Secret Island Yurt

We had a lovely stay at the Yurt it’s tucked away private and a luxury my one and only complaint is the awful plumbing job on the bath which led the water to flood out and we spent near an hour mopping up the floor and scooping water out the bath to then pour down the sink instead.

I’m not sure if the previous customers had broke and hence not reported but this should’ve been seen to and addressed… Other than this setback it was a 10/10 stay and lovely hosts would stay again.

Hi very pleasant place and loved it to chill out but I was not happy that it says on the add if you have booked online before to arrange booking direct to the person so I tryed that and had zero response atal and I even cleaned the place better than it was when me and my partner got thare and I even proposed to her thare and shy is know my wife so unless Sarah gets back to me and is nice to me again as I have done nothing wrong then I'm not going back thare but if shy gets back to me I will go back thare and book Through Sarah again kind regards Connor and Hannah

We really enjoyed our week at Secret Island Yurt - it was secluded, very relaxing and just what we needed and wanted.

Fishing and the use of the boat kept my husband happy and busy! Wildlife was great

The position and facilities were faultless but the porch area, windows and decking glass could be a little cleaner.

Overall, though, we had a great stay

Absolutely wonderful and magical !

Came here 10 years ago and always wanted to return as it was our favourite place to getaway :) We wondered if it would be as amazing as we remembered and it was actually even better, more beautiful, tranquil, almost surreal with the surroundings and absolutely perfect inside too! Absolutely perfect in every way and the owners were so incredibly helpful we can’t thank you enough

This is the ultimate in intimate getaways.

You are completely surrounded by the sounds of nature without the intrusion of technology - No WiFi - brilliant! Poor phone signal - bliss! If you simply can't do without the constant "chatter" from your devices - go somewhere else, but if you do want privacy and relaxation this place is literally perfection. Be prepared to see Kingfishers, Woodpeckers, Kites and Buzzards, Deer hirds all on your "back porch" and from the privacy of your own hot tub - where else can you get this experience? We've been all over the country and Europe, but we still come back to The Secret Island yurt and that has to count for something. Treat yourself to something special and tell me I am wrong if you can (and no, I am not a member of the owners family, just a very satisfied customer.)

Brilliant relaxing and romantic stay away in an idyllic location.

This is an absolutely amazing place to stay ,we stayed in the secret island yurt and it was really that ,we never saw another person only wildlife ,ducks ,black swans ,geese and lots more was wonderful, no wifi ,no tv ,although there is a projector screen and dvd player and an assortment of films .

We found the yurt clean and comfortable, a little dated but everything worked and it is glamping not a 5* hotel , There is a pub about 8 mins walk away and a coffee shop but no grocery stores close by so don’t forget to bring all your supplies . We would definitely come back it was an amazing place to be .

Great place, location and idea, our only feedback is that it seems the owners have given up on maintaining this property.

We saw the reviews on cleanliness etc. but decided to give the benefit of the doubt, unfortunately it didn’t pay off on this occasion. There was no effort put in to welcoming or preparing the yurt for guests which is such a shame as it really is an amazing spot.

Lovely place to stay and relax lake was beautiful and owner you never seen which is perfect but had no doubt would have been there if needed a problem solving would have no hesitation in booking again

Lovely time beautiful secluded site will return again.

Met property owners on arrival very helpful and friendly, could easily contact them were it needed.

Absolutely faultless.

Me and the Mrs had an amazing time. The secret island yurt was just brilliant and the location is perfect I’d like to thank Sarah and Dave for letting us stay in this amazing place and we will definitely be back!!

This is a fabulous property to stay in.

The location and access is brilliant.

1st stay, was amazing getting back to basics.

Cant wait to book our next visit. Everything was as it said and I have already told my friends they need to go and stay it was that amazing.

Although the yurt was clean it was a little shabby & could do with a little bit of TLC.

For example; the outer cupboard door of the fridge was not attached so you had to open the actual fridge by grabbing the top of the door. The yurt’s position on the island was lovely & secluded, & not having a TV or WiFi was quite refreshing as you really felt yourself relax & get away from everything.

Only met expectations as we have been at one of the yurts on about 11 ocassions and always had a fantastic stay.

Wonderful tranquil holiday.

We loved our stay in the Secret Island Yurt - it was a great place to switch off from the rest of the world and relax, but also well placed to do some exploring.

It was very peaceful and we enjoyed listening to the sounds of the wildlife such as ducks, geese and swans visiting the yurt each day. The yurt has good facilities - everything you need for a week away and it was great having a hot tub also. It was just as lovely in the sunshine as it was in the rain, so don't worry about what time of year you book a stay here.

We have been before so knew what to expect.

Not glamping .A few spiders and a bit of snagging all of which was sorted by Dave and Sara and handyman Dave too. We will be back next year .it’s a one off special place .

A truly wonderful location for a peaceful, secluded break for a couple.

The surroundings were spectacular and secluded and were as we'd expected.

The bedlinen was clean and fresh, and the toilet sink and bath were clean, as was the fridge and cooker. However the general cleanliness was lacking and the standard of the yurt was poor. Previous reviews have suggested that the yurt is in need of some TLC and that it was shabby.......this is in my opinion an understatement........dust, sticky handles, cobwebs and when we first walked in there was a strong odour. The outside furniture was dirty and would have needed to be cleaned thoroughly before we used it, which we were not prepared to do. At the very least we expected the property to be scrupulously clean, especially given current circumstances (global pandemic). We did not take this up with the owners, who live on site, as we felt that it was not something that could be put right in a couple of hours, and we did not feel that we wanted to have to unpack etc, or vacate the yurt for any length of time. In spite of this, we did enjoy the week, and the surrounding area is beautiful. Would certainly go back to this area, but not to this accommodation. I'd suggest that anyone considering making a booking, should read the reviews further back than this year, and also for the other yurts on the site. The problem of cleanliness seems to be a recurring theme, going back some time, and one which neither the owners nor Sykes cottages appears to have addressed.

The concept of a secret yurt on a lake enjoying the peace and tranquillity and the natural surroundings met all expectations and more.

However the accommodation needs a bit of tlc, it looks “tired” and in need of a thorough clean. That said, we did enjoy our week there. Of note, don’t expect a welcome pack or complimentary toiletries and do remember to take your hairdryer and dvd’s

It’s a great place and so special to be so secluded.

This outweighs the fact that the yurt is looking a little shabby which we weren’t expecting, but the fact that you are surrounded by nature and wake up to the birds and water every morning was lovely.

This was the best break away we have ever had, I mean it was so amazing and so perfect for me and my girlfriend and the perfect spot for me to propose to her, we were a bit late checking out yesterday morning but the owners was understanding and I explained the situation etc would love to go back one day would recommend this place to every one

The environment surrounding the Yurt is wonderful and being on the lake enables us to see all the wildlife.

I cannot overstate the enjoyment and relaxation we have in all our 9 visits in 10 years.

It is not a 10 only because there should be more flexibility from Sykes to manage/cancel/amend the bookings.

The yurt itself is brilliant and fulfilled all my expectations.

The Secret Island Yurt was everything that we had hoped for and more.

We were looking for a few days away with nothing to distract us from each other and the yurt was just perfect for this. There was everything that we needed and nothing more. The upstairs bedroom got a bit warm in the afternoons, but that's okay because there's an air conditioning unit up there. The conservatory on the front got a little chilly in the evenings, but that's okay because there's a little heater out there. The hot tub and log fired heater outside were brilliant and it was lovely to have a full size fridge-freezer, oven and induction hob. The lake outside was covered in wildlife and fascinating at any time of day. Not having a television was a lovely bonus!

It was a wonderful stay in an amazing location, absolutely perfect.

Cannot recommend it enough, if you are looking for a few days downtime to recharge your batteries this is the perfect place! 10 out of 10 from us!

Amazing location, perfect for getaway especially in current situation.

Loved the boat, hot tub and log burner added an extra touch

We were unable to lock any of the doors at the yurt.

We rang the owners about this on the second day, but they could not fix the problem until the following day. We therefore had to sleep two nights without the property locked, so did not feel very safe/comfortable at night time

The peace, quiet and wildlife away from it all.

This is a superb place to get away from it all

We loved it so much, we've booked to go again.

We had an absolutely fantastic time, staying in the secret island yurt and would recommend to anyone looking for and idyllic, romantic break away from the huddle and bustle of every day life.

Would definitely come again. The lake is so picturesque, a lovely way to spend a weekend.

Very tranquil and peaceful holiday.

Could do with cupboards in bedroom, enough room for them. Hanging hooks by hot tub would be useful for gowns. There was an unfortunate fishy smell which we could not locate, but didn't spoil things overall. We would love to return next year.

Fantastic yurt, excellent location and very private.

Nicely furnished and the bed is extremely comfortable

Met our expectations because this was a 2nd visit to this Yurt.

This is not a 5 star hotel type holiday it is a Yurt but you are by the side of a wonderful lake where you have privacy, peace and just the company of the ducks, swans, herons etc. The trip round the lake in your own little boat is maybe the only time you will see another person. We did not. The hot tub, barbecue and outdoor log burner are just extras to be enjoyed. You know the owners are available should you need them but they leave you to get on and enjoy your time away from the outside world.

Excellent place to stay, felt much freedom allowed to explore on the lake and completely left alone :)

Beautiful and peaceful!

! Great facilities. Will be returning here for sure!

The facilities and setting of this very unique property provided the perfect weekend getaway.

Absolutely amazing retreat filled with brilliant wildlife.

100% is a 10/10 accommodation.

Our 4th visit, 1st in this yurt,this is the best of them all in our opinion, far more space and extremely well laid out.

As previouse visits it was so peaceful and restful here which adds to the charm. Crispy and orange sauce (the ducks) are quite tame now, eating out of our hands and knocking on the glass to be fed each day. Saw lots of wildlife, Heron, Kingfisher and Moorehens. Lovely to have the use of a boat with electric motor, so quiet you can get close up to the birds without distrubing them. Definitly our favorite holiday destination - will be back next year. David (owner) is so friendly and even rescued our telescope which we left behind and is keeping it safe for us to collect next week.

the idea is great but the execution left lacking, the finish was poor and the appearance tired.

the photos looked fabulous, which is why we chose the location, but the reality left a bit to be desired. all of the paintwork requires attention, very tired looking. the windows needed cleaning, none of the remotes worked apart from the projector which had to be set up on books to enable it to be set onto the screen. the wood shavings from the air con duct were still where they dropped them after it's installation. any attention to detail seems to be a failing according to the visitors book entries. three nights was quite enough, after that, I think your clients may start complaining. I hope this helps improve future visitors experience of the secret island yurt, we wont be back. sorry. this was a, disappointing, birthday treat for my wife.

Fantastic location could not fault the views and if you want a holiday with complete privacy peace and tranquility this is for you How ever although the views and location are outstanding with it comes cobwebs insects spiders and ducks geese and other birds a plenty so if you don't like being that close to nature it won't be for you The accommodation and outside could certainly do with some maintenance and it wasn't particularly clean and did not smell very good Air conditioning leaked ,carpets and curtains filthy and smelt awful and general cleanliness not great on the inside Outside area untidy barbecue tables and chairs dirty and whole area on veranda in need of maintenance and tlc Hot tub amazing but sauna comes with cobwebs Would certainly consider going back again but would go back in a heartbeat if it was cleaner and smelt better

The setting is beautiful and the yurt is so comfortable.

We ended up feeding swans from the hot tub! Such a lovely and relaxing place to be, and the owners were super friendly and helpful. Had everything we needed and more.

Great place to get away from busy urban life would recommend for couples who would like to escape to the country.

Really well located with Oxford and Gloucester very close.

This is the second time we have stayed in one of these yurts.

Would highly recommend it if you want a quiet, peaceful, private, relaxing holiday with plenty of places to visit should you wish.

Absolutely fantastic, words simply cannot explain how beautiful the place is, excellent time, comfy and very cosy!

Highly recommend!

Perfect.

Can't wait to go back. Heavenly - the most relaxed I've been in years. Hot tub is wonderful. the yurt had everything you need and more. The location is fantastic. Didn't see another person just lots of wildlife.