch the rowing boat from the jetty, bring your horse (we have stables).

Stay outside for The Retreat. Follow the cloistered walkway from the house and hang out in the heat from the open fire, roasting marshies and telling tall tales until bedtime. Chill by day in the sun on The Vinehouse patio. And bring your rackets to thrash mum and dad on the astroturf all-year tennis court.

Got stuff you can’t miss on TV? We have plenty. There’s a smart TV in every bedroom, plus the garden room, snug and games room. There’s a games room? Oh yes, with gym equipment for older kids and table football for kids young and old. Or how about the 75” smart TV in the dedicated cinema room with surround-sound? Grab a beanbag.

Wrap up an exhausting day with burgers on the coal or gas barbecues, then it’s off to bed to be hypnotised into sleep by the Hypnos cashmere mattresses and goose-feather bedding, and be wowed by the magical underfloor heating. Sleep in singles in Rushie, a family-friendly bedroom that links to the other two top-floor rooms.

What people say

What people say

Wow, what a stunning farmhouse! We had such a wonderful weekend here with extended family and thoroughly enjoyed exploring the area. The house is beautiful and so spacious, we had lots of room to relax and we loved the estate grounds and areas to explore outside. - Sophia
The Farmhouse is beautiful… really lovely and comfortable, incredibly well stocked/equipped and we really had the best weekend! Thank you so much for all the info you shared and for creating the truly perfect house for guests. - Fransesca
We had an amazing stay at The Farmhouse! We absolutely loved it and it was perfect for our large family get-together over the holiday period. The house was excellent, we loved the different spaces and rooms for everyone to move around in.The main living room was very comfortable, the open fire was brilliant, and the kitchen was very well equipped. The family, including the kids, had a fabulous holiday. We hope to return one day! - Alia and family
Thank you so much for a lovely stay at The Farmhouse, which we very much enjoyed. What a wonderful property it is! It is even more spacious than the photos suggest. The house is luxurious yet homely. Use of the small boat on the lake was a fun addition to the property, and the links to the walks were extremely useful. And thank you for being so friendly and helpful during our week. We will be recommending it to others! - Julie and family
The Farmhouse was fantastic, a beautiful home with everything we could possibly require. An incredible weekend was had by us all. We would highly recommend to anyone and look forward to staying again in the future. - Claire
It was a real joy to stay in this gorgeous and beautiful house – amazing décor and wonderful views. The Garden Room was more than perfect. - Naomi
We had a lovely weekend – an amazing house, so comfortable and relaxing, and really well equipped, and beautiful grounds; what a treat! - Catherine
Wowzer! What a house – we’ve stayed in many as an extended family of 14, but never one as beautiful!. Thank you so much for letting us share this truly beautiful place. We had a very special week and thank you for so many wonderful memories made. - Jo
We are so very sad to leave such a wonderful place. We’ve had the best family weekend and can’t wait to return. It’s everything you could want for and more. Everything was first class – the perfect Farmhouse. The views and the walks will be missed - Christine, Michael, Nick and family
What a fab place, we cannot fault it and despite our high jinks a restful and tranquil place. As Arnie said “we’ll be back”. - Penny
We came with 12 from the Netherlands and 3 from London for a family reunion. We loved the house and the grounds. The weather was beautiful, so we rowed on the lake, helped feed the horses, made a barbecue, played croquet. We had a perfect time - Family Noordhoff
A hot mega weekender! An incredible house, really well-equipped and comfortable, the kids really enjoyed seeing the ponies and rowing on the lake, as well as seeing the rabbits and fawns roaming around. We’ll miss this place, hope to come again soon! - Stephanie and family
Five stars all round. A brilliant house for a family holiday (three generations) – so much to do and see. Our favourites: boating, the Cinema Room and the climbing frame. We hope to book for a winter break, and many thanks to Karen and Paul for making our stay so comfortable. - Chant & Cole Families
Just wow! We have spent the last week making wonderful memories in this wonderful house. 12 of us across three generations have loved every second of it and have made full use of all the wonderful facilities, including: boating, table tennis, boules, tennis, the playground, pizza making, sitting by the fire and much more, not forgetting the cinema room! Everything we have needed has been thought of and available. We are already thinking of future dates when we can come and stay again. - Hall Family
Well, what a truly wonderful weekend of special friendship and amazing company. A huge thank you to Karen and Paul and the whole team, the house is simply magnificent. Our every need was completely met, a total triumph. Simply amazing, a truly special place, top notch throughout. - Eccles College Reunion Crew

Palaces, punts and pottering

Potter Bury St Edmunds’ Abbey Gardens and cathedral or an Italianate palace at Ickworth. Swim at Holkham Beach, back a beast at Newmarket Races, or glide along the Cambridge Backs on a punt. Meet crocs and camels at Jimmy’s Farm, do the high ropes at Go Ape, or zorb at CurveMotion.