“We booked a last minute break for Christmas.”
Communication was really good with lots of useful information. The lodge is tricky to find as the sat nav takes you past the site. As soon as you see the sign for Phocle Green its down a dirt track then a sharp left where its says phocle Lake private land. We chose Mallard which is one of only four lodges onsite so its secluded and quiet. We were pleased with the location onsite as it was the furthest away from the entrance and at the edge so no one else had to come past our lodge. However other lodge visitors walking around the lake did walk past as probably didn't realise it was a dead end. Upon arrival we were surprised by a Christmas tree along with prosecco and mince pies which was lovely. The place was immaculate, exactly as pictures and smelt nice. It was spacious with two decent size bedrooms and ensuite bathrooms. Supplies included were sachets of tea, coffee and sugar. Anti bac spray, tea towel, dish cloth and dishwasher tabs. Hand and bath towels along with separate towels for the hot tub, hairdryer, toilet rolls, tubes of shower gel, shampoo and conditioner. The only things I would have liked to be included which were not is a small bottle of milk so we could have had a hot drink on arrival. Some cooking oil, salt and pepper as you only need a small amount for the times you choose to cook. Also some washing up liquid for when you only have a couple of items so don't need to use the dishwasher. The place is so relaxing with beautiful lakeside views with the bonus of the hot tub which we made use of even in the horrible weather. We saw rabbits, a stoat, a heron and lots of birds. We did have a few negatives but don't let this put you off booking as they aren't a problem if you are aware of them. We chose a place with TVs in each bedroom but we could only get a couple of BBC channels so had to stay in the living area instead of relaxing in bed. We would have liked to have sat out on the patio of an evening or spend time in the hot tub after dark, as it turned dark just after 4pm. However there was no outside lighting. There was a switch for an outside light but it only seemed to stay on for a few minutes then switched itself off. We left it on when we went shopping but came back to complete darkness so struggled to get from the car up the steps with our bags. They do supply torches but when hands are full it would be impoved with a few solar lights around the hot tub area and a light that can be left on by the front door and patio. We did find as the central heating was on timer we were cold at times so could have benefited from some more throws. The fire in the living area is just a flame effect with not much heat from a fan heater underneath it. So after coming out of the hot tub we could have done with an actual fire to get warm and dry our swim gear. It was winter with minus temperatures though so its probably not an issue when staying at other times of the year. For cooking lots of cutlery, crockery, pans etc were supplied, so cooking isn't too much of a problem. We could have done with some foil, a couple more pans for the hob and a casserole dish or deep roasting tray with rack but we managed to cook Christmas dinner by keeping stuff warm in dishes and reusing pans. Finally even though we loved the location the road directly behind the hedge is very close so you do get road noise. Its an excellent base for visiting loads of places. Very close to Ross on Wye with several supermarkets and pubs. The Moody Cow pub 4 mins drive was exceptional service and quality food. Also recommend short 20 min drive into Ledbury where the Feathers hotel is popular. Gloucester docks is around 25 mins drive. Hereford is around 30 mins with lots of independent shops. All in all I can honestly say we were very pleased with our choice, the negatives are minor, we have already recommended it and look forward to returning. Thank you to the owners for enabling us to have an enjoyable Christmas.
