Positives We asked if we could borrow some wellington boots as we would get our shoes ruined backwards and forwards to the car. They were brought round quickly. The lodge was very spacious and very nicely appointed. The Christmas tree was very festive, the cake and mince pies very welcome. Negatives After arriving at Reception (more signs would help!) we followed Adelaide to our Gate Lodge, in the dark, which was a good 5 minute drive away. The small car parking area was very very muddy and we walked around to our entrance in pitch darkness with no path lights to guide us. We asked how we were to unload our luggage and were told we could bring the car through the automatic gate which we did. When we came to go out to dinner later, my husband gallantly offered to bring the car round but the gate it wouldn’t open! So back on with the wellies and holding my shoes ventured round in the muddy dark to the car. We went out to dinner and it was not till we left the pub that we realised we didn’t know exactly how to find our Lodge. We had not been given a map or a postcode for our lodge and the mobile number we were given in case we needed anything went straight to voicemail several times. I left a message but no-one called back. I finally got the website up on my phone and tried the main number. Luckily Thomas answered and talked us back to our lodge which was not on the same estate as we had thought. Without him we would have been driving around all night as it was not obvious how to find it, especially in the dark. The rugs in the lounge need to have some non-slip stuff underneath. Several times I nearly went flying! There was no information in the lodge, other than a glossy Wilderness brochure showing the other properties. It would have been nice to know a bit more about the history of the area, where we could walk (we did go to the sweet shop and ask where we could walk but they had run out of maps! (Print some more was my first thought!) We didn’t know if we could walk on our own estate or who owned it. The patio areas outside our lodge looked a bit unloved – lots of weeds growing. A few days before we arrived I had an email explaining our host would be Yav. Didn’t hear a word from him once we arrived.…
What an absolute dream stay we had. Beautifully designed cottage, amazing landscape and plenty of wildlife to go with it, we saw multiple owls which was a rarity for us. The Fire feast was a highlight
We recently visited and stayed in one of the cottages which was truly beautiful with incredible finishes. We were not given details on check in times or where to go, so had to figure that out for ourselves. The weather was particularly bad during our stay and as the cottage was new, there was a lot of slushy mud around the property where grass needed to grow. As we had a dog with us, having mats by the doors would have been great to ensure we don’t bring mud into the cottage. There was also no lights outside the cottage which wasn’t ideal if we wanted to be in the hot tub at night or take out the dog - it was pitch black. The fire alarm went off twice if we lit the fire and the boiler broke which means we didn’t have warm running water one evening of our stay. On our final morning, a group of men who work for Wilderness were outside our property moving the rowing boats for a shoot. As the cottage had a glass wall, it would have been nice to know they would be coming to ensure we are fully clothed :) The cottage was designed immaculately and we had a complimentary cake on arrival which was delicious. We also paid for the continental breakfast which was great. I think the issues we faced were just teething problems due to it being new, however, it would have been beneficial if someone had followed up with us following the stay to get feedback so that things can be improved. Will definitely consider staying at Wilderness again in future! …
I had the pleasure of staying at the Walled Garden and WOW what a perfect experience! We were blessed with beautiful September weather which meant we could enjoy the beautiful gardens and outside dinning to the fullest. The property was just perfect. Much larger than it is in photos. All the team at Wilderness Reserve went above and beyond. They were a pleasure to deal with. The in-house chefs make the most delicious food and the Bonfire experience at it's picture perfect location blew my guests away. A trip I will never forget. Thank you Wilderness. I will be back.
We stayed for a week here, a 3 generation family group and had a lovley time. The house is fabulous, well appointed, excellent linen, plenty of hot water (there were 11 of us staying), eash bedroom had it's own ensuite bathroom, WiFi was good, and loads of much appreciated extras. Nespresso machine , plenty of swimming towels for the private heated pool, sauna, steam room, jacuzzi and BBQ, all of which we used- there is also a pizza oven which we didn't get too partly as not sure any of us knew how to use it! The kitchen had 2 large ovens and plenty of space, plus 2 dining areas one in and the other outside. The site is still being developed but much care has been taken with landscaping and it is attractive. The sister site has the tennis court (10-15 minute drive) at the minute but there are plans to have one at Chapel Barn, there are rowing boats at the sister site as well which the younger members enjoyed. Lovley walks in the surrounding areas and plenty of places to visit within easy distances. There are plenty of extras that you can take advantage of, guided walks, food experiences, tennis lessons, electric bike hire and the list goes on! It is a top of the range site and therefore the price reflects that but for all that you get and the size of the house it is a fair amount. The staff were extremley helpful. Overall a very enjoyable week was had by all, one which we hope to repeat at another date…
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