Darwin Escapes

Negative experience: What a waste of time. SUPER EXPENSIVE AND RIDICULOUS APP IT DOESN’T WORK DON’T WASTE YOUR TIME THERE. 85p kw A TOTAL RIP OFF!!

Negative experience: We stayed at their resort in cheddar. I’m not sure how they class themselves as a 5star resort. Very tired and dated caravans NOT lodges, mould in quite a lot of places, our toilet STANK of stale wee, kitchen utensils need a complete overhaul, we had a premier with 2 en-suites, the shower in one was literally a child’s shower. Walls were thin, beds uncomfy ( standard with holiday lodges lol ) cleaning was horrendous, I generally picked the best photo I had as I didn’t want to be too graphic, for someone with great views the windows were horrible ( picture attached ) we arrived in dark, lodges are NOT marked / lit up numbers so good luck with that. We had 2 families but only 1 parking space at most lodges. Also had a 4x4 going up their roads is not for the faint hearted. It’s tight to turn. Pool was pretty basic, just to mess about in for families. Whilst we were eating our food ( video attached) , the restaurant had a power cut, no one came to inform us what was going on or anything, we had to keep asking. No apology, power tripped out tills, so night was cut short, back to the lodge, power tripped WiFi. Still waiting for the park to reach out ….. Best part was hot tub. Nice and spacious, although caravans are close to each other so you can hear and see others. Next door had their hot tub party going on, we had no choice but to ask for requests for music. A weekend getaway is the max you need here, 5 days would be way too long. If you’re looking for a getaway £699 is way too much. I would have expected the price to be about £299 with what we encountered and a 3star rating hotel. YOU GUYS NEED TO REINVEST.

Negative experience: Recently went on a weekend break with a hot tub with friends. To say we were disappointed is an understatement. What we thought would be a great weekend away, as previous years (not at this place) wasn’t! You can’t help bad weather but when we arrived in the dark we couldn’t find our lodge as all signs were covered over in snow. The hot tub wasn’t working properly and not reaching temperature so we couldn’t use it all weekend. The dishwasher was on a slant so you couldn’t close the door! After our complaint they offered a £200 refund because this is the difference between a lodge without a hot tub! Point is we booked a hot tub! That’s what weekend we wanted and still want! What rubbish customer service! Will Never use again!

Fantastic experience: We stayed in Canterbury Reach Lodge retreat, and it's a lovely estate, and nice Lodges too.

Fantastic experience: Lovely experience

Fantastic experience: Excellent cafe & staff

Fantastic experience: Brilliant location. Excellent customer service & great lodges.

Positive experience: Great place lovely places near by But there is no signal or WiFi to plan nice days and the wait for the swimming pool when its full is so long I was stuck waiting for almost 40 mins

Positive experience: Stayed at the Stratford upon Avon retreat for a short break in August and returned again. Lodges are great and we enjoyed the hot tub. Staff are friendly and our faulty TV was replaced without a fuss. A quiet and peaceful spot and nice to watch gliders flying from nearby airfield. No issues with cleanliness. Crockery and glasses are minimal resulting in unnecessary use of the dishwasher. Some of the utensils need replacing - broken scissors and blunt kitchen knives. We stayed in the same lodge both times and the glass in the front door was blown when we visited in August and still not replaced on this visit - looks a mess. Locking the doors is a faff. Overall a nice place and we would return again as issues minor other than scruffy front door.

Fantastic experience: The accommodation was first class , the park was very well landscaped , staff were really good just lacked a clubhouse with restaurant facilities . Would thoroughly recommend staying here .

Negative experience: Totally disgusted with Darwin unable to speak to customer service after a complaint will NEVER book with this company again

Fantastic experience: 5th time staying & its still fab

Fantastic experience: Great place

Fantastic experience: Stayed at wareham forest lodge and it was perfect. The staff are so friendly and helpful. Reception and check in was efficient, there is a small shop too with all the essentials. Our accommodation was so lovely with everything we could need. Hot tub was awesome and found it easy to access as it was sunken into the deck. The site is so quiet and just lovely. Very close to local pubs and walks and a short trip away from many great places to visit. I would highly recommend.

Fantastic experience: Lovely caravan and site, clean,dog friendly, great holiday

Fantastic experience: We have just returned from Beach cove retreat and I have to say Well done! This site is kept immaculate. Our Cairnwood sea view accommodation was wonderful a little tired in places, but the view more than made up for it. Everything you need was there and our little duck made us smile. The staff were very welcoming and polite. We will definitely be returning.

Fantastic experience: Darwin Escapes never disappoints. Very luxurious lodges and caravans for very reasonable price.

Fantastic experience: Perfect week away. Lodge was well equipped, clean and comfortable. All staff were lovely and very helpful. Definitely recommend.

Positive experience: Nice place very quiet nothing much to do at this time of the year

Positive experience: Love site clean friendly staff but hilly site bit can't complain as u have sea viewa

Positive experience: We have a caravan here

Fantastic experience: We are staying over weekend it’s so lovely places to rest and relax, very clean, quiet place we are in love in this place. We will be remembering because we are engaged here we will back for 100%

Fantastic experience: We have just returned from Wareham Forest Retreat we were very impressed at the standard of the lodge, very home from home and well equipped. Very friendly staff and we will certainly return 1 day.

Fantastic experience: An oasis of tranquility away from a crazy world....If I could live here permanently I would !!!

Fantastic experience: Loved it fantastic place

Fantastic experience: The lodges at Canterbury are excellent with everything you need. Well maintained and clean too.

Fantastic experience: Fantastic weekend at Sandymouth, looking forward to the next one

Negative experience: Had a 7 day break (beginning November) at Norfolk Woods Resort and Spa. The main thing that let this resort down, is it being literally so very close to the A47, constant traffic noise, which can be heard even in the woods. Our lodge was no more than approximately 30metres from the A47. When I mentioned the noise issue at check-in I was told to keep the windows shut. Not a great welcome. Water ceased a couple of times. The restaurant wouldn’t take take-out orders over a fairly busy weekend as the restaurant was fully booked. Lodge was clean and in good condition, just a note, only one person can take a hot shower at a time (even though there are three showers in the lodge) otherwise you have an icy shower. The site is clean and well kept. I personally would not be returning to this site.

Fantastic experience: Super strona do szukania karawanów i nie tylko

Fantastic experience: Very very clean and friendly

Fantastic experience: Fabulous disabled lodge with lovely views ,hot tub managed to access the lodge wearing my limb & using my mobility boot scooter very comfortable clean great shower room with plenty of d lock grab rails & a very safe shower chair ,large kitchen with plenty of storage dishwasher,washing machine,coffee caffitire ,also had a bath with shower & toilet ,bed was very comfortable plenty of storage large dining room table Would book again but next year's prices are nearly £200 higher than this year's that's a huge increase.

Fantastic experience: Beautiful

Fantastic experience: Fantastic site, going again in October, it was that good. Clean, helpful and cheerful staff who actually wanted to be there, everything about it was top class indeed.

Negative experience: Stayed for a week in Tilford Woods Lodge retreat, booked a cabin with hot tub for my anniversary. It was broken from the day we got there and after being mislead through the week that the tub would be fixed, at the end of the stay it was still the same...beware that if you do book with them it's quite possible that your stay will be a disappointment as ours was due to them being unable to fix the tub after a manager admitted to us that he broke the part :( Now trying to get part of our money back, so far we have nothing...

Fantastic experience: The lodge was beautiful. Very clean. The only negative was that the rules state no ball games but this was not adhered to as the lodge next door allowed their children to play football right next to our lodge and the ball kept hitting our lodge. Not the relaxing retreat as advertised.

Fantastic experience: First time in a lodge like this and was very impressed. Very clean and comfortable with the added bonus of all the home comforts. Very spacious too. Friendly helpful staff on site. Even a little shop. Perfect! Had a lovely week. Would certainly book again.

Fantastic experience: Really impressed with the set up here.

Positive experience: Fantastic!

Fantastic experience: Had a lovely stay last year caravan was amazing hot tub was amazing 5stars even more if I could

Fantastic experience: Superb 5* site, with superior lodges, best holiday accomodation ever, at good prices. Will return next year.

Positive experience: Let you know next week.....

Positive experience: Lovely Lodges, would go again.

Fantastic experience: Great accommodation. Clean heating worked . Hot tub was slightly dated but still have a great experience

Fantastic experience: Excellent in everything. Vist this site as much as we can

Fantastic experience: Wareham Forest Lodge Retreat is beautiful quiet and relaxing

Fantastic experience: Hello stayed at Canterbury Lodge Reach Retreat in January my Partner and 2 small Dogs also my neighbour and his mate had another Lodge .Nice rest for us We loved it nice rest we went into Canterbury. Whistable. Dover. We are hoping to visit again soon x

Fantastic experience: Lovely place to stay even when we had a power cut. Staff are great too

Negative experience: Be careful what you're promised. Avoid Wooton Bridge. Even the customer services follow up was poor..

Fantastic experience: Great for a break away

Fantastic experience: We stayed at The Bath mill lodges near Bath. And it was simply brilliant! From the reception staff, grounds keepers and the cleaning staff. The service and lodges were impeccable. We look forward to our next break.

Positive experience: Fantastic place. Beautiful lodge great hot tub we'll be back

Fantastic experience: For a new resort it was very well presented and well worth the money.

Fantastic experience: We have had 2 holidays with Darwin Escapes beautiful accommodation and sites .Would recommend !

Fantastic experience: Superb accommodation. This was our second visit and we will be back.

Negative experience: Hugely disappointed in our first Darwin Escape. We have been to many family holiday parks with different companies. Darwin Escapes had set itself apart on their website, marketing and sales pitch as being the premium option. Friends have visited other sites and had this experience, Talacre Bay in July 2021 is far from this. Caravan smelt smoky, litter outside, stained upholstery on furniture, a broken cupboard, and nothing more luxurious than any other caravan. Day 2 we had an ant infestation, which was treated the next day, but got a further infestation that evening. 2 out of the 4 activities on site were cancelled due to “seagulls” and “light rain”, with no alternatives offered. The accommodation and site feel “unloved” with reduced and under resourced programmed activities that you can’t access online. Really feel have been duped on their pitch for anything feeling more premium or prestigious. Have stayed at far better and cheaper options, which we did not expect from such a polished and premium pitch for a first time customer of a Darwin Escape experience. I was asked to reply to this review from their customer service team response below, I did, and did not get a reply.

Fantastic experience: Excellent well maintained lodges in a great park

Fantastic experience: Love this place

Fantastic experience: Great Lodge, cleaned to a very high standard. Although it was a 2 person Lodge woud have liked a separate chair with the two seater settee. But wasn't a problem. Great views and great area. I would recommend the lodge. Food was lovely in the restaurant onsite.

Positive experience: Just got home from a holiday at New Pines Lodge Park in Rhyl, North Wales. The park was very nice, just a bit over crowded with lodges. We were meant to be there until Saturday 12th June, but came home on Tuesday 8th June. We were virtually on our own on the park due to the kids going back to school after half term. My one complaint is that it is advertised as having a Bar and entertainment with an over 18's bar on site, which it does but it was closed for most of the time we were there & when it was open they called last orders at 21:00 and on Sunday 6th June we booked a meal for 18:00 & last orders was called at 19:00. We had high hopes about this park because we visited Keswick Lodge Retreat in 2019 & was very impressed. Just to say we will not be returning to this site.

Fantastic experience: This place is great had lovely relaxing time thankyou

Fantastic experience: Top quality service and experience

Fantastic experience: Excellent quality

Positive experience: Very easy website to use and all the information I needed was available.

Fantastic experience: Great place to stay, wonderful accommodation would visit again

Fantastic experience: Always clean and always friendly

Fantastic experience: Superb holidays, really love their lodges both for comfort and locations

Fantastic experience: Beautiful lodges, good value. Sherri at Canterbury Reach is amazing, so welcoming and can’t do enough for you would definitely recommend here for a lovely peaceful break

Fantastic experience: Fabulously clean stunning views

Negative experience: DO NOT BUY!!! Almost 3 years here and their customer service is diabolical! We had our decking furniture stolen and 4 other owners stuff stolen too in lockdown despite £730 in security fees alone. Karen Maddock appears to have no empathy as a legal secretary to Drew Campbell the Operations Director. Won’t listen to customer feedback or respond in an empathetic way. Very very sad as we love it here and thought customer lifetime value was worth more I am so secure in the knowledge I run my business with the heart of my patients in it. Trust, loyalty & Collaboration. Shame Darwin couldn’t share that especially since Covid! Customers will remember how they are treated since lockdown. Approach with caution unless you are happy to be treated with total disregard. Darwin have forgotten their WHY in business. Just want your money and do nothing for it!

Fantastic experience: The place was lovely very clean and tidy , staff were very welcoming and polite. Not much to do as we went in March ? Mustve been out off season i wish someone would of advised us.

Positive experience: We used to own a holiday lodge here, the site was good, the lodge was better but some of the staff at Darwin leave much to be desired. Sales staff are very helpful but we didn't like some of the other management.

Negative experience: This review is for Darwin Escapes holiday park at Talacre Beach. We did contact the Darwin Escapes company and they never responded to us. They do not even have a phone number that works.. seems a bit shady and we won't stay at their sites again! We were very disappointed in our stay and do not recommend. We paid for "premium" accommodation, as we have a little baby and we needed extra stuff. It was in a very bad state. The washing machine handle was broken off!! Management kept saying they were going to fix it but never did. Then they tried to give us a travel cot which had mismatched pieces and wasn't safe!! As well the view was terrible and the furniture and mattresses were saggy and seemed old. We expected much better quality from a Darwin Escapes park. We have stayed in many caravan parks and unfortunately this was our worst experience.

Fantastic experience: Good. Great events in the evening

Negative experience: Had the worst holiday of my life at Cheddar Woods. No hot water for 27 hours!! Toilet leaking from the sewage pipe. Took 27 hours to move us only to find another broken toilet that hadn't been cleaned and was covered in vomit/diahorreah. Shameful customer service. I will never go near this place again. In response to Darwin Escapes response NO the issues were not resolved. The complimentary meal was given to us while we were waiting for you to find alternative accomadtion as there were no lodges available. This was 27 hours after the issues were reported to you. I did not accept the pittance of a 20% refund but you refused to do anything else despite the majority of our 3 day holiday being completely ruined.

Fantastic experience: Great holiday park and company