Worcester Lodge

"It was freezing when we went. However, the house was warm and cosy and there was plenty of wood for the log fire. Sadly it was ruined somewhat by flies. I am unable to attach images to the review but the top floor double bedroom was covered in flies many of which were dead. On arrival the toilet on the top floor was filled with dead flies. The windowsill was covered with dead flies and both sets of stairs leading to the top floor had dead flies on them. They were dead flies on the bedding and in the shower. If you're not planning on using the top floor then there is no issue as they are not in the rest of the property. However, we needed it due to the amount of us and one poor couple had to stay in that room. It was not clear on the booking that this was a problem, however having spoken to the owner it is an ongoing issue. If we knew this we would have stayed elsewhere because it's disgusting. I accept that it is one of the problems any property could face especially in the forest. However, it's a shame it is not detailed in descriptions before you go. If you were a small group as I said it would be fine. However, if you're going to need all the rooms I would avoid, unless you're happy to sleep in a fly infested room. I contacted the owner to ask for some money back as I was unaware of this issue and it took the relaxation away for the unlucky couple. This was not successful"

"The hot tub was really great but is getting a little tired and will need a service. Having said that we enjoyed using it. The house is very well equipped with kitchen items and linens etc. The beds are very comfortable. All the different stairs really amused the children. There is a large grass area that is perfect for games and for dogs to run around. It is close to several attractions nearby. We visited Over farm for their Pumpkin field as it was Halloween. The fact it has 2 sitting rooms is great as it means that different age groups can have their own areas. The large kitchen is perfect for catering for a big group and the large dinning room table was perfect."

"The house and the location were perfect, set in wonderful surroundings. Facilities exactly as advertised. The ladies looking after it deserve a mention for being both efficient and helpful. Would definitely book this again."

"There were 3 families, 12 people all together and it provided everything we needed. It was clean and comfortable in a fantastic location for exploring the area of the Forest of Dean and surrounding towns and villages. We would definitely recommend the house and book it again if a large house is needed.x"

"However the two frying pans need replacing as they are not nonstick and most of our breakfast stuck to the bottom even with oil. We forgot salt and pepper, washing up sponges and black bags so don’t forget those! The surrounding areas are beautiful too! Lots to do with pets and children very safe and secure. Hot tub was a lovely touch too!"

"Too many to list - however for any future visitors I think it should be made clear in the details that the en suite in the twin bed room is up a small staircase . I appreciate this is a listed property the problems were all maintenance or lack of information. Hopefully these will be dealt with immediately"

"The house was lovely and perfect for our needs. Such a beautiful location and not too far away from shops when needed. Good communication with the owner. She answered any queries we had. Would definitely stay again."

"Dining room chairs were still broken, which from a previous customers experience back in December was a case then. The property might be old (1675) but the flies in the window sills and in the windows could have been vacuumed out. The tall fridge/freezer was turned off and the interior light didn't work, the catches on the windows were broken and secondary glazing should have been cleaned. I appreciate that the loft room had probably been locked since the beginning of the pandemic but it needed airing and cleaning. The extractor fan above the range didn't work and the tablet door in the dishwasher doesn't stay closed meaning that the dishes didn't wash efficiently enough. Some the fixtures are loose on the Hot Tub, it would have been nice to have some more adequate lighting above the porch door. The radiators need to be bled as their is a lot of air locks in the system which caused a lot noise during the night."

"Well recommended."

"The only things worth mentioning was that the heating in the loft bedroom did not seem to work so was slightly chilly in these winter months. The standalone shower on the first floor also has a leak in the controller panel when turned on so was unusable (though with 3 other showers in the house this was a minor issue). It's also worth pointing out two of chairs in the dining room were broken, only finding this out after attempting to use them. One has a loose frame and both have loose crossbeam backings. We separated these out and put them under the large fireplace as the one with the loose frame nearly caused an accident. Still all in all we had a great time and will be coming back next year :)"

" We all wanted Worcester Lodge as our home. Communication with Erica was great. We understand the removal of ‘a welcome pack’ was due to COVID prevention measures. However we had expected that there would be a little sugar & salt in the property. "

"The location is fabulous being in the forest and so close to outdoor activities. Our kids made good use of the outdoor 'play' garden and having the hot tub was a real benefit after active days out."

" The garden is huge with a big patio. Hot tub was lovely. Staff, especially Tash the hot tub lady was extremely friendly and helpful, thank you for a fabulous week. "

" and the owner when approached was very helpful as were the cleaning team, a great location with lots to do and see. A number of very minor issues buy nothing is quite perfect and so minor not to be mentioned. "

" The location is fabulous being in the forest and so close to outdoor activities. Our kids made good use of the outdoor 'play' garden and having the hot tub was a real benefit after active days out. Any concerns we had reading some of the other reviews were unfounded - the place was clean and Erica was very helpful when we spoke to her and when we managed to lock ourselves out part way through the stay. "

" On Friday evening arrival we found the 5th bedroom locked, when we contacted Erica she was extremely abrupt in her response and told us that as we were a family of six she had locked the 5th room! We had booked a 5 bedroom place only to find it was 4, (false advertising) when we queried this Erica told us to convert the living room into a 5th bedroom if that's what we wanted! We had booked the house for its 5 bedrooms not 4 bedrooms and a sofa bed, she then went on to tell us to take it up with Skye's! On meeting Erica the following day when she came to check the hot tub there was no introduction by herself as to who she was or any exchange if we were having a nice time a total lack of hospitality to our family. Erica was also exceptionally rude in telling us we should be grateful as we had got the house at a discount price, I found this totally uncalled for and actually 2.5k is not a small amount to pay for a weeks holiday especially in the current climate. The house was not covid secure and the grade 2 listing I can say was used to try and excuse this. There was no hand sanitizer provided, the very basic welcome pack looked like it had never been cleaned down. The cutlery and crockery was filthy and we had to wash it all before use and we had no information on which bin required which type of rubbish. The location of the house saved the sour taste that our horrible welcome had left. The Forest of Dean is amazing and the children loved all the bike trails in the forest.If you love biking and walking this location is fantastic. Just beware of the horrible host! "

" On the downside. The wifi had a fault on 2 occasions, and on the second occasion did not come back on. The house description could be improved to say 2 of the 4 bathrooms are on the second floor which is accessed by 2 step narrow staircases which are not suitable for elderly people. Also the owner whilst helpful when contacted on one occasion,.Erica called us on a second occasion and then asked who we were and said she did not know us or the house at all, she appeared confused as Erica then denied calling and said she did not look after the house. "

" It is a characterful, comfortable and tastefully furnished home in a peaceful environment. Erica was very welcoming, and communication from both her and Cottages was good. The house is well equipped and was very clean - everything worked (except the DVD player) and there was plenty of crockery and cutlery in the kitchen, and 2 fridges, which we appreciated. The weather was gorgeous, so we made good use of the hot tub in the late afternoons, after a long walk/cycle through the forest. The clear skies and minimal light pollution enabled us to enjoy the night sky - so many stars! Wonderful. "

" It’s the perfect get away location, my friends who joined me for the first time said they would love to go again. Perfect stay. "

" The children loved the gardens and woods and the mystery of the house with all the unique staircases in the rooms. Would suggest planning things to do in the area prior holiday as the property is quite remote. As a whole the family thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Worcester Lodge. "

" Lots of space and very nice bathrooms for such an old house. It was a lovely location and the hot tub was great. The only issue we had was a problem caused by a raised concrete and metal bolt holder in the middle of the gateway for fastening the gate shut. This was quite high and knocked something off the bottom of our car which meant it had to be towed to a garage before it could be driven again. Thankfully it was fairly straightforward to repair. We were disappointed that the owner didn’t seem to acknowledge that that this might be a problem that needs addressing and wasn’t apologetic. Be careful if you have a small/ low car. "

" It's spacious yet homely, and it's kitchen is very well appointed. We cooked a full Sunday lunch for 8 without a problem. It also suits both groups of friends and families. Young children, for instance, would find that the many rooms and multiple staircases fired their imaginations and provided great opportunities for a little game of hide and seek. The owner, Erica, was also friendly and helpful. The outside space and proximity to the Forest of Dean are also outstanding, plus there's a really good and well-maintained hot tub. We would, therefore, thoroughly recommend it as holiday accommodation for anyone and everyone. Cottages, however, failed to offer any real support when we believed that we might need to cancel our stay. If we decide to book a stay in Worcester Lodge again, we'll therefore try to book it through another company that's more prepared to support its customers. (Support works both ways.) In summary, Worcester Lodge exceeded our expectations but Cottages failed to meet them. "

" Lots of space and very nice bathrooms for such an old house. It was a lovely location and the hot tub was great. The only issue we had was a problem caused by a raised concrete and metal bolt holder in the middle of the gateway for fastening the gate shut. This was quite high and knocked something off the bottom of our car which meant it had to be towed to a garage before it could be driven again. Thankfully it was fairly straightforward to repair. We were disappointed that the owner didn’t seem to acknowledge that that this might be a problem that needs addressing and wasn’t apologetic. Be careful if you have a small/ low car. "

" Set in beautiful grounds in a secluded location this was an ideal place for a large group to stay with generous sized rooms, very well equipped and the hot tub was a real treat! Would highly recommend. "

" To make the stay better we would have liked to have somewhere to dry clothes (a line indoors or outdoors), more hooks to hang towels and coats and some bedrooms didn't have anywhere to hang clothes. The two umbrellas on the patio tables were also broken. "

" Kitchen was well stocked. "

" Lovely place to stay for the weekend with beautiful surroundings. Adults and children all enjoyed it. Hot tub was great too! "

" It was warm, spacious, and had plenty of equipment including games, kitchen utensils and an amazing quantity of towels. We never found any maps or advertising leaflets for the surrounding area, though we'd brought plenty of our own! Anything that wasn't immediately to hand the owners produced very quickly. With any property there are bound to be occasions when something goes wrong or deliveries need to be made but we were surprised by the numbers of these during our week. Also, we asked if the lawn mowing could be done at a time when we weren't going to be in....just so we could enjoy the tranquility and ambience of the area. Other than this we had a superb week and the hot tub was a serious hit with all the family. Thanks for a lovely holiday in a stunning part of the country. "

"The house was cosy and warm which was great as it was a particularly cold weekend. The wood burning stove was easy to light and we were given plenty of logs for the weekend. The hot tub was a bonus and enjoyed by us all with plenty of extra towels to use and with a wonderful pully to dry them on. The kitchen was so well equipped that we never ran out of a dish, mug or glass. This house is beautifully decorated and well looked after with comfortable beds and plenty of bathrooms. It was a joy to spend time in Worcester lodge and we will be back! My son, a keen mountain biker was amazed at all the trails in the forrest, accessible from the property."

"Enjoyed the hot tub. 5 star luxury"

"The house was cosy and warm which was great as it was a particularly cold weekend. The wood burning stove was easy to light and we were given plenty of logs for the weekend. The hot tub was a bonus and enjoyed by us all with plenty of extra towels to use and with a wonderful pully to dry them on. The kitchen was so well equipped that we never ran out of a dish, mug or glass. This house is beautifully decorated and well looked after with comfortable beds and plenty of bathrooms. It was a joy to ..."

"Very comfortable and the hot tub was fab. Would definitely recommend this lodge to parties of all age groups."

"It was warm, spacious, and had plenty of equipment including games, kitchen utensils and an amazing quantity of towels. We never found any maps or advertising leaflets for the surrounding area, though we'd brought plenty of our own! Anything that wasn't immediately to hand the owners produced very quickly. ..."

"Lots of space and very nice bathrooms for such an old house. It was a lovely location and the hot tub was great. ..."

"The house is BEAUTIFUL! It has everything you need and plenty more! I already want to rebook to bring my family here. Perfect weekend, amazing cottage, great location. Thanks for having us! I will be booking again!"

"It’s the perfect get away location, my friends who joined me for the first time said they would love to go again. Perfect stay."

"It is a characterful, comfortable and tastefully furnished home in a peaceful environment. Erica was very welcoming, and communication from both her and Cottages was good. The house is well equipped and was very clean - everything worked (except the DVD player) and there was plenty of crockery and cutlery in the kitchen, and 2 fridges, which we appreciated. The weather was gorgeous, so we made good use of the hot tub in the late afternoons, after a long walk/cycle through the forest. ..."

"On Friday evening arrival we found the 5th bedroom locked, when we contacted Erica she was extremely abrupt in her response and told us that as we were a family of six she had locked the 5th room! We had booked a 5 bedroom place only to find it was 4, (false advertising) when we queried this Erica told us to convert the living room into a 5th bedroom if that's what we wanted! We had booked the house for its 5 bedrooms not 4 bedrooms and a sofa bed, she then went on to tell us to take it up with ..."

"The area has something for everyone with so many country walks, yet is close to both Gloucester and Bristol. My extended family just loved it !"

"It is right in the forest with walks and bike tracks from the door. The hot tub was much enjoyed by the children and the cyclists on their return from a “gruelling” ride through the forest. The gardens were a beautiful feature of the property and next time I’d like to be able to sit outside to eat so it’ll have to be summertime!"