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"Not up to the standard we expected."
Clean and tidy but very short on domestic items. Only 2 cups, 3 forks no teapot,jug or salt and pepper pots
Fire alarm broken but not fixed despite being reported.
Won't be booking again.
Reviewed by David2.8★Sep 2023
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"The smaller (single beds) were quite lumpy and cramped."
I assume you do maintenance in the close season as some of the cabinet doors were loose (hinges needing fixing) which never gives a very good impression. On the plus side the view was great and the surrounding area beautiful and in all the shops/pubs we visited we found the people very helpful. The hot tub is also a nice touch. All in all we had a good time.
Reviewed by Kevin3.1★Aug 2023
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"After unpacking and checking the property out, we discovered that the oven wasn't working."
We were then upgraded to a better property, Bluebell. Sykes had warned us the grill wasn't working, but had communicated the wrong message. Sykes should have told us about the upgrade. The owner had already planned the upgrade to Bluebell, but Sykes were at fault.
Bluebell was excellent. We would certainly book Bluebell again, but NOT Valley Lodge. The listing for Valley Lodge does not indicate that there is another property very close to it. So close that we would not have felt comfortable using the outside facilities. In the short time we were in Valley Lodge we had already decided that we would not book it again due to the proximity. The neighbours dog and family were loud and intrusive due to that proximity. The property is fine, but just too close to its identical neighbour.
But, we thoroughly enjoyed the stay in Bluebell. The owner was extremely helpful and communicative. Bluebell is a recent barn convertion, and still has a few minor new build snagging issues, but is an excellent place to stay. We will be back to Bluebell in future.
Reviewed by Alistair4.7★Jul 2023
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"We booked the lodge but there was a small problem with the cooker so only had one night there."
The owner came to see us and gave us a free upgrade to the Bluebell (a converted barn) just a few yards away. The lodge is very nice and clean. Three steps up into the lodge. Comfortable double bed. Nice view and could sit outside for breakfast. It was very hot when we first went in and I had to open all the windows and there was no fans. We didnt get to use the hot tub. The Bluebell is spacious with 3 double bedrooms, 2 on the ground floor (one ensuite) and another up on a mezzanine level with a 2nd bathroom. Nice kitchen with big fridge/ freezer and dishwasher and comfortable sofa sitting area with a large smart TV. The Bluebell is a recent conversion and was very nice but needed a little fine tuning as some of the work was not finished to the best standard. Bedroom doors did not close properly, one handle was loose and dropped off as the owner opened it, bathroom had unfinished rough plaster in areas, there was no toilet roll holder. However, these are minor things that can be easily remedied and did not really detract from the overall accomodation and we enjoyed our stay and we were obviously grateful for the upgrade. Although the view is better from the lodge as its higher up the hill. It was all very clean. The hot tub was lovely and we used it most nights and you are not visible from the road when using it. A few things to note if you have small children or dogs. The garden area is not fenced off so unsafe for children or if your dog is prone to wandering . Ours isnt so not a problem for us. But, this also meant dogs belonging to other guests could wander into the garden and there were a couple of spaniels whose owners allowed them to wander unaccompanied. Didnt bother our dog but they did leave a few 'presents' on the lawn and their owners didnt pick these up. The road is nearby and busy with no pavement so not suitable to walk along with children or dogs. The road also isn't far enough away to stop traffic noise but that didn't really bother us. Other than the noise from passing traffic, its very quiet. The entrance to the property is via 2 large sliding doors that take up the entire frontage and as it was hot when we were there, meant there was a greenhouse effect and it was very warm in the accomodation, especially at night as there are no windows in the bedrooms. Some fans would make a welcome addition. Also, there is now a fence partially separating the Bluebell from its neighbour- (the Primrose which is a mirror of the Bluebell ) at the front of the property so you get privacy if using the hot tub and which isn't shown on the site photograph. There is an inter-connecting door from one to the other too so larger parties could book both and make it one bigger accommodation. Having to have the doors open also let in lots of horse flies and insects, of which there are lots of course as the barn is in the countryside so bring some fly spray with you. There are no walks immediately nearby but some nice places a short distance away in the car. The Exeter Inn is closest pub and about 8-10 minutes walk. The Anchor Inn is also lovely with a beer garden bordered by the river. The Tarr Steps are worth a visit and the pub on site does lovely meals. I can recommend the lasagne. Be careful though, as the postcode on the internet takes you to the wrong side where there is no parking. We had to go back and approach from the opposite side after a phone call to Exmoor park ranger service who gave us the correct postcode for the car park. All in all, we had a nice week break and can recommend both the Lodge the Bluebell and would like to thank Rebecca for the upgrade
Reviewed by Denise4.7★Jun 2023
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"We have loved our stay here, beautiful views, peacefully location, we will be back."
Reviewed by Cheryl5.0★May 2023
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"What a beautiful location and fantastic view!"
The accommodation is light and airy and has all you need. The hot tub is situated so you can admire the views while relaxing.
Reviewed by Kerry5.0★May 2023
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"We really enjoyed our stay, however we were put in bluebells as we got a free upgrade."
It was lovely, spacious, comfortable and overall very relaxing. There were a couple things that needed sorting such as the bedroom door hinge and door handles but overall a lovely place to come a stay and I would definitely recommend. Hopefully be coming back soon!
Reviewed by Carmen4.4★May 2023
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"It is a very beautiful and very clean place, perfect for a vacation, I am very satisfied, I will come back."
Reviewed by Claudiu Marian5.0★Dec 2022
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"Needs clearer sign posting and descriptions on directions."
Reviewed by Isabelle3.1★Dec 2022
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"Such a beautiful location the owners we're absolutely wonderful and helpful will ..."
Such a beautiful location the owners we're absolutely wonderful and helpful will definitely look to book this property again
Reviewed by Sundee3.8★Sep 2022
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"We stayed for 2 nights and Becky was very welcoming and accomodating of our requests!"
We took our young cockapoo who loved roaming in the fields next to the property and it had wonderful views. We enjoyed relaxing in the hot tub in the evenings and it was very peaceful.
Reviewed by Alex5.0★Aug 2022
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"The cabin is well equipped and clean."
Views are incredible. We had a few issues with the hot tub, it didn’t smell very pleasant and wasn’t warm on the Saturday night (only reached late 20 degrees). But in fairness we didn’t report it as we were leaving the following morning. The listing says to turn in at New Park but that takes you to the farm house so it’s the Exmoor Retreat turning. I would highly recommend Crealy Adventure Park (30-40 minute drive) for families it was great value and a fab day out. We didn’t do much walking as we have a 1 year old as the entrance is very steep so not ideal for a pram but can imagine there are some lovely walks for people holidaying without young children! All in all it was a lovely weekend break :)
Reviewed by Nicola3.8★Jun 2022
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"Overall an enjoyable and relaxing stay."
Previous holidaymakers had left feedback regarding the lack of kitchen utensils and maps/information. It seems that the owner had listened to that feedback and acted.
The only disappointment we had was not being able to use the hot tub until the last night of our three night stay due to it continually tripping the electrics. I did call the owner an hour after arriving and she advised an electrician would attend the next day - unfortunately this didn’t happen. It took me having to have a go at fixing the issue myself for us to use the hot tub and only got it up to 28 degrees in time for us to have a dip. Disappointing when we specifically wanted a lodge with a (functioning) hot tub.
It would be useful if a few basic cleaning products were provided along with tea/coffee/sugar sachets.
Cleanliness, comfort and views can not be faulted though.
Reviewed by Paul4.1★May 2022
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"We booked on phone specially confirmed about hot tub ."
It was disappointing as didn’t work wasn’t even informed b4 in hand and it was between the 2 lodge there was no privacy. Never book again . In courtesy was offered 10 % discount. It don’t cover the stress . And infact without we could find cheaper somewhere else
Reviewed by Archana2.2★May 2022
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"The property was in a great location, walking distance to Bampton and it’s facilities as well as to Exeter Inn in the opposite direction."
It had a fantastic view across the valley, and the outside area was great with birdsong all day and owls all night. We had a slight issue on arrival but this was quickly resolved by Rebecca, who was very helpful. The property would benefit from better signage at entrance and on emails, as drove into farmhouse first and had to explore a little to find property (turn in by Exmoor retreat sign, not New Park) and the drive up to property is very steep and unmade and would be tricky for some vehicles. Inside, the property was very user friendly with good space and excellent storage. We felt the bed would benefit from a mattress protector, and possibly a topper as you could feel the buttons. We also felt the kitchen was lacking some essential utensils eg only two wine glasses, no potato masher, no scissors, no bread knife and the two sharp knifes that were there were not sharp. There was a good range of saucepans but we had to wash before use as they were not clean from previous visitors (photos if required). We also felt a small area guide and maybe walk books/maps/jigsaws would be a nice touch along with a property welcome guide.
Overall, we felt the price was on the high side for the property although it was a lovely location and great outside space. All that being said, we would probably return again if we wanted the same location as we thoroughly enjoyed our stay (we did have fantastic weather!).
Reviewed by Claire3.1★Apr 2022
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"We had a problem with our cooker but the owner was incredibly attentive in sorting it ASAP!"
Highly recommend this place!
Reviewed by Linda5.0★Jul 2021
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