Oak Lodge Retreat

Very quiet, private, perfect for us. We got a bit lost on the way and Paul was extremely helpful. Everything organised so you knew what you were doing once you get there. The heating was more than adequate and I suffer the cold so not sure about comments previous but didn’t even need the extra blanket provided as the radiator was keeping us nice and warm raining and cold outside. Good instructions and a helpful host made for a great visit which we will return

I would like to start off with saying that I feel this place has a lot of potential but still has a way to go. As pre-warned there is works going on around the site so once you look past this you can see the potential. The pod was lovely and clean. Despite there being a main road two fields over and some wind turbines, noises are minimal and we found the weekend very quiet. If you book through a discount site please make sure you read the fine print. Ours was advertised with free bubbly however what we didn’t realise is that this had to be booked separately with a voucher so this was our own fault. We arrived around 8pm Friday night and found it difficult to find the site. We went back to the main road and pulled up the email for directions. We noticed that the camp is signed however the sign is quite dark so unnoticeable in the dark, this could be lit up for those arriving later. The car park could be made clearer as we did find it hard to park when we first arrived due to the mound in the middle. We found our pod, put the light on however it was very dim so we contacted the number provided and was told someone would try to come out and that we had a torch we could use, we mentioned it again on the Saturday morning to the cleaner and was told she would mention it. We had no main lights in the pod over the weekend but the torch and my make up mirror did enough. The pod does have a charging port however it’s not great so I would recommend taking a portable charger which holds enough charge for the weekend as we charged our phones in the car whilst out and about. The hot tub was lovely and warm and it was really relaxing. We didn’t use the sauna as we wasn’t sure if it was working or not but a couple of hours in the hot tub was enough. Breakfast as mentioned was pancakes, waffles and porridge with a coffee machine. I feel like the canteen could be opened up a little bit more with maybe some other facilities to use and breakfast timings stated in the pods as we were unsure but if anyone is reading this to find out the timings like I did, 08:30-09:30. The toilet block was nice and clean, the shower a bit temperamental, either boiling hot or very cold so showering yesterday morning was fun. We didn’t use the logs which you can pay for separately but it was nice that they were there available for if we did decide to use them and leave the money as requested. As we are coming into spring, I’d like to think that areas will have a little spring clean (jet wash, lick of paint and some lights on the trail being replaced) but these are very minor and really do not effect the stay. I wish the owners the best in their projects and I do really think that once completed this place will be beautiful.

Building works as you drive in but was warned of this before arriving and did not affect the stay in anyway. We stayed for two nights, keysafe number for the key to get into the hobbit hut emailed before arrival and toilet code for your own toilet and shower was in the hut ready for when you arrive. Breakfast was very minimal but was stated personal preference I’m not keen on waffles and pancakes but was not an issue as we went to a cafe for breakfast. Hot tub was nice and warm and can book your own time slot for an extra fee if you wanted too. Bottle of wine and bottles of water in the hut for when you arrive also. Outdoor area was small but cosy with your own fire pit to use if wanted, can buy logs on sight but we chose to bring our own. Shower was nice and warm. I used the hair dryer that’s provided and it blew the power which we called up to let the owner know which was sorted shortly after. This is definitely a place where you make the most of each others company and relax and chill out. It’s how you make the experience I think personally on how much you enjoy it. Overall I had a really lovely weekend as it was my birthday and I would probably come again in the summer when it is warmer as was quite chilly but this was to be expected due to it being March.

6 negatives, 2 positives. 1) paid in advance for logs, two bags left for us, therefore we used both. Owners emailed when we left, stating we should have only used one bag. (This was not clearly labeled)£15 taken from our a/c without consent, we now need to raise dispute with bank. We are also waiting for the refund payment of £10 (initially given Incase we damaged). 2) we were not given code to enter hut, called on arrival twice, answer phone. 20 mins after we received a call from a mobile, Paul (owner, who then needed to find out code). We also gave mobile number to another couple who had same issue. Did not see owner at all in our stay. 3) hot tob, very unattractive- warm round bath, not a jacuzzi. Old bit of plastic sheet over the water, which we needed to remove yourself. We did not use hot tub, due to unappealing sight. 4) we book the Oaksmere pub as we were advised 10 min walk (we ended up turning back and going without dinner as walk was on a main road with no sidewalk) therefore dangerous. 5) 2 other couples who arrived, actually complained more than us. 6) kitchen area basic, paper cups. So poor we didn’t have breakfast as went elsewhere. Positive 1) huts new, clean bedding and towels. 2) huts clean inside.

Up on arrival to the "Oak lodge escape" (building site ) you drive down a half finished muddy track to the tragic unfinished car park. When you choose to step out onto the carpark you are greeted by no one what so ever everything is shut and you have to contact the owner (a very rude man) after a very long arrogant conversation you finally get the code to your WW2 bunker for the night All settled in you then go and view the (private) hot tub which is more like a luke warm bucket for you to fester in covered in blue bubble wrap , not wanting to catch legionnaires disease i opted not to enter it After this we settled down for the night luckily we purchased our own logs for the fire as £15 for a small bundle of logs from the owner is not on , further into the evening we decided to call it a night and turn in only to find no power at all (plug sockets) to charge phones etc Up on getting into bed for the evening all power to the site had gone off due to another couple using the supplied hair drier in the toilet and bathroom facilities Waking up the next morning we left the WW2 bunker to use the toilet and wash facilities were there is no electricity and no running water Taps/ shower and lighting, as you can imagine we left immediately i will leave the real photos for people wanting the truth to this building site I also look forward to an arrogant reply from the owner on this review

We arrived on Friday and was greeted with a warm welcome, shown where everything was. we was the only guests on site that night. Hot tub was lovely and hot and was told how to do the sauna with instructions clearly visible to. I choose to have the room decorated for my partners 30th which was really nice for them to offer that service, was a lovely get away I’m glad we listened to the advice on bringing extra layers, although once in your cabin it does get cozy. Were both enjoyed our stay here it is very relaxing and hearing the birds in the morning, if you drive there is quite a lot to do In the area, a pub 15 mins walking distance which was really nice. Breakfast is offered here with the choice of pancakes, waffles or porridge but hot drinks are available all night. We also purchased some extras, the dressing gowns and logs which made the evening really cozy Thank you for our stay and we hope to come back ❤️

It’s only okay. It’s still a building site with some huts on it basically. The huts were nice, basic - NO PLUGS so take a power bank with you! - but they were comfy enough. It’s next to an A-Road so not exactly a secluded getaway, but it’s pretty quiet. The hot tub was lovely and warm, the £15 for a bag of firewood is a rip-off but the individual fire pits are nice. The shower was dreadful, freezing cold so shower early in the morning if you want it warm! Overall, it was fine. I would never pay full price because you could absolutely get more for your money elsewhere

We booked fairly last minute via Groupon on the Friday to arrive on the Monday. Initially we only got the order confirmation from Groupon and nothing from the company. As we hadn’t heard by the Sunday, we tried calling them however the phones went straight to voicemail- which we left a message but didn’t hear anything back. We also emailed them and finally messaged via Facebook messenger and got a response at last- it apparently can take 72 hours from booking via Groupon for our details to be on the system and the confirmation sent to us- this would have been 8pm on the Monday. Once we spoke to them via Messenger we got the confirmation email which also had the option of adding different services- ranging from beers to logs. As part of this there was a bundle offer which included robes, one hour exclusive use of the sauna and hot tub along with logs for £29.99 this seemed the best option for us so we selected this offer. We were then told the charge would be £49.99 for this, on questioning they had charged the bundle, the exclusive use and a £10 deposit. The exclusive use was taken off but we still had to unexpectedly pay this extra £10. On arrival the huts were extremely cute and comfortable and as expected we had logs, details of our exclusive hour and the robes. Shortly after leaving, we receive an invoice from the company for another £50 and that the card had already been charged. £35 of this was a runner from the bed had mistakenly been packed and £15 for extra logs. The runner part was a genuine mistake and we posted this back and was told this would be refunded, however the extra logs even though the description for what we had purchased was just logs and not a bag of logs and they had left us an extra bag in case we needed this- there is a sign in the hut saying there’s logs if you need them and is £15 however again we had purchased logs so we felt this didn’t apply for us. We contacted the company to provide the tracking number of the runner and asked that the deposit we had paid, the runner and extra logs charge would be refunded as we weren’t responsible for this. Rather than asking us if we had taken the runner and if we could return it they simply charged us without warning, the logs was definitely falsely advertised as to what you’re paying for and the £10 deposit is actually a charge to store your card details to charge for any extras or damages. On saying we will dispute the charge with the credit card company the response was simply “we will look forward to talking to them” They have been defensive regarding the whole situation and rather than seeing if they could explain things any differently to avoid confusion in the future they would prefer for us to raise a charge back claim. I don’t know if the difference charges are due to booking through a third party, at a discount rate, or just a general business practice

Relax and recharge your energy. This place is so quirky and cool, we stayed during a very cold January evening, -4, the huts are ultimately wooden tents with a small heater that helps take the chill off, we did bring extra blankets too like they recommend during the colder months. I forget a time when my partner and I could rewind back to when we first met, focusing on each other instead of the strange world we are all living in. The hut tub was great, we met another lovely couple and chatted for ages before returning to our hut and getting the fire pit lit. I forgot how nice it is to actually talk to my partner, joke, and have fun like the first time we met. The huts inside were not sauna temperature but once all cosied up they were absolutely fine for a good night's sleep and yes I will keep coming here, it is my happy place. Building works as you enter the site (they did tell us) do not affect a stay here. The canteen was open for hot drinks throughout the day and then a basic breakfast of pancakes, waffles and porridge in the morning, this is a small site and a full english breakfast is not practical for them. You are left alone, so ultimately if you do not enjoy it then it is down to you. If you cannot enjoy an evening with your partner, chatting and enjoying each other's company then this may not be for you.