2 Bed in Brecon oc-59734

Lovely stay in beautiful lodge in an old apple orchard.

Pros: Very well designed, compact, contemporary lodge set in an old apple and pear orchard in the centre of Talgarth. We spent whole evenings just watching the dusk fall, listening to the wildlife and marvelling at the colours of the trees. The highlight was the wood-fired hot tub with plenty of wood and kindling available for our use. We soaked in it every night after doing a 3 day art course. It's easy to use and keeps its temperature quite well once you've got it up the right level. But make sure you stir the water around or the top half will be warm and the bottom half will be cold! Good quality bed linens, duvets and towels were much appreciated. Well-equipped kitchen with nice china and good pots and pans. Full laundry facilities plus a standalone freezer. They've obviously invested heavily in kitting the place out. I would definitely like to return.

Cons: Most of these are minor things for the owners to fix that detracted from me giving top marks. 1. the underfloor heating didn't work for the first day and we had to ask for the manager to come in to get it working, which she did while we were out. Very grateful. 2. The lighting in the main living space is poor and it's hard to create a cosy atmosphere. Too bright, too high and no dimmers or lower level lamps. 3. No cooking basics such as salt and pepper which seems an omission in a relatively expensive rental when it is so easy to provide and leave for all guests to use. 3. Bathroom is poorly planned. The shower soaks the floor however hard you try, the sink is way too big for the size of the room and the toilet nearly blocks the door. It's also got damp issues and needs some good maintenance. 5. Finally, we had to strip our own beds when we left which suddenly made it feel like a staying at a school camp! I've never been asked to do that in a rental that costs £250 a night! 6. No proactive contact from manager on arrival to check all was ok. A quick phone call makes a huge difference. I've run my own successful holiday let for over 10 years and am only sharing these suggestions because they are all so easy to fix and would get this property much higher scores.