The Lakes Rookley

The bar area was nice, the food was good, and our children had fun in the park. The arcade was small but adequate. Our accommodation smelled of cigarette smoke, even though the site itself was clean. Reception said they'd send someone with odour neutraliser, but that didn't happen until the next day, after we complained again. The pool is small but adequate, with bookings required and a limit of 20 people at a time. The changing facilities are poor: there's one room with 6-8 chairs and hooks, plus three more chairs between the shower and toilets. People changed in the toilets or shower cubicle, so there was a long wait if you needed the loo. We came over Easter, but bingo was the only entertainment. We weren't told this until we arrived, and we'd wanted activities for the kids. The site's central island location is useful at this time of year, when it's not really beach weather. In summer, I'd want beach access, since parking around the island is very expensive.

The site was peaceful, with lovely lakes and well-kept surroundings, and our caravan was clean, comfortable and had everything we needed for a relaxing break. We spent a wonderful 4 nights at The Lakes Rookley and would happily return. What really impressed us was the response when the gas failed after 10pm. We called the out-of-hours number, and a maintenance team member came over quickly and got it working again. Brilliant service, reliable and responsive. The location was great too, and the team clearly cares.

It's a peaceful, quiet spot at this time of year, and the laundry facilities were decent. The Co-op is just a 2 minute walk down the road. The caravan was a decent size, with pretty much everything you'd need for a couple weeks. The beds aren't the comfiest, but I still slept well. Its central location makes it easy to explore all the fascinating corners of the island.

The cottage was spacious and in a great location, but its cleanliness and facilities were very poor, and it didn't live up to what I expected or what was advertised. I arrived at 4:20 for the 4pm check-in and was told it wasn't ready; I might have to wait 20 minutes to an hour, which was awkward with food in the car. The woman at guest services was unhelpful and, frankly, rude. When I asked for a later checkout to make up for the delay, she said she didn't know and I should come back later. There was a broken plug and light in the living room, an awful smell from the fridge, visibly dirty skirting boards and floors, and mould in the bathroom. Other problems included almost nonexistent wifi and signal, sticky glue on the main bedroom walls, and broken jets and a light in the hot tub. It didn't feel like a luxury stay. I wouldn't return or recommend it to anyone.