New Year Breaks In Wales

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Sarah - Verified booking

  Lovely looking property inside and out, and very clean!

  However, we really noticed where money had been saved, such as the paper thin hangers in the wardrobes, which couldn’t even support the weight of a pair of trousers. Additionally, the mattresses were very, very soft and in the double room my husband and I just rolled into the middle where there was no support under the bed at all. The 3 seater sofa was also very soft and we were nearly at the floor if we sat in the middle! I think it must be a sofa bed but this meant again there was nothing other than the cushion under us if we sat there. By the end of the week, all 4 of our backs were aching! Additionally, the listing says that things like toilet roll and dishwasher tablets are provided so we didn’t bring any but we were left with 2 dishwasher tablets and a small roll of toilet roll in each toilet, which wasn’t enough given that we cooked a full meal for 4 each evening and were there for a full week. Unfortunately, as we checked in at 5.30ish on the Friday, reception was closed and there was only an emergency number to call. I did text it to say we didn’t have enough (as this didn’t feel like an emergency) but I didn’t hear anything back and, as we had to go shopping and the bits we had wouldn’t last until Monday when staff were next in, we just bought more dishwasher tablets and toilet roll (annoying as have plenty at home and would have bought this had I known we would receive so little rather than buying new packs). It does seem strange that for a holiday site that takes bookings for arrivals on Fridays only that they then have no staff in for the whole weekend and staff work normal Friday hours! Maybe this should be re-thought? Either way, we just sorted ourselves and didn’t mention to staff (other than the text) come Monday as it would have been to no effect for us. Lastly, Wales has very strict recycling rules (fair enough!) but, given the site really wants you to recycle properly and makes it clear in the welcome pack, they didn’t make it easy at all. For example, food waste should be separated but we couldn’t even find a food waste bin outside… although it did appear later in the week. Additionally, there was no extra facility within the lodge to separate out recycling, food waste etc which meant that we needed to manually separate out everything in the lodge using kitchen bowls (food waste) and bags we had brought with us unless we were to walk to the bins all the time! Then, to top it off, the bins outside were overflowing (other than general waste) which meant that other types of recycling started being loaded up outside of the bins. Just seems that this should have been better thought out too. I (honestly!) wouldn’t normally mention all these things but the images and, genuinely, the look of the property itself are lovely but the money saving tactics used that you can’t see until arrival did make us feel we had an inaccurate listing that was slightly overpriced. We did receive a small discount prior to arrival as the lodge we actually booked was sold a few weeks before we were due to arrive but this move was labelled an ‘upgrade’ but we really don’t believe it was (other than the addition of the hot tub, which only one of us was interested in using anyway) but we accepted it as it was too late to cancel/change our other holiday plans which we had booked months in advance (inc our tickets to Skomer Island, which for 4 totalled around £200 a day and we were going twice).

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• Lauren - Verified booking

  We had a wonderful relaxing break at the cabin.

  It was just what we needed and the location was perfect. It is just out of the way of the hustle and bustle if you want to shut yourself away & chill but also Llangollen & its amenities are very accessible if you wish to stretch your legs and explore. The river is truly beautiful and the local shops makes you feel like you’re on holiday. We visited further afield visiting Betws-y-coed, Conwy & Llandudno, would recommended all three places to truly see some of the beauties Wales has to offer. The aquaduct locally is also a wonderful sight to walk to and drive by. The horseshoe pass was an experience but worth it to see the breathtaking views. The bed was very comfortable, couch/living area were comfortable to sit and relax of an evening. We made use of the kitchen and cooked some meals aswell as trying out the local restaurants/takeaways. We used the hot tub every evening - the view from it is truly lovely especially under the stars. We used the table tennis facilities in the garage and there were plenty of games in the cupboard for us to use. The hot tub was easy to use and has cushioned steps making it very accessible. It is secluded or doesn’t have anything around it to cover it up from the other house on site (as I’d read on some other reviews) but that really didn’t bother us as the other property does have something on place to cover their patio space. Would definitely recommend the Corn Mill restaurant, perfect for us sitting outside with our dog. Nemo fish bar was great for fish & chips during the day. We travelled a bit further for an Indian takeaway in Chirk but it was still perfectly hot when we arrived back 20 minutes later. We took our dog and the communal space between the cabin and the house was perfect for her to explore and sniff. Felt very secure with the fencing and the gate closed at all times, she was able to mooch about and still be completely safe. Recommendations: If planning on using the hot tub every evening like we did, maybe take an extra towel aside from your shower/bath towel as we struggled to get ours dry because of frequent use. Probably could always ask the owner for additional towels or to use the dryer on site. Make sure you definitely read the leaflets provided about the rubbish and recycling rules so you can abide by them. Thank you for a wonderful stay. We will definitely return again in the future.

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• Mike - Verified booking

  10th November 2019.

  Group of three. The accomodation we chose was the Dragon lodge and what a delight it was. Spacious, tastefully decorated and spotlessly clean. Our hosts, Kev and Julie, were absolutely fantastic and provided all our needs and more. The secure entry ensured no one could access the lodge as the key is placed in key safe upon arrival. The rooms were airy and the central heating system controls are modern and easy to use. In fact all the facilities are first class and new. The hot tub is just wonderful and a lovely place to be in the evening as the dark draws in and gets colder. Its cleaned and treated daily. The log burner is fantastic and heats up the lodge in no time at all. I struggled with getting it going at first but a quick message to our hosts and Kev arrived within ten minutes to get it started for me. Thats one of biggest stand out points too, that our hosts were courteous, very pleasant and handled any queries we had in a timely manner. The kitchen is modern, new and has everything you need for your stay. Tea, coffee, sugar, bread, a complimentary cake and even little things like dishwasher tablets were provided that make things easier and more comfortable for you to settle in. There is a smart TV with remotes in all bedrooms, the beds are super comfortable and even my best mate with back problems had a good nights rest with no issues. The bathrooms are also a highlight with new rain style shower heads that give you great hot water with a decent pressure. There are plenty of towels given in the rooms for the bathrooms and hot tub use. Your children can also have fun trying to find the elusive Dewi the dragon that is hidden somewhere within the lodge. Parking is fine, close and adjacent to the lodge with no problems for access with anyone with mobility issues or wheelchair users. My friends and I had an amazing time during our short stay and we would just like to say a big thankyou to Kev and Julie for being so hospitable. We will definitely be returning in the future as its an A* venue.

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• Yusuf - Verified booking

  On the face of it, the property was extremely cosy and had many positives.

  The location was brilliant, with shops like Aldi, home bargains petrol stations close by, good parking, interior decor was charming and homely, really appreciated the brownies on entry, hot tub was excellent, and table tennis and board games were well stocked, water pressure was excellent. However there were a few issues, mostly minor, but a few major ones which dampened the stay, and would've been ideal to have some warning ahead of time. We appreciate that all may not have been given, but for the price point, and comparing with previous experiences, there were some expectations missed. Minor: - The kitchen wasn't very well stocked. Salt and pepper shakers were empty, there was no oil, there was no chopping board (or atleast we didn't find one) - The bathroom had no toiletries and only one spare tissue roll - There was no table football as advertised Major: - Bed was extremely squeaky, to the point we were woken up multiple times during the night - The 'game room' seemed like it would be a room in itself from the listing, however, it turned out to be the garage with the door removed so it was always open. This is fine, except for the fact it seemed like the garage area hadn't been cleaned in a while so there was a lot of dust and cobwebs which made the space a little unpleasant to use. THINGS TO NOTE FOR GUESTS: - Not obvious from the listing, but there is another property right next-door and while the house itself is private, the hot tub is clearly visible to the neighbouring house. This wasn't an issue for us, but maybe for others.

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• Kelly - Verified booking

  Well where do I start.

  ... we got to the little haven resort after a 5 hour drive from Nottingham on Sat 21st Oct and someone was in our lodge! I called the emergency number on the 3rd time a guy answered and said he would come over from Tenby be about 40 mins, he never met us there. In the meantime I saw a maintenance manager who said he may have a solution!! We was put in a beautiful lodge but this was only available as they had a cancellation due to floods on the Friday otherwise we would of been up the creek without a paddle!! The chap who I spoke to on the phone I have since learned he's the director. I am disspointed he never even called to see if we was OK being as he never came down. The lodge we was transfered to was owned by Jacque and Rodger it's called Oyster and lovely. Just to say Amanda at Little Haven Retreat who I saw on the Monday (as no one was in reception over the weekend as it was closed) has given us a discount on our next booking. I do however think if you have check ins over the weekend there should be someone there to check in as things happen obviously. If it wasn't for the maintenca guy and oyster being available we would of been stranded and had to look elsewhere for alternate accommodation we was away for our brother in laws birthday and also our wedding anniversary so this was added stress we did not need after a long journey. 1st and last time bokking through sykes sorry to say.

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