We bought 22 Barend in July 2022. The previous owners had obviously cared for the lodge, but there were some improvements we wanted to make straight away. The first significant change we made was to rename it “Serenity”; it was called “Milvus Lodge” before (Milvus is a genus of medium-sized birds of prey). After considering a few different names, we settled on “Serenity” as it captures the feeling of the location and what we look for, to get away from the hustle and bustle of life.
It’s our intention to make some changes to the lodge listed below, which we hope you’ll appreciate, particularly if you’ve stayed here before.
We can’t promise how quickly all of this will happen, but we’ll add a post when jobs are completed. Hopefully we’ll remember to take before and after pictures, so that you can see the improvements!
Some of the improvements we’ve already made (or are considering)
Suggestions & Feedback
We’re also happy to consider improvements in response to feedback from guests; so if you think we should prioritise anything below, or you’ve stayed in the lodge before and have ideas or suggestions, let us know!
More Comfortable Seats
We’d like to change the 2 sofas for a corner sofa big enough to accommodate all guests. We’re trying to find something suitable, comfortable and large enough – without being too big!
Update Balcony/Balcony Furniture
It’s great to be able to sit outside for a meal or to enjoy a cuppa. We’ve added chairs and are looking for new replacement furniture so that you can better enjoy outside dining.
Front Door
We’d like to have a small window in the front door to let some more light into the hallway.
Kitchen
The Kitchen was updated fairly recently, but we plan to redo/expand it slightly, and possibly add a washing machine.
Bathroom
The bathroom was done to a good standard, but we’d like to modernise and improve it.
Decor & Lighting
We like the natural wood and log cabin feel, but we also like the Scandinavian fresh and light style. We stayed in an Airbnb in Denmark once (we recommend Denmark and Legoland) that gave us some inspiration for this.
We’ll add some pictures and decoration in keeping with the lodge and location.
We’re also thinking about updating the flooring so that it’s practical and comfortable, as well as changing light fittings throughout the lodge.
Furniture & Fittings
Apart from the additional bed, we’re also planning to change furniture gradually so that more of it matches and is to our taste. We also want to replace some of the door furniture.
Insulation
The lodge feels warm and cosy; we stayed in the middle of winter and were too warm at times! However, we’d like to make sure that the lodge is as energy efficient as possible, so we’re looking for ways to improve the insulation.
Things we’ll monitor…
A good night’s sleep is high on our list of priorities when we’re away (actually all the time!), so we want all the beds to be comfortable for our guests. The beds and mattresses were upgraded not long ago, but we’ll keep an eye on them. Not everyone has the same idea of what makes a comfortable bed, but we’ll make sure that the beds and mattresses are in good condition, and hope that you like the same firmness that we do!
Completed Improvements
Landing
Although the open plan bedroom at the top of the stairs was great for a feeling of space, the lack of privacy restricted the use of the room a little, so we’ve created a landing at the top of the stairs. This means that more guests can have their own space when staying at the lodge.
However, we wanted as much light as possible for the landing and hallway, so we’ve had privacy glass instead of wood panelling. This allows lots of light through, but means that those in the room can’t be seen.
Master Bedroom En-suite
One of our first priorities was to have an extra shower. When up to 8 are sharing a house, it helps with harmony if there’s more than 1 fully equipped bathroom! The problem was that there didn’t seem to be any room to fit a shower in! However, with a bit of adjustment to the staircase ceiling, we’re pleased to say that in Oct ’23 the en-suite was re-fitted with new bathroom furniture and a shower.
…before
After…
An extra bed upstairs
When we bought the lodge, it had 7 beds, we’ve added an 8th, so it’s now perfect for large families or holidays with friends.
Fibre broadband
We’ve upgraded the internet to a full fibre superfast connection.