Upper Lodge, Shotley

14 Customer Reviews

• "Having stayed at Upper lodge for the last seven years, March 2023 was the first time we felt the need to write a review."

  The owners apologised and asked us to give it another go. So in March 2024 we did. On arrival we found the waste bins were not emptied and were left in the main bedroom. The bathroom and en suite bins were full to the brim with the previous occupants rubbish and still in their respective rooms.After emptying the bins we could not find any replacement bin bags in the kitchen drawer at all. Once again we found dog hair on the furniture and seating area floor downstairs. The towels and quilt covers and pillowslips in both double rooms had some dubious stains on them. Some of these stains could have been from the washing machine door rubber which was disgusting and really needed cleaning,which we did before we used it..The tea towels had been washed but still looked grubby. We could not start to enjoy our stay until we had vacuumed the lodge right through with a hoover that desperately needs new floor tools and cleaning out and a new bag fitted. Upper lodge is a stunning property in a beautiful location and we understand that it is a holiday let that is in need of some TLC but it should be CLEAN! We are sorry to say that we are very disappointed as we really look forward to holidaying there.

  Mr Harmer, thank you very much for your feedback, and we as owners are really sorry to read of these issues. I wish we had known sooner and been able to try to address some of them during your stay. The housekeeping firm have been notified that they have a quality control issue that needs to be resolved as a matter of urgency if whey wish to continue to work for us. Hopefully we will never read of such basic issues happening at our property again. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Steve2.5★Mar 2024

• "Another great stay in this lovely property."

  The location is perfect for us - lots of walks and wildlife, with great views across to Felixstowe and Harwich.

  Reviewed by Diane4.7★Jan 2024

• "We had a lovely pre Christmas family stay."

  Spectacular views from upper lodge and plenty of space for all. Great walks in the surrounding area and places to eat!

  Reviewed by Catherine5.0★Dec 2023

• "Upper Lodge is a stunning property with fantastic views from the front and back windows of the viewing gallery."

  We enjoyed looking at the views through the telescope. The property is in a very peaceful location. The kitchen is well equipped and we very much enjoyed our week's holiday here. We would disagree with the wording on the Sykes website which states that "children and any pets can run around safely" as one side of the back garden is completely open and leads to the road (albeit a quiet country lane). Because of this, we would have appreciated some outdoor lighting in the back garden.

  Reviewed by Jane3.1★Sep 2023

• "Yes there were a few things the steps on from door are not wheel chair friendly ..."

  Yes there were a few things the steps on from door are not wheel chair friendly the flooring needs replacing cracked in places frying pan was always making food stick not enough seating in the loung area for 4 people but generally clean and liveable but we didn’t let this spoil holiday

  Many thanks for your comments. I am glad you had a good holiday. To pick up a couple of your points: 1. The floor has been an issue since we bought the place. We did a lot of work 3-4 years ago to try to resolve the issues and it has not worked. We are working on plan B... 2. The chairs seem to move around the house! We were there in July and put things back where they are meant to be. We are hoping to get there again in October and will review whether the answer is the house just needs more chairs. 3. There is a frying pan that was new this year, really sorry to hear that it is no longer non-stick. Another thing for our next visit.... sadly living in Scotland we do not get there as often as we would like. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Paul3.4★Sep 2023

• "We loved our stay at Upper Lodge."

  The river and harbour views are amazing, across the fields, and the huge windows really maximise these views. The top floor look out room is stunning. The house is very light and very peaceful, and there are lovely walks from the house. The house is very well equipped, especially the kitchen. One bedroom is more suited to children with children's single beds, (although they are full length), and without storage or hanging space for clothes. The Shotley peninsula is such a pretty, rural area to explore. We will return for sure.

  Reviewed by Jane5.0★Aug 2023

• "We loved the peacefulness of the location and the light."

  Walks from the door and plenty of space to relax at the house.

  Reviewed by Jane5.0★Jun 2023

• "Lovely house really enjoyed our stay."

  More sofas are probably needed downstairs we struggled to all sit as a family comfortably down there. Maybe some a few children's toys too in the bedroom.

  Reviewed by Iain4.4★May 2023

• "Fantastic property in fantastic location with fantastic views."

  We enjoyed our week there having breakfast on the decking and watching the ships coming and going from Felixtowe and Harwich. There are lots of places to visit all relatively nearby. Very peaceful and secluded with lots of wildlife to watch. Would not hesitate in recommending this property.

  Reviewed by Tricia4.7★May 2023

• "The lodge was spectacular in every way."

  Beds comfortable, linen and towels pristine. And every thing you might need in the kitchen. One downside was that the flooring in the kitchen living area was split in places and could cause tripping. The outside doors were difficult to open and close especially for us older people. Fantastic bird watching, we saw marsh harriers and twite also a few brown hares.

  Reviewed by Jenny4.7★Apr 2023

• "We have been to Upper Lodge a number of times and always want to revisit."

  However, the last two visits the people before us had dogs and the furniture and floor were covered with black dog hairs which my wife had to vacuum before we could unpack or enjoy our holiday. Not a good start to our holiday! There were also stains on the downstairs lounger cushions which stopped us from using it at all. I do think that also the bedding should have pillow protectors for hygiene purposes. These seem to be standard practise in every other place we have stayed . Other than that we had a lovely time.

  I am really sorry to read your feedback and have forwarded it to the housekeepers. There is no excuse for missing the dog hair. We are there ourselves in July and will double-check that things are back in order. There are pillow protectors, and i have no idea why they were not on. I hope you will give the house another chance. Antony (owner) Property Owner

  Reviewed by Steve3.1★Mar 2023

• "At short notice we felt we needed late winter break and our search criteria (dog friendly, two bathrooms, country location, price, within about 2 hours from home) included Upper Lodge in the short list."

  My wife's review of the photos and description immediately confirmed it as easily the top contender, and we booked it. 3 days later we were there and loved it so much we extended our stay by 3 days! It's a beautifully designed property, very spacious with huge windows and with superb views across the River Orwell to Felixstowe. But the real clincher was the walking around the river and bird life - it was fantastic. The Shotley peninsula is a well-kept secret - beautiful and very quiet, yet within easy reach of South Suffolk's renowned beauty spots.

  Reviewed by Diane5.0★Feb 2023

• "Very enjoyable stay, with all the required facilities plus more."

  Will definitely look to get back again in the future.

  Reviewed by Mark5.0★Dec 2022

• "A relaxing and tranquil stay in a beautiful house with spectacular views across the fields to Felixstowe docks and the Orwell."

  Great for children and adults alike, whatever the weather.

  Reviewed by Peter5.0★Oct 2022

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