Shangri-la

Waxham, Norfolk
Self-catering
+44 (0)7813 336947
Visit owner's website

From
£220 - £500
per night
From
£1560 - £3500
per week

This architect-designed house by the sea sits just behind the sand dunes at one of Norfolk’s most lovely beaches

Bed

4 beds

Bedroom

3 bedrooms

Sleeps

Sleeps 6

Children welcome
Pets welcome
Babies welcome

£220 - £500 per night

£1560 - £3500 per week

The Experience

With the track to the beach running past the garden, the position of this eco-build is idyllic. Play cricket in the garden to the soundtrack of singing birds and crashing waves… and stargaze from the deck at night.

Inside is super cosy, especially when a storm blows: this place is perfect for all-season stays. There’s a multi-speaker Sonos system, a hamper stuffed with treats and a kitchen that’s great for sociable chefs. Come in winter for empty beaches, young seals on the sands and spectacular formations of geese.

Walk along the sandy track to Waxham beach: one of Norfolk’s secrets. Take a boat trip from Horsey (gateway to the Broads) for wildlife in abundance; end the day with dinner at the Ingham Swan. The restaurant is 15th-century, the food is delicious, and the village of Ingham is a seven-minute drive.

Shangri-la - Gallery

We think you'll love

  • Being tucked behind the wonderful sand dunes and beach at Waxham
  • Staying in a superbly equipped, super-insulated house with a one-acre garden
  • The very generous welcome hamper
Shangri-la - Gallery

You should know

  • The house is easy for wheelchair users but the beach path might be tricky
  • This isn’t for those looking for a wild time – Waxham is remote and unspoilt

Essentials

  • EV charger
  • Self check-in
  • Swimming pool
  • Hot tub
  • Garden
  • Open fire / woodburner
  • Breakfast included
  • Breakfast available
  • Meals available
  • Vegetarian meals
  • Oven
  • Parking on premises
  • Free parking nearby
  • Accessible by public transport
  • WiFi
  • Television
  • Central heating
  • Limited mobility
  • Wheelchair access
  • Mobile reception
  • Hob
  • Barbecue
  • Paid parking nearby
  • Air conditioning
  • Relaxation areas
  • Washing machine
  • Tennis court
  • Microwave oven
  • No smoking
  • Credit cards
  • Working farm
  • Owner has pets
  • Electricity included
  • Dishwasher
  • Pets welcome

Family friendly

  • Baby monitor
  • Books and toys
  • Children welcome
  • Babies welcome
  • Stair gates
  • High chair
  • Fire guard
  • Cot available

Nearby

  • Pub/bar within 3 miles
  • Restaurant within 3 miles
  • Shop within 3 miles

Activities

  • Bikes available
  • Food courses
  • Kayaking
  • Other courses
  • Sailing
  • Surfing
  • Wild swimming

Pricing

Nightly price
from £220
Weekly price
from £1560
Surcharges
Extra platform bed available.
1 House for 6
From £2204 beds3 bedrooms

Information

Special offer: 25% off from 7 - 28 October. 7 days reduced from £2200 to £1650. 3 night weekends and 4 night weekday breaks reduced from £1540 to £1155. Discount applied at checkout.

Booking information

Check in
From 4pm
Check out
By 10am
Other details
Minimum stay: 3 nights.
Closed
Never.
No smoking
Smoking not permitted anywhere in the property.
Dogs

Dog treats are included in the welcome hamper.

Dogs £70 per stay. Max. 3.

The garden isn't dog proof. The coast path runs past the house and Waxham Beach has no restrictions on dogs regardless of time of year.

Meals
Pubs 5-minute drive.

Reviews

Shangri la, Waxham, is a beautiful house in the most beautiful spot, surrounded by garden on all sides and by countryside beyond. We loved watching the rabbits in the garden and the seals on the beach which is a moment from the house. The house is warm, comfortable and incredibly stylish with lovely views. Waxham beach is clean, golden sand as far as the eye can see. Dog friendly all year round and hardly a soul there even in July. In fact, there were far more seals than people - such a delight to see them so close.

Anna, London

An extraordinary and refreshing break at the Shangri-la. Thank you. Such a beautiful spot and a house that ticks all the boxes and more. Many memories made including oodles of seals at Horsey Gap (astonishing actually). The welcome hamper of local goodies is so thoughtful. Overwhelming impression for us though is the beauty and simplicity of your passivhaus design. It has a timelessness that belies its age and is a delightful contrast with the historical context of its neighbours. Blown away by the quality of installation and will be talking about the shadow gaps for some time to come.

Charles and Polly, Aylesbury

I first visited Shangri-la to write a travel feature. I enjoyed it so much I returned with friends. We all loved the architecture - the clean lines of the house's design are beautiful - and being a low-energy Passivhaus property, the place is cosily warm without having to whack radiators up high. Mainly though we loved our holiday as we saw hundreds of seals on nearby beaches for their moult, earlier than usual (possibly due to climate change). Evenings we spent around the long table playing games. The kitchen is fantastic, very well equipped, likewise laundry room. We had a wonderful time

Paul, Eastbourne

We had an excellent time here! The beach couldn't be any closer and the dogs loved it. The cottage was amazing, the best we've been to, with amazing technology and everything you could think of. We would love to return one day! Many thanks from Hayley, Dan, Obi dog and Wilson dog x

Hayley and Dan, Boston Lincolnshire

An idyllic spot, 2 minutes to the quiet and stunning beach, and a perfect house and garden. An oasis of tranquility even with fierce winds. The house is a beautiful design , modern and comfortable with a warm feel and a sense of being outside with the large windows leading to decks. The decks and secluded garden are brilliant for watching birds and the resident rabbits. It is the best equipped cottage of the many we have rented, particularly the kitchen, with thoughtful labels. We have already booked our return visit.

Judith and Danny, London

A wonderful weeks holiday with family in an amazing location with easy beach access enjoyed by both us & the dogs. The property itself lacked for nothing (we have stayed in many cottages never has one had Magimix nor a Nespresso coffee maker!), appointed a very high standard both comfortable and stylish. The large garden and BBQ area were a further bonus and the weather that obviously cannot be controlled was perfect too! This week away was one of the most relaxing holidays we've had due to such a perfect place to stay - we would recommend wholeheartedly and will look forward to returning.

Sam, Derby

What a perfect place for a three-generational family week! We loved the space, the comfort, the design, the light, the garden and the facilities - and obviously the amazing location. Many thanks to Simon and Mitra for being such responsive, helpful hosts. Highlights for us included sandcastles and swims, seals and rabbits, sunny beach walks, breakfast at Beach Rock Bistro at Sea Palling, a fantastic coronation taster menu at The Swan at Ingham and of course treats at Waxham Barn. Boundary Farm Shop and Causeway Butchers provided wonderful local products.

Alison, Wiltshire

A rare find: a modern, well kept house behind a sand dune on a great beach

Brodie, Bath

Our stay at Shangri-la was a very special time for us spent with with friends and family. Shangri-la is a beautifully appointed house.... every need catered for. To be so close to the beach, with fabulous views and was wonderful and swimming with seals (unexpected!!) popping up was an amazing bonus. The welcome pack with treats was much appreciated. Many thanks for all help and information you too.

Frances, London

Another lovely week here - our second time and even more relaxing than last year with previous knowledge of all the local areas and attractions. As before Shangri-la is a perfect holiday home. The excellent weather made it all the more enjoyable too! Had repeat visits to some of our family favourites from last year ( Roar Dinosaur Park and Happisburgh and of course Waxham beach) and thoroughly enjoyed some new discoveries, Felbrigg Hall, Holkham and a wonderful meal at the Gunton Arms to round off the week. Thank you very much, The Szmigin Family ( London and Worcestershire)

Isabelle, Worcestershire

What a wonderfully restful place - Shanghai-La is! Having the beach so close is such a luxury. Needless to say the house and the location are truly stunning; it’s got everything you need and a fair few fancy extras too! Thank you for the excellent welcome - the hamper’s a super lovely touch with some wonderful local treats. We’ve had a great time and your recommendations for things to do were spot on. We particularly enjoyed a fantastic lunch at the Ingham Swan, Dunes Cafe, East Ruston Old Vicarage and Hoveton Hall Estate Gardens.

Cyril, Hertfordshire

A beautiful house right by the dunes on the Norfolk coast. Come here for a quiet stay in a beautifully designed house. We loved staying in this well thought out Passivhaus. We walked our dog on the beach everyday, visited the seals and listened to the waves and birdsong. I highly recommend The Gunton Arms. Most of all we were thankful for being able to stay as Simon the host graciously allowed us to rebook twice as our previous 2 bookings coincided with the Lockdowns. Third time lucky! Thanks Simon!

Sandra, London

Perfect post lockdown getaway Simon could not have been more accommodating, from the ease of booking to the wonderful welcome hamper. Quite simply if we had a second home this would be it! Loved being so close to the beach and we all were fascinated seal watching! the house is architectually fascinating and comfortable with great simple touches. We will return!

Jok, London

Book this house! Honestly couldn't have dreamt up a better way to kick off the new decade. The house is totally perfect (super comfortable, spotlessly clean, every bit of kitchen equipment you could ever want for) and the beach. THE SEALS! The whole trip was perfect and coming home to this slice of heaven after adventuring around was a total dream. Thank you!

Caz, London

There was something for everyone to enjoy, whatever their age. The super house figured high on our list of favourite things aswell as the beach where we flew a kite, jogged and gazed at the seals. Waxham itself was very special and there was lots to do in the immediate area. Altogether magical!

Susan, London

Fantastic house - utterly fantastic Fantastic seals Fantastic walks & NT houses and gardens Fantastic beaches Fantastic welcome pack Fantastically equipped kitchen Thank you!

Sharon, Bingley

This is the most amazing house in a wonderful location! We couldn’t believe how lucky we were to find it. Thank you so much for the welcome box, much appreciated. We came to Waxham as my daughter is getting married in the Barn next year and we wanted to look around. So pleased we have chosen this area. We are lucky enough to have booked Shangri-la for this special occasion and can’t wait to return. Thank you so much!

Angela, UK

Wow! What a fantastic house and super location! We had a wonderful, relaxing stay - we enjoyed taking long walks with our dog Barney along the beach and coastal path (amazing to see the local seal population), and we loved watching the birds and deer. The house itself is thoughtfully designed and provides a calm and relaxing environment. The kitchen is beautifully equipped and the welcome box was fabulous (the best we've ever encountered). Barney appreciated the dog biscuits too. We shall definitely return!

Mattias, Newbury

Shangri-la means 'earthly paradise', and this place is certainly aptly named. A perfect location for a family holiday, with the beach just two minutes up the path, or walk your dog along the Coast path running in front of the house. A huge garden, kayaks to borrow and a fabulous welcome hamper all add to the experience. A well equipped kitchen, BBQ & sunny decks make this a very special place.

Mandy, Sawday's inspector

Read more reviews

Location

The neighbourhood

The house lies on the edge of the hamlet of Waxham, next to the coastal path, close to the church, and strolling distance from the beautiful sands. For shops and cafes, pop into Sea Palling village, a five-minute walk. A 20-minute walk brings you to its Blue Flag beach, with lifeguards in summer and a café (high season only) in a threshing barn. For good food and great beer, the Nelson Head at Horsey is a ten-minute drive.

Local points of interest from Simon Fenn

  • Waxham beach, regarded as one of the best beaches in the UK, is metres away just over the dunes at the end of the garden. The soft sandy beach is rarely crowded. Out of season the beach is often deserted. The beach has no restrictions regarding dogs.
  • Horsey seal colony, Europe's second largest, is a short walk down the beach. Seals are very common at Waxham beach and if you go kayaking or swimming in the summer, you will often find friendly seals popping up to take a look.
  • The Norfolk Broads are very close: Horsey Mere offers guided boat trips between May and September. The National Trust owned reserve features a number of walks where you will be able to observe a wide variety of wildlife. Horsey wind pump is worth a visit.
  • The Ingham Swan, one of Norfolk's best fine dining restaurant pubs, is less than 10 minutes away. Relax in a fifteenth century coaching inn and enjoy fresh local produce and the finest sea food, as well as a good selection of wines and beers.
  • Norwich, Cathedral city and UNESCO City of Literature, is about 35 minutes drive away. Norwich has a thriving cultural scene as well as many great places to eat.
  • Shangri-la neighbours Waxham Hall, a fine Elizabethan walled manorial hall. The Great Barn is the largest in the county and is open to the public. It includes a cafe and a place to hire bikes to explore the surrounding countryside.

Introducing

Simon Fenn

The owners, who live in Cambridge, fell in love with the coastal location and planned to build a house that took full advantage of it. The result? “A stunning architect-designed Passivhaus, which doesn't use much energy but is exceptionally comfortable.” The house was finished in 2018 and has been featured in magazines. You let yourselves in with a key code.