Why I Think Luxury Lodge Holidays Work: A Lincolnshire Perspective
I live in Lincolnshire, and lodge holidays are something I genuinely understand from a customer's point of view.
We tend to book one once or twice a year.
For me, there is something about a lodge break that sits in a sweet spot between going away and still having all the space and comfort you want.
I've stayed in and looked at plenty of holiday accommodation around this part of the country over the years. Caravans absolutely have their place, but when I want a proper break, I personally prefer a lodge.
More space. More privacy. Somewhere everyone can actually sit together. A proper kitchen. Outdoor space. And, increasingly, those extra touches such as hot tubs, saunas and beautiful waterside settings that make a couple of nights away feel a little more special.
That's one of the reasons Kilvington Lakes caught my attention.
Not just from a property perspective, but as someone who could genuinely imagine booking this type of accommodation.
Lodge Holidays Have Changed
The UK lodge holiday isn't necessarily the basic self-catering break people might picture.
At the upper end of the market, some lodges now feel much closer to private holiday homes.
That's certainly what I look for.
If we're going away for a couple of days, I want enough space that we're not all sitting on top of each other. I want somewhere comfortable in the evening, somewhere nice outside and ideally something that makes the property itself part of the break.
Kilvington Lakes has several of those things.
The South Lake lodges have three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a large open-plan living area, wraparound decking, a log burner and private sauna.
They can accommodate up to eight people.
And they're directly beside the water.
For me, that last point makes a considerable difference.
Being on the Water Changes the Experience
My husband fishes.
So I already know how appealing a lakeside lodge can be when one person loves fishing and the other person perhaps has slightly different ideas about what constitutes a relaxing weekend!
He can enjoy the lake.
I can enjoy the lodge.
Everybody wins.
Joking aside, I think that's an important part of the appeal of this type of accommodation.
You're not relying entirely on attractions outside the development to give people a reason to visit. The setting itself becomes part of the holiday.
Wake up overlooking the water. Sit outside with a coffee. Go for a walk. Spend an afternoon fishing. Come back to the sauna. Light the log burner when it's cold.
You don't necessarily need a packed itinerary.
Sometimes the entire point is not having one.
They're Big Enough for Families to Share
Another thing that immediately stood out to me about the Kilvington lodges is their size.
They accommodate up to eight guests across three bedrooms.
That creates possibilities that a smaller holiday property simply doesn't have.
I can easily imagine two families taking one lodge for a weekend or short break rather than booking separate accommodation.
You have the communal living space to spend time together, but enough room for the break not to feel cramped.
And that's particularly relevant when you're comparing the cost of accommodation.
Holiday accommodation in established Lincolnshire destinations such as Skegness isn't necessarily cheap, particularly during popular dates. Larger or more premium properties can command substantially more than people sometimes expect from a UK break.
I'm not suggesting that automatically translates into a particular rental figure for Kilvington Lakes. It doesn't.
But it does demonstrate why a large, premium UK lodge capable of accommodating a group is an interesting proposition.
And It Isn't Just About Families
Actually, I think that's one of the most interesting things about a property like this.
I can picture several completely different types of stay.
A family holiday is the obvious one.
But so is a couple escaping for a quiet weekend.
Two couples going away together.
A fishing break.
Parents and grandparents taking the children away.
Or a group of friends wanting a couple of days somewhere beautiful where they can eat, drink, talk and relax without needing to go anywhere.
Personally, I can absolutely imagine a girls' weekend here.
Nice food. A few bottles of wine. Sauna. Lake views. Nobody arguing about who is driving home.
The same physical property can potentially appeal to very different guests for very different reasons.
Why Space Matters to Me
One of the reasons I choose lodges over caravans for our own breaks is simply space.
That might sound like a small detail, but after a day or two it isn't.
Having a proper living area changes how a group uses a holiday property. People can spread out. You can cook properly. You can sit around a table. You don't necessarily have to go out for every meal.
And when the weather does what British weather inevitably does, having a property you're happy to spend time inside becomes even more important.
At Kilvington Lakes, the current South Lake lodge provides approximately 108.23m² of accommodation.
That's a substantial amount of space for a UK short break.
Could Kilvington Lakes Work as Holiday Accommodation?
This is where I'd separate my personal opinion from an investment projection.
I can see the guest appeal.
That isn't the same as guaranteeing rental performance.
Any buyer considering rental income would need proper information about whether and how their particular ownership arrangement permits rentals, how bookings would be managed, what charges apply, likely seasonal demand and the costs involved.
Comparable accommodation and actual booking data would also need to be assessed before making any financial assumptions.
But purely from the perspective of someone who books lodge breaks herself, I can understand the proposition.
A large lodge.
Three bedrooms.
Space for up to eight.
A private sauna.
A 230-acre countryside setting.
And, perhaps most importantly, a position directly beside the lake.
Those are tangible things guests can understand when deciding where to spend a weekend.
A Local Alternative to the Traditional Lincolnshire Break
Living in Lincolnshire, we're surrounded by an enormous holiday market.
Skegness and the Lincolnshire coast have attracted holidaymakers for generations, while places such as Tattershall have helped establish the market for lodge-style breaks in the county.
Kilvington offers something different again.
It's over the border in Nottinghamshire, near Newark-on-Trent, and the proposition is considerably more low-density: a 230-acre private estate and nature reserve with just 34 residences planned around South Lake.
It's quieter.
More private.
And much more focused on the landscape.
For some guests, that's exactly the point.
Would I Stay Here?
Yes.
And that's probably the simplest way I can describe why I find Kilvington Lakes interesting.
When I look at property professionally, I can analyse the price, ownership structure, specification and potential market.
But when I look at holiday accommodation, there's another question I always think matters:
Would I actually want to stay there?
In this case, I would.
I'd take the family.
I'd happily go as a couple.
I'd go with friends.
And if my husband disappeared off fishing for most of the weekend while I sat overlooking the lake enjoying the peace and quiet, I certainly wouldn't complain.
That doesn't tell an investor what return they'll make.
But it does tell you something about the product.
Sometimes the best holiday properties are the ones where the accommodation isn't simply somewhere you stay while visiting the destination.
The property is part of the destination.
And that's what I think Kilvington Lakes gets right.
More About Kilvington Lakes
If you're considering Kilvington Lakes from a property rather than holidaymaker perspective, we've looked at it in much more detail elsewhere on Overseas Property Insider.
Explore Inside Kilvington Lakes: The 230-Acre Private Lakeside Estate →
Read our Guide to Fractional Ownership at Kilvington Lakes →
Explore UK Property on Overseas Property Insider →
Current Kilvington Lakes property opportunities and availability can also be viewed through International Property Alerts.
View Kilvington Lakes with International Property Alerts →
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This article contains personal opinion and observations based on my own experience of UK lodge holidays. It should not be interpreted as a forecast or guarantee of rental demand, occupancy, income or investment performance. Prospective purchasers should carry out their own due diligence and obtain appropriate professional advice.
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