Our Babymoon at Darwin Escapes

A while ago we were lucky enough to go on a little babymoon before baby Owen-Gibson joins us in April and I couldn’t not share the adventure with you (our latest bump update is here if you would like to catch up). Firstly, let me just say I have a bit of a love hate relationship with the phrase babymoon (it seems to have a mixture of positive and negative views). Some people assume it’s just being used as a nice excuse to swan off to the Maldives for some extravagant holiday and to be honest if that’s what works for you then why not. For me on the other hand, a babymoon was all about spending quality time together and making the most of being a couple. Before long baby Owen-Gibson will be joining us and our relationship will change completely as we grow into a family of three. Our family dynamic will change and finding time to spend together will be a bit harder and require more planning, so why not make the most of the last few weeks and months we have just as the two of us.

What did we want from our babymoon?

When we decided we wanted to go on a babymoon, we started researching what we were looking for and what we wanted to get out of the break away. We both agreed that we wanted somewhere relaxing that we could just go for walks, enjoy being outdoors, eat good food and just be together. It was my suggestion to stay in the UK, mainly because having a baby can be pretty pricey and we had not long been on a holiday to Cyprus. I wasn’t really craving that beach holiday vibe and I felt that there were so many places here at home that we could go to explore and relax.

I started searching high and low for cottages, airbnb’s, log cabins, tree houses and every other type of holiday accommodation you can think of and then remembered I had seen someone mention Darwin Escapes on Instagram a few months ago. Darwin Escapes is a luxury holiday park company with 22 different parks across the UK. I quickly googled them and instantly fell in love with their lodges and knew that it was the perfect place for us to try. We managed to get a 3 night deal in one of their lodges just outside Bath. This was an ideal spot for us as there was plenty to do in the local and surrounding areas and it wasn’t too far from home (I didn’t want to sit in the car for hours on end as I find it a bit uncomfortable at the moment).

About Bath Mill Lodge Retreat

We pulled up at Bath Mill Lodge Retreat and instantly fell in love. The winding road accompanied by a lovely stream lead up to the reception area that also housed a gym, bar and bistro. We were checked in straight away, welcomed with drinks and given our little souvenir tin suitcase filled with all the need to know information about the place.

The lodges were broken down into 2 gated areas and you were given a unique code to access the area that your lodge was in. The lodges can sleep 2 people (like ours) up to 8 people as far as I know. Each lodge has its own parking and is pet friendly too! 

Our 2 person self-catering studio style lodge was exactly what we needed. There was a cosy living area with a fire place so that we could sit and relax in the evenings, a super king size bed which meant I didn’t wake Ryan up with my fidgeting and a huge bathroom with a big shower, double sinks and a bath which I made full use of every evening. Being the smallest of the lodges we did not have a full kitchen, however there was a kettle, toaster, microwave and a fridge freezer; which was perfect for us for the few days we were there (the bigger lodges have full self-catering kitchens).  The lodges were beautifully furnished with a modern country theme. It was warm, cosy and exactly what we wanted. Ryan was a big fan of the underfloor heating and was sad to come home to our boring and very cold kitchen tiles.

What we loved about Darwin Escapes

Not only were the staff extremely friendly and helpful, their facilities were also fantastic. The lodges themselves were exactly as advertised and just as beautiful as it looked on the website. Darwin Escapes have clearly thought of all the little details that make a break like this just a little bit easier. We entered our lodge to find robes and slippers on the bed and a little kitchen kit with rubbish bags, tea towels and washing up liquid – you know all those super useful things that you always forget to bring with you! We wandered down and ate at the restaurant one evening, which was lovely. Not only was it convenient, but the food was brilliant too. They also had a pizza delivery service, if you were too cosy to leave your lodge. 

Over the years we have stayed in a few different log cabins / lodges and they have all been nice, but Darwin Escapes has topped them all so far. So much so, that we would love to try a new location later in the year once baby Owen-Gibson has joined us. 

If you are pregnant and have the option to go on a babymoon I cannot recommend it enough. Whether you spend 2 weeks in the Caribbean or an overnight stay in the UK (or even just a day trip to wherever you would like to explore) it will definitely be worth it! It was lovely to spend quality time together, have a change of scenery and be able to fully enjoy relaxing and not having to do life admin, house chores and other boring things.

Have you ever stayed at Darwin Escapes before or would you like to? I would love to hear from you, so please leave me a comment down below!