It's time to start digging up those Squirrelled Nuts!!!!

Sea_Shell

This is more our style...

https://darwinescapes.co.uk/holiday/accommodation/hardy-lodge/

bluenose1

Sea_Shell said:

This is more our style...

https://darwinescapes.co.uk/holiday/accommodation/hardy-lodge/

Oh I like that. Reminds me of a brand new lodge we stayed in on Lake Windermere this year, though I tend to book our accommodation via the owners own websites or Airbnb. 

We already have 2 separate weeks in the North Lakes booked for next year and a week in Northumbria.
Half thinking Florida September 22.  Dreaming of my holidays and thoughts of retirement keeps me going at work at moment…….

arnoldy

Sea_Shell said:

I suppose we could do a multi accomodation stay, but to travel that far we'd want to do at least a week.

Our trouble is we find "luxurious" to be usually OTT and completely unnecessary.  Stuff for stuff's sake, so they can charge more.

I wouldn't know what to do with a Nespresso coffee machine, if it bit me!! 😂

Totally agree. My tactic when looking at accommodation is look for words like "boutique" , "discerning", "5*", "luxurious" - all usually set the alarms bells off in my mind and thoughts of "emperors new clothes". 

My other rule of thumb in terms of misguided luxury is to avoid 4+ course meals & any mention of "tasting menu" or "wine flight/pairing" and the sirens are well and truly going off. Usually this language signifies a long a tedious meal with foams, fingered and tweezered food, and getting tipsy with expensive wine 2 hours/4 courses into the 15 course meal. 

HeyYeah

Totally agree. My tactic when looking at accommodation is look for words like "boutique" , "discerning", "5*", "luxurious" - all usually set the alarms bells off in my mind and thoughts of "emperors new clothes". 

Agree! For me any hotel with facilities that I'll pay for but never use, like a pool or a gym. I'm always out and about on holiday, not in the gym, and my husband invariably 'forgets' his swimming gear

Sea_Shell

We stayed in a Hotel once with a copper bath in the bedroom!!!   The bathroom had a beautiful rainfall double shower, so we didn't need the bath.   All it did was take up space in the bedroom, which could of otherwise had a nice seating area, negating the need to have to sit on the bed to watch TV.  

It does baffle me sometimes what counts as "luxury".    Especially when they don't do the basics very well.

This same hotel didn't have any tea/coffee facilities in the room...it was all complementary room service (you rang down and asked for some), which invariably meant waiting 10 mins for a luke warm drink to be brought up.

Audaxer

We usually stay in self catering and have been disappointed at times when the accommodation was reasonably priced and looked good on the website, but they didn't do the basics well, like for example tired-looking kitchen appliances and lack a lot of basic utensils etc.  We are prepared to pay a bit more for better accommodation but even some so-called luxury accommodation has also been disappointing as regards the basics. 

I wasn't previously aware of Darwin Escapes, but I do like the look of that accommodation. I see that they have various sites throughout the country and most lodges seem to be pet-friendly which is good for us.

Sea_Shell

We've stayed at 7 of their sites over 12 trips. 😎

Maybe I should have kept quiet, so as to keep availability to ourselves!!

I'll only have myself to blame if they fill up now ☹️

Once the masses go abroad again, hopefully availability for UK breaks will improve.

enthusiasticsaver

The holiday accommodation looks nice.  I am booked on an HF walking holiday next year which are small country houses geared towards walkers.  Not self catering though.  Part of the holiday for me is that someone else cooks

Time4T_Accounts

enthusiasticsaver said:

The holiday accommodation looks nice.  I am booked on an HF walking holiday next year which are small country houses geared towards walkers.  Not self catering though.  Part of the holiday for me is that someone else cooks

Can I ask if you’ve been with HF before, please?  Just looking at what they do, and am definitely interested. 

Cheers

enthusiasticsaver

Steve_PL_too said:

enthusiasticsaver said:

The holiday accommodation looks nice.  I am booked on an HF walking holiday next year which are small country houses geared towards walkers.  Not self catering though.  Part of the holiday for me is that someone else cooks

Can I ask if you’ve been with HF before, please?  Just looking at what they do, and am definitely interested. 

Cheers

This will be my first HF holiday but my walking group have been on three or four and recommend them highly. Great accommodation apparently and superb food.