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On our recent stay at Kelling Heath Holiday Park in North Norfolk we stayed in one of their two bedroom woodland lodges. Kelling Heath do offer other accommodation options such as camping and luxury holiday homes. We instantly liked the look of the lodges though due to us having stayed in something similar elsewhere before. As Erin still has naps while we’re away we wanted somewhere we could spread out and enjoy while we weren’t out exploring.
Living area and kitchen
Erin likes to spread out when we’re away, especially when we bring toys and things with us. The living room at the lodge was great though and more than enough room for us all. The room had two large two seat sofas as well as space for a coffee table and a fire.
The living room and kitchen are one large open plan area which is great for families like us as it means we can be cooking etc. as well as watching Erin play at the same time. There is a dining table for 4 people at the back of one of the sofas/ in the kitchen which is great for eating together as a family and also doubling up as somewhere else for Erin to play.
After staying in a lodge elsewhere a few times before I was expecting a small, cramped kitchen but this isn’t what we got at all.
The kitchen had a full size fridge/ freezer and although we didn’t use most of the space, it was appreciated. There was only three of us staying in the lodge but if we had come away with family and stayed in a three bedroom lodge, this would have been perfect for us all. I think it’s important to remember that some families eat in a lot while they’re away so a large fridge/ freezer is important.
I really loved that there was both a dishwasher and a washing machine, with a few dishwasher tablets supplied. Being away at the beginning of May meant that we had quite unpredictable weather and when you mix that with a crazy 3 year old, anything could happen. It was nice to have the option to wash our own clothes in the lodge rather than rely on the launderette.
For me, the only slight downside to the kitchen was the cupboards and I know that sounds a bit strange. There was actually a lot of cupboard space but a lot of it was already taken up with pots and pans etc. There was only the cupboard under the sink and a very small cupboard free for us to put our food.
Bedrooms
As the lodge we stayed in had two bedrooms one was the master bedroom and the other was a twin bedroom. Both rooms were really lovely and I particularly liked that the colour scheme matched things like the cushions in the living room.
The twin bedroom is where Erin slept and honestly, John slept some of the time too! There was a single bed on each side of the room with a bedside table/ drawers in the middle. The room also had a large wardrobe with a lot more space than Erin could have ever needed.
The master bedroom was really cosy and looked so inviting when we arrived. The double bed had been made up with a throw at the bottom with matching cushions. There was a bedside table/ drawers on either side of the bed as well as a separate set of drawers in one of the corners. Of course, there was also a wardrobe with both hanging space and shelves and inside was two fluffy robes for us to enjoy.
Bathrooms
Whenever we go away we always like to look for places to stay that are family friendly. This usually includes there being a bath as well as a shower because Erin hates showers.
The two bedroom woodland lodge has one main bathroom which does have a bath with a shower overhead. I was really quite surprised with the size of the main bathroom because there was a lot of space in there and it wasn’t cramped at all. The bathroom had a heated towel rail (which really helped dry our swimming things) and sink with underneath storage area.
Something that you get in a lodge is an en suite to the master bedroom. For us, this was ideal because it meant that sometimes one of us could bath Erin and the other could be using the shower in the en suite. It saved a lot of time getting us all ready for the day. The en suite obviously isn’t nearly as large as the main bathroom and it didn’t have a bath but it worked really well for us.
Outside
Covering one wall in the living room/ kitchen are large windows with a door leading out onto the decking area. Outside there was a table and four chairs but most importantly, space to enjoy being in the woods and looking out for any animals! We took bird seed and nuts for the squirrels and I knew that Erin would love sitting outside waiting to see what she could find.
It was really nice to have our own area outside that was mostly contained. This meant that Erin could be outside with the door open while we were in the living room or kitchen. We had the door open quite a lot during our stay, even though the weather wasn’t great. Erin loved sitting and putting food out for the squirrels and birds and we liked to get a bit of fresh air in too.
Additional info
Some other things to note about the two bedroom woodland lodge are:
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comes with central heating and double glazing
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iron/ ironing board included
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travel cot included
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hair dryer included
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TV in the living room and master bedroom
Overall
I really couldn’t fault our two bedroom woodland lodge. I think nearly everything has been thought about, no matter who might be occupying the lodge. We found it really well suited to us as a family of three but I can imagine a couple, or older family enjoying it just as much.
The one thing I would have liked was the internet. Kelling Heath Holiday Park has WiFi in the village area but not in any of the accommodation. When we have stayed places like this before I have used my phone as an internet hot spot but I wasn’t able to do this here. As I work while I’m away, this made things a bit difficult. That being said, I tried to embrace being tech-free for a few days to spend quality time with my family.
We were staying in a two-bed woodland lodge at Kelling Heath Holiday park, with prices starting from £287 for a short break and £586 for 7 nights. All three of us really loved staying in our lodge and it was a great base for our woodland adventures.
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