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Self-catering Lodges by the Lake, with private hot tub, own boat and log burner and superfast broadband. We have one, two and three bedroom lodges. Great for a family break with a well behaved dog. Enjoy walking, relaxing, spa treatments in your lodge? Enjoy the open countryside then look no further. Book online, by email or phone.
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This was our second visit here and absolutely perfect! We arrived Friday pm for my husbands birthday and on entering the lodge everything was just so lovely. Bottle fizz in the fridge treats for the dog. The place was spotless and so well equipped. The views are great over the lough . Sitting in the hot tub in total tranquility was bliss. We also took a short trip into centre of Carlisle for a fab lunch at Penny Blue restaurant (dog friendly too). Great weekend loved every minute. Nigel McGrath
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Date of stay: January 2024
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Take your wellies!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Nicholas Kitttoe, Owner at The Tranquil Otter
Responded 14 Jan 2024
Well, Nigel, that was great. We’re so glad that you were happy and that you enjoyed your visit to our friends, the Harrison’s restaurant. Come back soon. It seems you had everything you wanted, but if there should be anything else, of course, don’t hesitate to let us know. See you soon. Thank you. NICK, Owner.
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Stayed here for 5 nights in Egret Lodge recently from end April. The lodge itself is spot on and has everything you could need. A 2 bedroom lodge with en-suite loo and shower room, with another bedroom at the other side of the living room with two bathrooms leading off it. One bathroom being a huge wet room with shower, the third has a sauna and a roll top bath (which I filled with cold water for a plunge pool!) The kitchen is very well equipped and you really don't need to take anything with you. The living room is comfortable with a view on to the decking and the lake (bring your binoculars). Outside there is a large decking with hot tub; table and chairs; there is a large grassed area to the lake. The lodge is quite private and not really overlooked. The place itself is very peaceful, and it was lovely to sit with a coffee (from the Tassimo machine) in the morning watching the wildlife on the lake. We had a lot of problems with the hot tub during our stay which after consultation with management was resolved to our satisfaction and the fact that it was resolved is one of the main reasons we decided to re-book for later on in the year. Before rebooking I did look at various other lodges with hot tubs but almost all that were on offer/available were like large caravan parks and very crammed together. So while this location is more expensive than others Tranquil Otter is indeed tranquil and if you like space and top of the range furnishings then this is the place for you.
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Date of stay: April 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Nicholas Kittoe, Owner at The Tranquil Otter
Responded 8 Jun 2021
Thank you for such a wonderful review. We are happy to hear you had a lovely stay. We would like to apologise again for the issues with the hot tub and are glad to hear that it was resolved to your satisfaction. It is fantastic news that you have decided to book with us again and we can't wait to welcome you back. Warm regards, Grace
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Just wanted to thank the Tranquil Otter for our recent stay. We had a great time at Buzzard lodge, relaxing in the hot tub, rowing our boat on the water and exploring the walk around the lough.
We stayed at Buzzard lodge for 4 nights in May. The 2 bedroom (4 person) lodge was perfect for me, my husband (who uses a wheelchair) and my mum. We had been looking for wheelchair accessible accomodation in a quiet location as we get used to lockdown restrictions lifting.
The tranquil otter website was really helpful as each lodge has a virtual tour. I was able to look at all the lodges and decide which worked best for us. I also emailed and spoke to staff with questions before booking and in the run up to our stay. All queries were answered quickly.
One thing that was a bit confusing was that Buzzard lodge is rated as M1 on the NAS access rating. This means it is suitable for someone that can use steps. I spent a while looking for the steps on the lodge virtual tour, to realise that the only steps were those from the outdoor deck to the lakeside. So don't be put off by the ratings guide.
Buzzard included a bedroom that was big enough for a wheelchair to get in, an accessible main bathroom with the handrails we needed and also was closest to the lake so great views, especially from the outdoor deck. There was also enough space to wheel around the main living area once we moved a few things around. The outdoor deck could be accessed from outside by a ramp and also directly from the main lounge area. There is a fold down chair in the main shower, but we also requested a shower wheelchair when we booked.
Parking for the lodge is about 10 metres away. We have a big estate car and it took a bit of time to work out the best way to park without encroaching into the space for the next lodge, but also leaving space for wheelchair access between the car and the lodge.
Away from the lodge there is a walk around the lough. This took about 45 mins to walk around. Although the walk is level and wide enough for a wheelchair, it can get muddy and a bit bumpy. An all terain wheelchair or scooter would have no issues.
The outdoor deck was great for relaxing and watching the wildlife. Lots of ducks, geese and a few swans as well. There were also lots of birds, including a woodpecker. We also heard the owl hooting on an evening.
We ventured out for a few trips. I would recommend Watchtree Nature Reserve which has wheelchair accessible walks and also some great wheelchair accessible bikes for hire. Talkin Tarn also has a wheelchair accessible walk around the tarn.
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Date of stay: May 2021
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:use the virtual tours to get a good idea of the lodges layout and location
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Nicholas Kittoe, Owner at The Tranquil Otter
Responded 19 May 2021
Thank you for taking the time to write us a great review, we are glad to hear that the virtual tours on our website were useful to you and that you had a lovely time in Buzzard Lodge. Regarding the parking arrangements, we have thought and are thinking about what we could do to improve this without taking up all our green space with parking. So any ideas would be appreciated. We hope that you enjoyed your time here and in the local area, we would love to welcome you all back soon. King regards, Grace
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This is the second stay at the Tranquil Otter and it just gets better and better. We absolutely love it here. We chose tranquil otter first time around due to the 5* accessible facilities, mums disabled but doesn’t want to stay at a typical “accessible” stay. Tranquil otter doesn’t give you that feel, it’s home from home, everything needed is provided and catered for! It’s warm, cosy and exceptionally clean. The beds are really comfortable and the lodges are spacious, perfect for a wheelchair. Nothing is too much trouble for Tazeem And the gang, they are just a phone call away should you need anything. First time around we used the mobility scooter with mum to travel around the grounds, this was a couple of years back now, we phoned and asked if this was available again and they told us it hasn’t been used for a long while but they would get it ready for us, in an hour it was charged and ready!! That was amazing, thank you so much. We paid for extra logs as we love the log fire going, they were placed in the log hut outside the kitchen door, no trouble! The hot tub is checked every morning and tended to, it’s a perfect added bonus to sit in the hot tub and look at the perfect view! There’s a reason it’s 5* and it’s a 5* service you get! Can not wait to return.
Oh! The boat at the lake is brilliant! We had great fun rowing around ☺️
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Date of stay: October 2020Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We stayed 3 nights at the a Tranquil Otter end April/early May and had a great time.
We were a family of 2 adults and a baby and stayed in the Gadwell lodge - very spacious, clean and fitted out with everything we needed.
Nice large decking area with huge hot tub overlooking the lake.
Very covid safe - contactless entry, immaculate bedding / towels and hot tub water changed between stays and checked daily.
The place itself is lovely with a nice walk through the woods around the lake.
Would recommend.
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Date of stay: May 2021Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Nicholas Kittoe, Owner at The Tranquil Otter
Responded 19 May 2021
Thank you for your feedback. It is appreciated by all of our team, who have made it possible to welcome all guests back after lock down and we are glad that you recognized our COVID safety measures. We hope to see you back soon. Warm Regards Grace
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My girlfriend and I stayed in Buzzard Lodge for a weekend in February and we could not have been happier with our experience. A short drive away from Carlisle and we were immersed in nature. The wooden lodge gave an instant warm, cosy feel that we had hoped for. On opening the doors to our private deck we were greeted with a variety of birdsong. The views across The Lough were stunning; even more so during the early morning hours or as the Sun set of an evening. All of this could be admired from our private hot tub which was spotless. The location is excellent for those who enjoy stargazing and astrophotography owing to the dark skies.
The lodge itself was very clean and warm on arrival which was much appreciated given the cold outdoor temperatures that weekend. We were provided with plenty of logs and firelighters for the log burner which really added to the cosy atmosphere.
There was an excellent selection of cooking utensils, pots, pans etc - everything you would need. The dishwasher was also a welcome convenience.
The bed was very comfortable and our room came equipped with a Bluetooth speaker.
There is a short walk (approximately 1 mile) around The Lough which is well worth doing and offers some excellent viewing areas to watch the wildlife.
For the more adventurous types, the private boat offers an opportunity to get closer to the wildlife and appreciate the nature reserve from another viewpoint.
We felt like we had the entire reserve to ourselves and I would highly recommend The Tranquil Otter to anyone considering a peaceful break immersed in nature.
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Date of stay: February 2022
Value
Rooms
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Guest Care, Guest Services / Front Office at The Tranquil Otter
Responded 15 Mar 2022
Hello TC0W4RD, Thank you for such a great review! We are very happy that you enjoyed your stay and we would love to see you back to enjoy our reserve some more. Many thanks, Grace
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We came and stayed at the Tranquil Otter for a couple of nights after our wedding. It was an amazing way to start married life! The lady that greeted us had a huge smile and was very welcoming. The lodge was spotless and set up to a high standard. The kitchen was well equipped. The hot tubs are checked and maintained daily by the friendly staff and overlook the most stunning lake. The local walks are well sign posted and there is an abundance of wildlife. The highlight of our stay for me was that you have you own private little boat to explore the lake with. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and are already looking at going back for our first anniversary!
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Date of stay: February 2020
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Tazeem Abbas, General Manager at The Tranquil Otter
Responded 16 Apr 2020
Dear 952naomia Thank you for taking the time to review your stay with us. We hope that you are keeping well and look forward to welcoming you again. All the best Tazeem
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Just back from a 6 night stay and we can't wait to go back. The lodge was beautiful and had everything you could need. We often stay in lodges around the UK and this is the first we have been in where we have not wanted for anything at all. There is a lovely walk around the lake where you can find a bird hide complete with binoculars.
The attention to detail in the lodge was lovely; a complimentary tray of tea, coffee, biscuits etc along side a pint of milk in the fridge - perfect for when you first arrive for a drink before settling in, plenty of towels, a wet room with shower and bath and a smart TV with all apps downloaded twinned with a sound bar for perfect movie watching.
The place is so peaceful, only the ducks to be heard. We saw the odd few people about through the week but heard no one. The staff who we did see (who came to check the hot tub daily and who were working on site) were friendly.
This is a perfect place for a quiet getaway and we would recommend it to anyone.
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Date of stay: September 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Remember bread for the ducks!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Nicholas Kittoe, Owner at The Tranquil Otter
Responded 21 Sept 2021
Odette, Thank you. We are pleased to hear you had a wonderful time and that you appreciated the attention to detail within the lodge. We hope you will return for a perfect, peaceful getaway again soon. Thank you once again. Grace
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Stayed here with a party of 7 in the Lough House at the beginning of July. The property is stunning. Very nice quality and plenty of space. I think we were the first family to stay here after reopening from the Covid lockdown. Cleanliness was outstanding. Surprised we’ve had no follow up from the owners / manager after our stay to check everything was ok. Whilst overall we were very impressed with everything we would like to point out some details that would have made things better. No hairdryers were in the house, with 4 adult females in our party it made things difficult, if they had told us we could have brought our own. There were no dishes / trays for use in the oven. This made cooking quite difficult. The property was advertised as having a brick barbecue, only barbecue was a rusty tin thing with holes in, completely unusable. Given the price we paid I think it would have been reasonable to expect these things to be taken care of.
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Date of stay: July 2020Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Tazeem Abbas, General Manager at The Tranquil Otter
Responded 31 Aug 2020
Dear AlanPMK thank you for your feedback. I'm sorry about the hairdryers. We took out all hairdryers, ironing boars, irons and throws out of the accommodation on advice because of the ability to sanitise them. This was included in the communication, however, it has become clear that guests have not been accessing the online information and like you were unaware that we had removed these items. We have started to put these back and sanitising these as best we can. Kind regards Tazeem
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Alder Lodge itself is beautiful, but the service fell short for us. We went to the tranquil otter to celebrate my 50th birthday. It was expensive, and as it was rated 5 star by visit England we expected a level of service that reflected the price. We were left a little disappointed. The boat that the kids were so looking forward to using, was supposed to be cleaned ahead of our arrival. However it had a good 5 inches of water in it when we accessed the property, and was impossible to empty out given its' position in the water. It remained un-useable throughout our stay, despite us asking for help and/or advice to empty it. The hot tub was too cold for us to use when we first got there (although it did heat up enough to be able to use it much later on that night), the pre-paid duck food and extra logs were missing on arrival. The toiletries that are listed as provided upon booking, were old, dented, worn bottles with very little in them, and only body wash and hand wash were provided (no shampoo, conditioner or body lotion as we had expected) so we had to go out and buy. There were lots of dust webs (expected in some areas given the type of property) but even those that were easily accessible to clean (around the bed head and above the hob) were missed by housekeeping.
On one of the days the manger blocked car access to and from the lodge with a lorry unloading a container for at least 2hrs with no prior warning. This meant we could not take the car out and do our planned trip. We were only there three full days so this did impact on our stay quite a bit. All of these (and some other smaller niggles) took the edge off the experience. When you are paying that much money you expect more attention to detail. At least we did. We travel to Lakes and surrounding area a lot, and like to champion small independent businesses, so didn't want to leave a negative review. Instead we offered feedback on these points privately, but surprisingly the owner was extremely unreceptive, and doesn't tie in with other reviews here.. I would even go as far to say he was obtuse and dismissive. Hence this review. Such a shame, it left us feeling negative towards what is a beautiful lodge. This place could be five star, with just a little more attention and customer-focused approach. I wish the owners good luck in the future, and hope they take our feedback as a means to improve their customer service.
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Date of stay: January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Guest Care, Guest Services / Front Office at The Tranquil Otter
Responded 20 Feb 2023
Thank you, Andy, for your thoughtful comments. You and we have already discussed these points. I must mention that we had confirmation only yesterday from visit England that we have won their five-star award from VE for another year. I apologise for appearing not to have understood your points or to have taken them sufficiently seriously. In fact anything that disappoints a guest is of great concern to us; so, in response we have taken measures to monitor toiletry bottles and the supply of bird food more carefully. Fortunately, the delivery of a container to our site is a once-in-a-decade event, if that! Its unannounced arrival presented us with a dilemma as to whether to disturb you while you appeared to be still resting or simply to unload the container as quickly and quietly as possible. We did knock on your door quietly but chose the latter course - as it happened, getting it wrong. I hope we can persuade you to return when we shall make sure to allow you a holiday that you will make it up for you. Nicholas Kittoe - Owner
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Hi, there is a very limited bus timetable. We recommend local taxi companies to get into Carlisle if you do not have a car or don't want to drive. Hope this helps.
Perth, United Kingdom72 contributions50 helpful votes
Can’t recall seeing a site layout plan but we booked on the basis of how many rooms.
We had a lodge right next to ours but you wouldn’t of known when inside or out on the deck .... not overlooked except by the ducks and swans!!
Hope this helps 😊
There are more places to choose from in the Thurstonfield area.
ALSO KNOWN AS
the tranquil otter hotel carlisle
LOCATION
United KingdomEnglandCumbriaCarlisleThurstonfield
NUMBER OF ROOMS
8
Prices are provided by our partners for one room, with variable occupancy rules as provided by the property, and reflect nightly room rates, including all taxes and fees known to our partners. Please see our partners for more details.
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