Ribby Hall is a privately owned, five star holiday destination just outside of Blackpool and only forty minutes from our doorstep, which gives it a massive appeal in itself. It meant that in under a hour we could collect Miss H from school, Little J from nursery and be in our lodge settling ourselves in. As well as 175 self catering lodges, the site also boasts six idyllic pine lodges, the thatched Coach House for up to 12 guests, the decadent White House for up to 14 people and the stylish Villanova hosting parties of up to eight.
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| Our cottage |
We were offered a stay in their Poppy accommodation, which has three bedrooms and sleeps six people. There were just the four of us but this meant that the children had a bedroom each, which made our lives easier as they tend to disturb each other if not. The lodge we stayed in was really well finished, with modern decor and a fully equipped kitchen, and it had lots of space so we didn't feel on top of each other at all.
Our cottage overlooked a nice grassy area at the back of the cottage, which my two enjoyed running around on, blowing bubbles and feeding the ducklings that came to visit.
Our cottage overlooked a nice grassy area at the back of the cottage, which my two enjoyed running around on, blowing bubbles and feeding the ducklings that came to visit.
Ribby Hall offers tons to do during your stay. Whether you want a quiet, relaxing stay or a more active one, there are tons of choice. As we were staying for only two nights we tried to pack in as much as we could, and as much as my illness could take on. After dropping off our bags on the Friday we had an explore of the site and really just how much there was to do. Everything on the site is relatively close by and there is a Woodland Walk which is full of activities such as a nature trail and scavenger hunt, for those who want to explore a bit further.
On our first night we decided to eat in The Restaurant, which is a stylish restaurant offering home-grown produce on the A La Carte menu. I have to say we were incredibly impressed during our visit - the staff were fantastic and did all they could help us, going as far as handing me a special menu that told you which meals were suitable for people with various allergies. Also special mention to Russell who Miss H really took to, even giving him a big hug as we left.
The food was superb, both Mr H and I ordered steak and it was cooked perfectly. Miss H ordered pasta but unfortunately it didn't taste quite right, but the staff replaced it with an alternative without any problem and took on comments on board about the taste. I even opted for a naughty pudding at the end of the meal, and was surprised I was able to have the chocolate cake as they made a gluten-free version. It was amazing.
After our meal we returned home for a relaxed evening in our lodge. Miss H was out like a light, probably following her first week of school, however Little J was up and about several times. It didn't seem to matter though, as we could return him back to bed easily just down the corridor and return to our night.
*We were provided with a stay FOC however all opinions are my own.
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| The Restaurant |
The food was superb, both Mr H and I ordered steak and it was cooked perfectly. Miss H ordered pasta but unfortunately it didn't taste quite right, but the staff replaced it with an alternative without any problem and took on comments on board about the taste. I even opted for a naughty pudding at the end of the meal, and was surprised I was able to have the chocolate cake as they made a gluten-free version. It was amazing.
After our meal we returned home for a relaxed evening in our lodge. Miss H was out like a light, probably following her first week of school, however Little J was up and about several times. It didn't seem to matter though, as we could return him back to bed easily just down the corridor and return to our night.
After a very restful sleep, we awoke to our first full day on the site. I enjoyed a bit of a lie in whilst Mr H and the children nipped out to the supermarket for some bits and breakfast, followed by a play on the indoor and outdoor play areas. Both these areas are in really great, clean condition. I particular loved the outdoor play equipment, made of chunky wood and with lots of do, they fit in well with the back-to-nature feel of the site whilst keeping the children entertained for some time. The favourite by far was the zip wire, and even mummy had a go!
Once I was back to the land of the living we decided to go swimming. Based in the sports hall, the swimming pool has several pools, a couple of which being shallow, as well as two slides, a jacuzzi and steam room. It was lovely to let our two off, wearing their Konfidence jackets, feeling so much at ease in the water thanks to their recent lessons. It's a joy to watch them splashing around happily and really making the most of their time in the water. Little J was thrilled to discover he was allowed down one of the slides and even went down on his own a few times. Miss H had a try, but preferred swimming and jumping in the pools.
After an energetic swimming session we decided to head over to the boating lake and enjoyed sandwiches at The Island Clubhouse, overlooking the passing pedalo and canoe-ers. This cafe serves a selection of hot and cold snacks, but doesn't have a huge selection so if you're looking for something more try one of the other eateries. We also discovered this is where you can hire bikes and boats, as well as feed the many ducks that gather there.
After lunch the children were due for their first activity class, Mini Fencing. Mr H decided to enjoy a couple of pints whilst watching the rugby in Harrison's Bar, so myself and the children returned to the sports hall for their session. Unfortunately a couple of other children booked in had to drop out, but this meant by two got a one on one session with the instructor. He first showed the children how to stand in the correct fencing position and where they could hit each other (something they've happily carried on at home, and now know not to hit heads!).
After a bit of practise they donned their protective vests and helmets, which was quite amusing as they absolutely swamped them, Little J in particular, and he ended up looking like something out of Star Wars! It was good fun and the children enjoyed having a bit of sparring at the end.
After a break back at the lodge, which involved a bit of TV and reading, and a snooze for J, we head back out for our evening meal.
This time we opted to try The Tapas Bar, a new eatery on the site and had come recommended by some owners we'd spoken to the night before. I'm a big fan of Spanish food and was looking forward to this and I have to say there was an impressive range of food on offer. The only thing I would say is the service wasn't as good as it had been in The Restaurant the night before, and often I had to call staff over as we seemed to get overlooked. However the food was still just as good and I think had we not been as spoilt the previous night it really wouldn't have been an issue.
That is the end of part one of our Ribby Hall adventure. Head back on Monday to read the second half! In the meantime, if you are looking for more information, do head over to their website and Facebook page or phone them on 0800 107 0336.
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| Photo from Ribby Hall website |
After lunch the children were due for their first activity class, Mini Fencing. Mr H decided to enjoy a couple of pints whilst watching the rugby in Harrison's Bar, so myself and the children returned to the sports hall for their session. Unfortunately a couple of other children booked in had to drop out, but this meant by two got a one on one session with the instructor. He first showed the children how to stand in the correct fencing position and where they could hit each other (something they've happily carried on at home, and now know not to hit heads!).
After a bit of practise they donned their protective vests and helmets, which was quite amusing as they absolutely swamped them, Little J in particular, and he ended up looking like something out of Star Wars! It was good fun and the children enjoyed having a bit of sparring at the end.
After a break back at the lodge, which involved a bit of TV and reading, and a snooze for J, we head back out for our evening meal.
This time we opted to try The Tapas Bar, a new eatery on the site and had come recommended by some owners we'd spoken to the night before. I'm a big fan of Spanish food and was looking forward to this and I have to say there was an impressive range of food on offer. The only thing I would say is the service wasn't as good as it had been in The Restaurant the night before, and often I had to call staff over as we seemed to get overlooked. However the food was still just as good and I think had we not been as spoilt the previous night it really wouldn't have been an issue.
That is the end of part one of our Ribby Hall adventure. Head back on Monday to read the second half! In the meantime, if you are looking for more information, do head over to their website and Facebook page or phone them on 0800 107 0336.
