3 /5 Rhys Fisk: We recently stayed in one of the treehouse-style lodges at Woodside Bay Lodge Retreat. From the outset, the customer service was very good — staff were pleasant, friendly, and helpful. We were quickly issued our keys and headed off to our lodge without any problems. First impressions on arrival were great as the lodge looked wonderful and the setting was very appealing.
However, as we settled in, several issues became apparent. The cooking facilities were quite limited, with no oven available, which made preparing meals difficult. The wood-burning stove was very dirty and clearly in need of a proper clean.
There were also a number of maintenance issues including cracked tiles in both the living area and bathroom, a toilet seat that was peeling and left sharp edges, and a missing light fitting. The paintwork in places was also damaged and tired.
The bathroom had an unpleasant smell that was noticeable every time we entered. When using the shower, a significant amount of water ended up on the bathroom floor with no way to clear it up properly, which made it slippery and potentially hazardous.
In the living area there were many switches with no clear indication of what they controlled, which made things unnecessarily confusing.
Unfortunately, the biggest issue of all was the mattress. We had one of the worst nights’ sleep we have ever experienced. It was so uncomfortable that we asked to move lodges, but were told all lodges use the same mattresses so moving would not help. After trying another night and again sleeping very poorly, we made the decision to leave early as we simply couldn’t face another night without proper sleep.
It was a real shame as the location and initial welcome were very good, but the condition of the lodge and especially the uncomfortable mattress ultimately ruined what should have been a relaxing stay.
