Recently, my husband and I enjoyed a lovely weekend away with some of our family at Finlake Resort in Devon. Although his side of the family have holidayed there before, it was my first visit to the resort and after a relaxing weekend away, I knew I had to share the details with my blog.

Resort Location

Finlake Resort, owned and run by Haulfryn Holidays Group, sits on the edge of Dartmoor National Park, between Newton Abbott and Exeter. Easily accessible by car, and set within an extensive woodland, it’s a great location for a family getaway. Our lodge had one designated parking space, and there was ample parking for additional cars near reception and at various designated areas around the resort.

Accommodation

Finlake hosts a range of self-catering accommodation, for easy and relaxed holiday-ing. From cosy, small cabins to A-frames to larger, fancy lodges with hot tubs, there’s plenty of options to choose from. Whether you’re travelling as a couple or a larger family, there’s a range of accommodation at different price points meaning you’re sure to find something suitable for your unique requirements.

I much prefer self-catering to hotel stays, as it’s great to spend so much quality time together as a family. While I like to explore, I’m a true homebody at heart so love holidays where I can relax with my loved ones and spend time cooking, chatting over copious cups of tea and playing board games altogether.

Our lodge was clean and tidy, and had all the basics for a short weekend away, including a good provision of crockery and cooking utensils. This is always a worry when self-catering as you never know what kitchen utensils will be supplied, but we had everything we needed for the simple meals we cooked.

There was plenty of space for the six of us to sit up to the extendable table – perfect for eating meals as a family, as well as playing board games.

With 2 bedrooms (a double and a twin) and a sofa bed, we slept six in our lodge. The only thing I’ll say is that sharing one bathroom between six required some serious manoeuvring at times!

Our lodge was dog-friendly which was great as it meant we could bring our four-legged friend along for the weekend. It’s not clear from the website, but I imagine that only specific lodges are dog-friendly – something to bear in mind if either you’re looking to take your pet, or you’re allergic and looking to avoid dog-friendly lodges!

Things To Do

Finlake Resort has a strong family orientation, with lots of onsite leisure facilities. There’s a great swimming pool which is home to several waterslides and a water play-course for children.

The pool was very busy when we visited, but I suppose this should be expected from a resort tailored towards families with young children. The pool still operates on an hour-slot booking system, I assume a remnant from covid times. The slots appear to book up quickly, so I’d recommend booking ahead of time to avoid delay or disappointment.

The resort itself is very large, covering 130 acres, and is set within a lovely woodland. You can enjoy walks through the woods and around the fishing lakes. Along the way, there are outdoor play areas for kids and various activities including archery and Segway hire. The resort is also home to a gym, spa and restaurant, although we didn’t use these facilities during our stay.

For a full list of amenities, visit the Finlake website.

Local Area

We didn’t get out and about much during our weekend away; choosing to enjoy the onsite facilities and relax in the lodge, playing board games and catching up over exploring the local area. However, there are lots of places to explore nearby. The resort’s easy accessibility by car makes it a great base from which to explore the local Devonian landmarks and towns such as Teignmouth and Torquay.

We did, however, venture into the town of Chudleigh for dinner one evening. We went to Phoenix and had a wonderful evening meal. The food and service were exceptional, and I’d highly recommend visiting if you’re in the local area.

Overview

We had a lovely relaxing weekend at Finlake Resort in Devon. It was the perfect secluded location to enjoy quality time as a family and switch off from the outside world.

I wanted to end this post with a few quick tips if you are planning to visit.

Top Tips

• Make sure to take some washing up liquid, dishwasher tablets and toilet rolls with you. The Housekeeping team start you off with a small amount of each, but it’s unlikely to be enough if you’re there longer than a day or two (especially if there’s a few of you!).
• Take walking boots or sensible shoes if you’re planning to walk out to the lakes or through the woods; it can get a bit muddy!
• Not all the lodges are supplied with hairdryers so if you’re fussy about this, take your own! Side note: hairdryers are available in the swimming pool changing area.

To learn more about Finlake Resort and check their availability for stays, visit Haulfryn Holidays website.

Curious about my other adventures outside of Cornwall? Head to the blog’s “Out of Cornwall” archive to explore my other posts.