Hoburne Holidays offers sites all across the South West of the country. Hoburne St Mabyn is set just outside the village of St Mabyn in the heart of Cornwall, and provides a quiet, luxury retreat without the hustle and bustle of larger sites.
Hoburne St Mabyn offers dog friendly holidays for families, comprised of high end and homely lodges with hot tubs. My family and I travelled down to experience a bit of luxury and have a Cornish adventure, and we were not disappointed.
The Lodge
After a long drive from North Wales, both the 2 and 4 legged members of the family were happy to arrive at our lodge, ready to enjoy all the area had to offer. We were welcomed not only by a warm and spacious lodge, but also with complementary essentials.
The first task was to explore the lodge, entering via the hall where there were cubby holes for boots and plenty of space to put down travel bags; 2 spacious ensuite rooms at either end of the lodge, and an open living room and kitchen which had excellent space for running about after baby Charlie.
We had a lovely welcome pack on arrival, and it included the essentials needed for brews and breakfast. A big sigh of relief to see bread and butter when you have forgotten to pack breakfast! There were even vouchers for local businesses we could use and a guide of all the local places to explore.
The lodge had everything we needed and more. The site had already provided a travel cot, which was a god send when trying to fit the gear for the family and dog into the car. There was also ample room in the rooms to set up the cot, and get Charlie settled for bed.
When travelling with kids it can be difficult to just “pop out for dinner” as there is bed to think about.
The kitchen in the lodge was well stocked with cooking equipment and provided us with the opportunity to cook a meal as a family, the same as home, keeping the routine as normal as possible for all of us.
Charlie was even able to continue his normal job of inspecting the drawers in the kitchen, and taking the cooking equipment out to “help”.
We had access to our own hot tub and decking, which was not overlooked as it was surrounded by established plants which left you thinking you were on a tropical holiday, despite it being December and not getting much above freezing.
Charlie was down for his nap, so of course we had to have a dip in the hot tub with a glass of bubbly. While we enjoyed some peace and quiet in the hot tub, we could easily hear him in the lodge, and get to him if needed. Real peace of mind for a parent.
The hot tub provided us with a space to unwind and relax in luxury, which often isn’t easy to achieve with an 18 month old who is always on the move!
Titan, our German Shepherd, joined us for this adventure … all 60kg of him. He isn’t a small dog and often forgets his size.
The space in the lodge was more than enough for him to be able to move around and settle out of the way when he wanted. Often when staying away in hotels or lodges, his size becomes an issue as he just can’t move about.
This wasn’t an issue here at Hoburne St Mabyn, and he quickly settled into the place (despite his protests about not being able to get into the hot tub with us).
Dog Friendly
Being dog tolerant and dog friendly are two different things, with many places merely being on the tolerant side. Hoburne St Mabyn is definitely dog friendly.
There is a designated dog walking field and lots of walks on the door step. The dog walking area was excellent for Titan to have his morning zoomies and really enjoy the space.
The field was more than big enough for Titan to run about and have fun and was a true field rather than a paddock or secure space. It also provided us with the opportunity to have a potter about before starting the day. We could easily see if other people were using the field and plan our route accordingly.
The rest of the site was on lead only which is something I welcome, as out of control dogs cause issues. The site was lit up at night, too, allowing us to be able to walk around after dark, and enjoy the quiet apart from our feet crunching on the gravel.
We enjoyed the sunrises each morning on our walks, and being carefree on the field. The field was not secure so I would think twice about letting a young or unreliable dog off lead but Titan is trained and an old hat at adventures so he knows to keep close in new areas.
Exploring the Area
Because Hoburne St Mabyn is in the heart of Cornwall we had many adventure locations to choose from. We went to Polzeath Beach one day and braved a walk on the beach.
Titan loved it, and Charlie was entranced by the surfers in the waves. Despite being absolutely freezing there were many out enjoying the sea.
We got to enjoy a walk onto the cliff tops and around the village without the crowds as well, which was lovely.
Of course, we couldn’t come all the way to Cornwall and not visit and walk at Lands End. The hour and a half drive from the lodge to the area was most enjoyable without the normal hustle and bustle on the roads.
We were able to grab a warm drink at a coffee shop and walk the coastal path to have a great day of adventure.
Conclusion
The details Hoburne St Mabyn put into our stay really made all the difference, from the welcome parcel to the spaces for boots, and our own secure storage area to put our cases in to keep them out of the way.
Thought had been put into every aspect of this holiday experience not only to make it memorable but to make it feel effortless.
Being so central gave us many options to explore, and there are so many family friendly and dog friendly places to visit.
Even in the winter months there was still loads to see and do, and it was the perfect space for this little family to enjoy a luxury break away from the hustle and bustle of day to day life.
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