“We paid almost double what the other lodges on site are listed at for the outdoor facilities The Barn Owl offered however after the first night of trying the hot tub there was what I can only describe as a midge epidemic, which left myself and my friend with over 70 bites!”
We did receive an email after we arrived saying “ Ps..... just a suggestion bring some mozzie spray, i tried to get some to leave in lodge but village shop has sold out. X”
We could not use the outdoor facilities or leave the windows or doors open on a particularly hot weekend.
My advice to any traveller would be “if you want to use any outdoor facilities make sure you cover every bit of skin and bring jungle mozzie spray!”
The pub onsite said this is standard to have this many midges. Which serves lovely food by the way, would highly recommend the pub just not the lodge.
We appreciate the opportunity to respond to some of your key points you have made in this review.
Thankyou for your feedback we welcome it all good or bad.
Having said that we are a little disappointed with some of the content, especially after all the positive correspondence we received from you via text message and emails during your stay. Especially the one the day after your arrival when you thank us for the tip on bringing up some spray " how impressive barn owl lodge is" and "it wouldn't be a holiday if you didn't go home with mozzie bites".
Firstly the point of paying almost double for your stay compared to other lodges on site, if you compare like for like (lodge size, date of stay, lodge location) on the sykes website, where you booked it, then we are completely comparable, in some cases a little cheaper. I know you provided a listing from a face book advert but this is booked direct through a lodge owner and for dates off peak. We also do not charge any extra for outdoor facility's and it is not promoted or listed this way.
Secondly the issue of midges, due to our woodland location we can and do get midges around the lodge, we do inform guests in the summer months of this before arrival as we did you. I notice you mentioned it was after your arrival but it was in fact at 13.30 on the day of your arrival where check in time is 15.00, in the email we inform you the lodge is ready early for you and make the suggestion you bring some spray as the local shop has sold out. We also already have plug in devices in the lodge and two large outdoor electric zapper devices. These are for our guests to use and have been for over a year now.
We did receive your email after your stay and prior to you placing this review where you explain the issue you had on your first night and that you had spent £60 on candles on plugs and sprays. Which was surprising after the kind comments we received via messages on your second day. You also mention in the mail that you had not left a negative review as you wanted to reach out to us. We did reply apologising and explaining that although our setting offers some of the best nature has to offer it also comes with the inconveniences that nature has to offer too. Maybe if we had offered to refund your £60 then you may not have posted this review but like we say we are open to any comments be they good or bad as it helps us develop.
It also reminds me to mail TUI to ask for a refund on my aftersun I had to buy after I was sunburnt in Spain.
We also received further messages where you again reach out about cost and money you had spent, I'm guessing the "mozzie bites" weren't bothering you at this point but the fact that you had seen somewhere cheaper.
Again we are saddened that your stay was marred by mother nature and although we are aware that during the summer months there can be mosquitoes we have never had a complaint about it before.
Thanks for your comments and in future we will see about keeping a stock of spray at the lodge.
Property Owner
