Woodside Bay Lodge Retreat — Hotel in Isle of Wight

We have had a lovely week as a family get together so had 2 8 person lodges one of which was a premier lodge with a hot tub. The retreat itself was as described a woodland retreat, with a very small bar / restaurant, however it did have a good outdoor space with bar and pizza over but this was not available during our stay which is a shame at the height of the season - seems a big waste. unfortunately the bar / restaurant was also unexpectedly closed for 2 days during our stay, typically on the night we were hoping to eat there. We did reserve a table for lunch on the day we arrived and service and the food was fantstic, the outdoor tables have a lovely view of the coast. We were sold this retreat as it had easy and direct access to the beach (which we thought would be ideal for popping down with the paddle boards) however unless you are in one of the front row lodges the beach is not easily accessible. Our lodge was at the back of the park and it was a LONG walk to the beach as there were no short cuts through the park and we would have had to walk along all the park roads to get there, unfortunetlety we couldnt even drive down to the beach as there was no easy parking - this retreat is located right next to the beach but its lay out has made it very very difficult to access.The lodges generally were of a just OK standard considering the exceptional cost. There were niggles however within the lodges, the showers and kitchen sinks were not as clean as the could have been - a good old clean with a bit of bleach would have made such a difference. The dishwasher in the 'Premier' lodge was located in the corner of the kitchen and could not be easily opened or closed due to the handle of the cupboard on the other corner so each time we wantedf to open or close the dish washer itr was areal effort and was getting increasingly damaged each time (more thought just needed to be put into the layout and usage of the kitchen) There was a faux log pile by the fireplace but all the faux logs had fallen off leaving glue marks on the wall - it would only have taken a few momnents for a member of staff to rectify. Also the curtains were very badly hung with many of the curtain hooks missing. The kitchen was fairly well stocked but the knives were old and cheap, 2 of which snapped during our stay - this could have caused serious injuries. All minor things but should not be the case in a 'premier lodge'. We didnt raise these issues during our stay as we felt they were things that we could live with however in accomodation of this cost should not be there. I am contacting Darwin Escapes and Hoseans directly to inform them. However we did contact staff as there were no towels in the lodge and the hot tub lights didnt work - I have to say they dealt with these issues very professionaly and quickly and in general ALL the staff were polite and friendly which is always...

We stayed here in a lodge in September 2020 - my dad booked in while I was in hospital not sure if I was going to live or die because in April 2020 at the peak of Covid it was discovered I was born with 2 serious heart issues and suddenly in my 30s I needed emergency open heart surgery. Science said I wouldn’t make it, doctors told me I’d likely not even wake up and I had to say somekind of goodbye to my family on video call just in case I didn’t make it because they weren’t even allowed inside the hospital to be with me. It was the most difficult time for me and my family but my dad knew I’m a fighter ad so he decided I had to have something to pull through for something to look forward too and that’s when he booked a lodge here for a long weekend for me & our family. Well I did survive and September gave me a good amount of time to physically recover but I was still recovering when I can here and during the Covid times I was extremely vulnerable so I had to be protected because no one knew what getting Covid would do to me. I was so looking forward to a break, we packed the car up and headed off excited but when we arrived here our hopes of a lovely family weekend were quickly ruined. The lodge we were given was filthy: the fridge hadn’t been cleaned and still had muck from the previous guests, the cutlery was disgusting, the floors were all so dirty it showed up thick on white socks, there was left over pizza thrown all over the dinning chairs, huge cobwebs in all the rooms and just the whole lodge stank. The cost of the lodge for a long weekend during Covid wasn’t cheap either. Despite the fact the site had a beach and nice woodland walks we were just devastated that someone could allow us to walk into that disgusting lodge. We did ask at reception if we could move but the site was full and by the time they even suggested offering to clean it up my mum bless her had actually cleaned it all herself (which isn’t my mum’s job!). I felt really angry that during Covid cleaning is clearly not a top priority here and that my poor dad going through a really tough time as a family had paid a fortune for this unclean dirty disgusting lodge. Also the bar and restaurant was shut on site so you couldn’t get any food or drinks on site - there was barely anything to do here and I think we spent as much time as possible away from the site and the lodge because we weren’t happy after all that it wasn’t what was advertised really and not what my dad booked. After what our family had been through that year this holiday was a complete letdown and something we’d rather forget instead of precious memories we would treasure. I really hope they have learnt but I doubt it - I...

On arrival, checked in collected keys, Lodge looked lovely and clean, tea and coffee, doggie packs, wash bits provided. Impressive. Surrounded by woodlands and beautiful wildlife, 5 min walk to the beach. The bar shut at 8.30pm and closes 2 days a week, no restaurant or bistro on site. Which was very disappointing. Over the following 2 days, we realised the Lodge was not as clean as on first impressions, yes there was a broom and dust pan and brush, but no hoover or mop to clean wood flooring or carpet area. Sorry I'm a clean freak. The woodland flooring slats slide and moved in areas nearly causing us to fall on many occasions, and gaps where you can stub toes, corners, walls, kickboards all had black marks and ground in dirt, some skirting was split or had gaps. sofas where stained and smelt like stale milk and just felt dirty. Bathroom units where old and wooden tops blown, shower had mould and hair on it aswell as shower door rubber seals where grimey. Waterfall shower head was full if limescale, so didn't work as it should. Mould in corner of windows in the bathrooms. Bedrooms where pretty clean and the beds where comfortable. Mattresses had protectors on and bed look newish. Decking was stained with dirt patches. In the lounge lots of dirt, sand and long dog hairs under sofas, coffee table and under dining chair legs, yes we had dogs but they have very short hair and are black and brindle, not blonde lab colour. In the kitchen handles had dirt and food stuff in them, and hob island looked cotton on one side. This didn't spoil our time here but didn't reach our expectations, the lodges need updating and refurbishing, more thoroughly cleaned between each booking. Having a restaurant or site cafe that serves food would be great and to open later and everyday. So you don't have to leave the site or self cater. Some sort of entertainment such as live singer would also be nice. Scored 3 for service as there was no service except to book in or check out and to ask for a bbq rack. Other than that only saw 2 ladies briefly at reception and 2 people behind the bar. The odd cleaner dotted around and a few handymen. None of which where needed during our stay. Nice touch with the doggy welcome pack, tea/coffee and cleaning bits. Location is fabulous right in the woods seeing all different birds and squirrels. With a nice local beach. I think its a little over priced....