WHEN Rob Brydon pops up on your telly screen and announces ‘this is the life’ he’s clearly never spent a night over at Meadowville on the edge of York.

If he had, that cheery grin on his face would instead be seen bobbing along the swimming pool as he took an early morning dip.

Presumably the camera would then pan to find Mr Brydon relaxing in the sun room, luxuriating in the six person hot tub or simply partaking of coffee and toast in the garden, with no more than a distant woodpecker to break the dewy stillness of the morning air.

Yes at Meadowville this really is the life.

And it could be yours. This spacious and well-presented five bedroom, three bathroom detached contemporary home dates back to the 1830s when it was originally three farm cottages.

The heated indoor swimming pool is a monster at 28ft by 16ft and the room is ideal for entertaining. It opens to the sun room with folding doors to the rear garden where you’ll find the hot tub and a timber decked patio. There is also a changing room, shower room and plant room which houses all the pool equipment.

With doors to the front and side, cloaks/boiler room and an understairs store, the entrance hall first ushers you into the snug; a lovely room that is ideal for cosy winter nights thanks to its real flame gas fire. Next door is a good sized home office with windows to the front and side and a really impressive CVO designer gas fire bowl.

But it’s the living room that really impresses. It’s not easy to know where to begin. Perhaps the amazing vaulted ceiling gets pride of place; it’s certainly the first thing you notice. Then there is the timber floor, not one but two sets of French doors leading to the garden, a Swedish Contura wood burning stove with a slate hearth and Swiss designer radiators.

This room feels more like a luxurious Alpine lodge; you almost half expect to see Mont Blanc in the distance.

But you don’t, instead you get miles of rolling countryside and that’ll do nicely, thanks.

By now you should be getting the impression that only the best will do for the current owners and that’s before we’ve gone into the kitchen. You won’t find any mdf here, but handmade units in solid burr oak with granite work surfaces and a range cooker. There is also useful and separate laundry room with sink and drainer plus plumbing for washing machine and dryer.

We like a dining room, so were pleased to see one here, just off the kitchen. It might have been tempting to knock through, but the correct decision was made for a property of this age.

Going upstairs we find half the first floor devoted to the master bedroom suite. This light and airy room has a vaulted ceiling and views over open countryside. There is a dressing room that would impress even Imelda Marcos and a large en-suite with four piece contemporary bathroom suite, including walk-in shower.

Bedroom two also has an en-suite bathroom, while bedroom three boasts a fitted wardrobe. Bedrooms four and five have fine views over open countryside.

There can be no doubt that Meadowville is a stunning family home and everything you could put on a wish list has been incorporated here. Take the house bathroom, with its under bath lighting, outside there is even a fish pond.

The gardens stretch to two sides and as you would expect from such a well-appointed property, you enter through an electric five-bar gate with a long driveway leading to a double garage with a remote door giving off road parking for numerous vehicles.

Another bonus is the holiday let we mentioned earlier. It’s known as Garden Cottage and is a detached three bedroom house located in – you guessed it. Currently the cottage is doing good business but would almost certainly lend itself to a number of other uses.

In brief the property comprises entrance porch, lounge/diner, kitchen and shower room while upstairs there are three bedrooms and a bathroom.

To be honest you could just live here quite happily.

Located just off the A1079 within walking distance to the Park&Ride, close to the A64 and only 2.5 miles to York city centre, viewing Meadowville - with all it has to offer - really is a must.

“This has been a great place to live and bring up our children over the last 20 years,” says owner Chris Hart, "but as they have fled the nest we need to give all this space to a new owner who can make full use of what Meadowville has to offer.”

Which is a great deal. As Rob Brydon puts it when his cheery face pops up on the telly, this is the life. And it’s yours for less than you might think.

There will be an open house viewing on June 17.

AT A GLANCE

Meadowville, York

Reception rooms: 4

Bedrooms: 5

Bathrooms: 3

Gardens: Good size

Wow factor: Too many to mention

Price: £740,000

Contact: Hunters

Tel: 01904 621026