“We had a fantastic stay at Shepherd Lodge and thought it was in an absolutely ideal location for travelling around the Lake District.”
We loved the closeness (including being able to walk) to Cartmel, as well as a short drive to Grange Over Sands. We also drove to Widnermere & Bowness easily, as well as Holker Hall & Gardens and Fell Foot Park.
In regard to the Lodge, we chose it because of location, the Hot Tub, the size for 2 people and the excellent Pastures site too. As the prior year we stayed in a Shepherd's Hut on a farm in Cornwall that was far too small for a week. We enjoyed this size and found it was perfect for us. The kitchen was so modern and the dish washer was a great touch, as well as a great sized fridge and freezer and the beautiful bathroom too, with rainfall shower and a bath.
We LOVED the utility room, it is a dream to have one so this felt fantastic to use. The bedroom was a good size and we loved that we could step out of the doors onto the patio area. It felt felt really special and we genuinely felt so sad to leave and come home as we had such a great stay.
However, there are some things we thought that let the Lodge down and would have meant we would have rated it 5/5.
- The floor inside and out was grubby. The outdoor patio area needed a really good brush and jet wash, it could have been much cleaner. The grass area was full of weeds and needed taking care of. We constantly then were prodding leaves and dirt from outside to inside because of this. Not to mention the constant feathers from the limited cushions and bedding. The 'main' door was to the side so why would we use this over stepping back into the living area or bedroom? It felt like the inside wooden floor needed a good taking care of, scrubbing and vanished/ polished, it was also full of scratches. We like rustic but not dirty and not taken care of.
In relation to the door, when we first arrived, we collected the key from the key lock next to the 'main door' to find it wouldn't open, the key worked but it would not open. Luckily we managed to open the patio doors but it worried me as a fire hazard. Our neighbours tried and couldn't open it either. I contacted Sykes who didn't respond, then the next day I caught a member of staff tending to our hot tub, I asked them for help and they opened the door, but it needed a good push. Not ideal for somebody who doesn't have a lot of strength.
The wine cooler didn't work whatsoever, after multiple attempts. There was random things left in the top of the wardrobe, which looked messy. The Internet was on and off all week, it was frustrating for the times we wanted to watch TV. We followed the instructions for Free view but there was only 1 remote, despite saying to use another and on attempts it said we needed an Internet connection, so my husband connected his Hot-spot on the last evening.
The couch and bed needed more cushions and a throw, the couch was cool in the heat as it was leather, but it was so uncomfortable and lacked a sense of relaxation, I couldn't settle on it nor could my husband. We both agreed the space lacked that personal touch, it needed for titivating and made to feel more special.
It also lacked many basic items, luckily I thought ahead and packed some. There was no hand-wash provided, no extra bin bags, no anti bacterial spray. (I had packed all this just in case) We were left with a 1/4 full bottle of fairy liquid, a cut square of blue towel, a battered kitchen roll (looked like it had been damp) and about 20 dishwasher tablets and a sponge. Really random and very underprepared, especially for a couple staying for a week.
We even had to use our own box of tissues and luckily brought our own toilet roll, as 2 thin rolls would not last a week. We understand these types of holidays are self catering, but nice touches shouldn't go amiss, not that we drink it, but there was no tea, coffee sugar etc either.
We had a lovely stay, but felt it lacked character, personality and the added extra special touch. With the above factors considered, we feel it would be a 5/5 and would be perfect. We also had no communication whatsoever from the owners, meaning it lacked even more personality. Such a shame.
We would reccomend Shepherd Lodge and would consider staying again if those factors were improved upon. As I said, we felt sad leaving and have some serious holiday blues, but there is always room for improvement. Thank You.
