Fairwood Lakes: Off Grid, On-Point

Hey,

Wow, this place has changed…

Fairwood Lakes: off grid, on-point

We just love visiting a new partner location for the first time.

Initially, we do our very best to leave any experience and bias at the gate and turn up with curiosity and tourist eyes.

We set off to Fairwood Lakes with fairly high expectations and gosh, we were right to. Matt had visited before and the first words out of his mouth were, 'wow….this place has changed'.

Pre arrival comms made sure we knew our lodge numbers, barrier access code and safe lock box numbers for our lodges which made everything feel dead easy.

Despite knowing the above, we popped into reception to say hello to Lainey. She was an absolute delight. Huge smile, warmest welcome and genuinely made us feel like nothing was too much bother. Her passion for the park shines through and what’s lovely is that it wasn't just for our benefit, so many reviews say the same and we just love that.

We parked up and made our way to our lodges and honestly, there’s this instant, “oooh this is very nice” feeling. The park feels boujee and upmarket but there’s no denying the closeness to nature and sense of peace.

The little carts to take your luggage to your lodge are a nice touch and the free EV charging gets a huge thumbs up from us.

We approached our lodges via the boardwalk area. The lodges we stayed in are EcoHabs units thoughtfully designed modular homes created from repurposed shipping containers. It’s not in your face or ‘try hard’ but it’s cool, and instantly feels quirky and unique. When we got into our lodges there were a few raised eyebrows and approving nods between us both.

These lodges in this setting are very special. We both knew it.

Cleanliness standards were exceptional thanks to the Godfrey Group and the wonderful housekeeping team headed up by Izzy, who was another smiley, passionate team member to meet. The WiFi was ace thanks to Infinium, it’s always such a gift when there’s brilliant WiFi that enables us to catch up and join calls etc. With partnerships like this in place, we know we're in good company here.

A tad windy but the sun was blazing so we met Lainey for a tour. Not sure why but I expected Fairwood Lakes to be bigger, it's more intimate than you might expect. But that's entirely the point, everything is perfectly considered, the spacing, the views, the water and the greenery. The off-grid, in nature feeling instantly hits you and the sense of peace is undeniable.

We stayed in Woodland Lodges but we had a nose at the Floating Lodge and the Water Side Fishing lodges… it’s no wonder they’re so booked up. Absolutely stunning.

We had a brilliant catch up with Rebecca to talk about plans and activity and we felt full of energy. Elysium Retreats is an operator with a punch. They’ve got ambition, they’re innovative, genuinely sustainability focused and they’re fast paced. You can’t help but feel excited for their future, they’re exactly the type of operator we love working with. Most importantly though, they’re so customer focused and that was evident in the amount of time we spent with Rebecca talking about experience, standards and a desire from them for our honest feedback. We always get buzzing speaking with our partners about guest experience and ways to break the mould. Rebecca shares that view so we could’ve talked for hours on this point.

After several failed attempts to get the drone up, we captured some pictures and video then headed to Flourish. A beautiful farm shop just a few miles away. The team told us about a few beautiful pubs nearby but this time, we just wanted to spend time experiencing the park. Stocked up with goodies for tea and breakfast we headed back. A bit of work, a glass of wine and captured more content.

One of my gripes when staying in self catering accommodation is not being able to cook properly. But not here, the kitchen was great and well equipped with everything I needed to rustle up something for tea.

In full holiday mode, we lit the outdoor fire then walked around the park as the sun set. Strategically placed fairy lights make the place look and feel magical, that upmarket, glamping vibe is real. As the sun set and the wind died down we threw up the drone, which had a crash landing (apparently the drone doesn’t like reversing into trees). It marginally missed the lake so no harm was done and worth it, because this place is as beautiful at night as it is through the day.

We toasted some marshmallows, then got our heads down. I’m on record for being a bed snob and honestly, the bed, the pillows…high five from me. I was out like a light.

The sun continued to shine the next day and the lodge was filled with light thanks to the full glass front. When you open the doors, all you can hear is birds chirping and the sense of peace and nature hits you again. The perfect place to enjoy breakfast alfresco, followed by a partner call before we hit the road.

A brilliant couple of days exploring this beaut of a location and properly getting a feel for the Elysium Retreats experience. It’s safe to say that we cannot wait to return. We’re beyond lucky that we get to visit beautiful locations like this and spend time with brilliant people that share our passion.

Til next time….

Stacey & Matt