Tovey Lodge

Nicely self contained, parking and close to where I needed to be.

I found it very cold, but it was December what can I say!

Lodge was lovely cute and compact, very comfortable, ideal setting with lovely walks though we didn’t do that this time, but have done many walks within the area previous.The lodge has character and would be happy to use again but maybe not in Winter. Unfortunately the hosts were away on a well deserved holiday so didn’t meet them, but did meet their Son and Daughter in Law who were lovely and very helpful.

Wasn’t impressed with the heating system as it wasn’t efficient enough to heat lodge constantly and in the bedroom the fan was very noisy at night, we left it on as it was so cold and no heat in bathroom except towel rail which wasn’t enough, my husband feels the cold and is in his late Seventies, unfortunately I was suffering from a cold and a chest infection so cold air didn’t help. Another point it would have been nice to have had the hoover emptied before visitors arrive as when I went to use it, it was absolutely full so put it back on charger and used dustpan and brush, also behind the the headboard it was full of dust and cobwebs, I found they out when I was dusting at the end of our break.Apart from that no probs.

Fantastic location for Lewes, Brighton, and in-between. Cycling and walking,. Very convenient to Hassocks for rail into London. Fun and cosy for 2. Kitchen/self catering works fine. Internet is work ready.

Could use a few more basics in the kitchen... Salt and pepper.

The property was ideal for a couple, it was small, but had everything you need

The bedroom felt damp

Loved the location, we could see up to the south downs from the cottage. Well placed for walks along Ditchling Beacon towards the windmills. Comfortable bed and cottage had everything we needed. Easy to get to Brighton and other places of interest as well. Great to have the air-conditioning units as well as weather was very hot and they helped keep the cottage pleasantly cool. We also found a separate freezer, washing machine and a second toilet that were accessed from the garden. These would have been useful if we were staying longer!

We liked everything; however some information on how/when rubbish was collected would have been useful as we weren't certain if there was separate rubbish and recycling collections.

Very quiet

The location is great but...

Very tired and in desperate need of an update – as several other reviewers note – but the owners either don’t read them or just ignore them. The bathroom was grim – cracked, dirty sink, poor lighting and generally grubby. Alan (March 2022) noted the shower rail was very loose and wobbly – still is two years on. The location is isolated and quiet but do take all your basic provisions with you. Walking to shops isn't an option, and don’t expect to walk to the pub either – it’s only a mile away but the roads aren’t very pedestrian friendly – made even less so by some drivers – a stagger back could be fatal! And don’t expect to do much self-catering either, the kitchen isn’t really up to it – ask Alan… Keith (March 2023) found the toaster too small too! Sally had the right idea – see her review from May 2024. We should have done the same, but stuck it out (after a good clean of the bathroom and kitchen) only because we went out most of the time. Found it too depressing in the end and decided to go home a day early just to cheer ourselves up! As the hosts say, they bring a unique experience to all their guests… I’d recommend the Premier Inn at Burgess Hill or Haywards Heath instead, both within 7 miles cheaper and cleaner too!

The location was peaceful and surrounded by trees.

Upon arrival we were greeted with a blocked drain which stank and it had leaked onto the garden pathway. If the Lodge had been nicer inside, I might have chosen to stay as they had promised to fix the pump and the drainage problem. However, the Lodge was outdated and manky. We immediately booked somewhere else and decided to puy it down to bad experience. The furniture was stained, smelly old carpets and rugs, the cooker had been painted!! The smoke alarm was broken etc etc....

For the money you can’t really grumble! Nice little outdoor area perfect for the dog or sitting out in nice weather. Lots of walks nearby.

The place really could do with a new oven/hob and there was a strong dog smell in the lodge (we’ve been to plenty of places with our dog and not had this experience before).