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Spindle Bell Tent

Spindle Bell Tent

4.5
out of 5
Ratings from 16 reviews
88% of guests
recommend
Cleanliness
4.6
Comfort
4.6
Condition
4.5
Location
4.6
Value
4.3
Customer
Service
4.4

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Spindle Bell Tent has a double bed and a single bed with plenty of colourful furniture and blankets. You can add an extra mattress for an additional fee. Head to the Garden Washroom and Garden Kitchen for luxury glamping facilities.

Family trip

Review submitted on Mon, 14 Aug 2023
4.7
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
5.0
Location
4.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We had an amazing stay at west Lexham. Our children really wanted a camping experience and this was the perfect compromise. Comfortable beds and amazing shower facilities. Even managed a relaxing hot bubble Bath one evening.

The tents were well equipped with with blankets and hot water bottles. The only downside would be in the mornings the tent felt quite damp probably a combination of sleeping bodies and the cold morning air so not a major issue.

Perfect place to go off grid from technology. Really enjoyed the pool, the boating lake and the fire pit. Our family dog had some great long walks.

The outdoor kitchen was fully equipped so we were able to make and prepare full meals on all 3 days. Only downside was the fridge space was quite small so could be tricky if lots of guests at the same time.

We didn’t realise until the last day that there were some outdoor games near the pool which would’ve been great to sit and play.

The restaurant has a nice hun area with board games and books which were fab for the evenings.

We’re already planning our return trip for next year.

How was your experience at West Lexham?
Great!

Would you recommend West Lexham?
Yes

How was your arrival at West Lexham?
Great

How was your departure?
Great, we didn't want to leave

How was the food during your stay?
We self catered

Would you like to receive our newsletter?
No



A lovely escape

Review submitted on Thu, 10 Aug 2023
4.8
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We loved our stay at West Lexham. The location is great, but we ended up staying on site as it was so nice. The swimming pool was a big bonus too.

How was your experience at West Lexham?
Great!

Would you recommend West Lexham?
Yes

How was your arrival at West Lexham?
Great

How was your departure?
Great, we didn't want to leave

How was the food during your stay?
Nicest granola I’ve ever had

Would you like to receive our newsletter?
Yes





A wonderful place to stay

Review submitted on Mon, 31 Jul 2023
5.0
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We had the most amazing time at West Lexham. They have thought of everything. The setting is beautiful, the tents are comfortable and the facilities are amazing. Genuinely my favourite place I've ever stayed.

How was your experience at West Lexham?
Great!

Would you recommend West Lexham?
Yes

How was your arrival at West Lexham?
Great

How was your departure?
Great, we didn't want to leave

How was the food during your stay?
Delicious, and the staff were really helpful.

Would you like to receive our newsletter?
Yes





Heaven on earth

Review submitted on Sat, 29 Jul 2023
4.8
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
4.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
From the moment I stepped out of my car, the air had a freshness only the deepest countryside locations can ooze!

My eyes were treated to the most beautiful settlement in keeping with its surroundings. I wanted a back to nature experience and I certainly got this and much more!

The staff whether gardeners, chefs or accommodation team were bursting with knowledge and enthusiasm for what the site has to offer and the owners have poured their hearts and souls into this creation.

A no noise after 10pm policy is essential for those wanting to relax, especially if in the bell tents from which you can hear everything. Birdsong was lovely to wake up to, a minority of inconsiderate ppl chattering mindlessly whilst walking to and from their accommodation or socialising in their tent next door was not!

The host was on hand to deal with these ppl sensitively and most quietened down once reminded to consider their fellow guests.

Think twice about staying here if you plan to join up with extended family members in the evening and let your children roam: the more traditional campsites are probably more suitable for your needs!

Perhaps the host need to display a few reminders around the accommodation area about the noise policy and discourage groups at all? Shame ppl can't be more considerate though!

How was your experience at West Lexham?
Great!

Would you recommend West Lexham?
Yes

How was your arrival at West Lexham?
Great

How was your departure?
Great, we didn't want to leave

How was the food during your stay?
Excellent

Would you like to receive our newsletter?
Yes



Lovely place, will definitely return

Review submitted on Mon, 24 Jul 2023
4.8
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We absolutely loved visiting you and definitely hope to return soon. It was fantastically relaxing having (almost) everything we needed on site. Our kids aged 7-10 had a wonderful time, especially as part of a group of 7 year olds being able to roam free. The gardens were stunning, the lake was great, the games and books available were really appreciated, as was the free use of indoor space during the disappointing weather! and the toilet block and showers were excellent. I also had a very luxurious hour off in the yoga area where I built my own fire in the wood burner and did some meditation and stretches. What a treat! It felt more like being in a retreat centre as it was so comforting having all our needs catered for. I even had a bath at one point which was wonderful, not at all something I had expected to be able to do.

My main feedback would be around the bed - the double mattress in Spindle seemed to be at or very near the end of its useful life and I had to swap beds with one of my kids. I do have some chronic health issues which contributed, but if you're catering to the family market and not to super-fit young people, I think less-than-perfectly-resilient back health is something you may have to expect sadly! I also know people have different preferences, but in general, a firmer mattress is a safer bet than a really saggy one, especially for a double. The kids' beds could also have benefitted from slightly warmer blankets, and the torches and lighting were a bit anaemic - switching to solar maybe would ease the pressure of having to keep batteries permanently topped up?

As a final suggestion, I think there might be some improvements to be made in the outside kitchen as there were no clear drying areas, draining racks, or places to hang wet tea towels - it wasn't always clear how hygienic the items we were using were, as they weren't really able to drain.

But this is a minor point about how this could be thought through a little more - nothing to detract from the fantastic facilities we enjoyed so much, and will definitely hope to experience again!

How was your experience at West Lexham?
Great!

Would you recommend West Lexham?
Yes

How was your arrival at West Lexham?
Could have been better

How was your departure?
Great, we didn't want to leave

How was the food during your stay?
Also as you know there were problems with the kitchen due to staffing issues! - the remaining staff coped incredibly well and we really appreciated the free coffee and how apologetic they were about not being able to offer breakfast when we hadn't booked. We had booked for a main meal and it was absolutely lovely, we had no hint that anything was wrong. I do think it may be worth considering having a small shop where punters could buy campsite items like milk, eggs, and toast - I was at Knepp recently and they had a very useful range of things for self-catering in their shop, but no restaurant on offer near the campsite, and it worked fine. Having said that the meal in the Garden Kitchen was amazing. Perhaps it would be worth only offering cooked food in the evenings, and running a small shop the rest of the time...?

Would you like to receive our newsletter?
Yes



Amazing Stay!!

Review submitted on Mon, 26 Jun 2023
5.0
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
We had a lovely weekend away at West Lexham and the only way to describe it is pure bliss!! From the amazing bell tents to the lake and the pool, it was everything we were hoping for and more! We'd highly recommend staying there.

How was your experience at West Lexham?
Great!

Would you recommend West Lexham?
Yes

How was your arrival at West Lexham?
Great

How was your departure?
Great, we didn't want to leave

How was the food during your stay?
Amazing!

Would you like to receive our newsletter?
Yes





Excellent venue for a family break

Review submitted on Fri, 12 Aug 2022
4.7
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
3.0
We had a wonderful stay and were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the venue. With two young children, the swimming pool was naturally a big hit. Bell tent accommodation was great and the site is lovely. The facilities in the dining barn could be communicated a little better: what's available, what's sold out. It did feel like nobody was sure what was going on with the food, but I imagine, like lots of businesses at t moment, they are short of staff. And it certainly wasn't "bad", just could be better, and the lovely staff made up for it anyway. We'll definitely be back!

How was your experience at West Lexham?
Great!

Would you recommend West Lexham?
Yes

How was your arrival at West Lexham?
Could have been better

How was your departure?
Great, we didn't want to leave

How was the food during your stay?
Food was amazing. It was just frustrating not having a menu or knowing what was on offer. The staff were very accommodating but nobody seemed to know what was possible.

Would you like to receive our newsletter?
No



Beautiful site and so relaxing

Review submitted on Fri, 29 Jul 2022
5.0
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Had a lovely stay in a bell tent named Spindle. Incredible view from the tent over the lake - swans, row boat and jumping fish. It’s such an amazing site, fruit trees, grasses and beautiful perennials scattered around. The bathrooms are spotless, the bath is great, showers hot. This is our second stay, and with the pool being open after covid it was perfect.

How was your experience at West Lexham?
Great!

Would you recommend West Lexham?
Yes

How was your arrival at West Lexham?
Great

How was your departure?
Great, we didn't want to leave

How was the food during your stay?
Only had coffee. Was hoping for the menu on the website but it wasn’t available

Would you like to receive our newsletter?
Yes





Lovely location but tired accommodation

Review submitted on Mon, 04 Oct 2021
2.5
out of 5
Guest doesn't recommend this property
Cleanliness
3.0
Comfort
3.0
Condition
2.0
Location
2.0
Value
2.0
Customer
Service
3.0
Although the site and facilities were lovely, the bell tents themselves felt very close together. The fabric of the tent felt very tired and as though it needed a thorough clean, likewise with the floor coverings. Our tent in particular had a very large step down to the external floor level and an additional step built in here would have been great, esp. as we had young children. The fairy lights in our tent did not work that well either which was also disappointing. The communal facilities were great, it was just our tent that let down our stay. The restaurant was great for breakfasts/lunch however the pizzas we had were disappointing given how easy pizzas are to make; service was also extremely slow.

How was your experience at West Lexham?
Gorgeous site.



Amazing Site & Food was delicious. Staff are very friendly and efficient.

Review submitted on Fri, 27 Aug 2021
4.7
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
3.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Place was out of this world, really enjoyed myself and the family. Fantastic scenery and walks. Grounds are in perfect state.
Food was amazing, kids loved it and the staff were all very friendly.
Access to the beaches was good, not far to drive and close to a ruined castle which the kids enjoyed.

How was your experience at West Lexham?
Fantastic, would definitely go there again. Showers flooded though so something needs to be done about drainage, other than that it was perfect.





So much potential

Review submitted on Thu, 19 Aug 2021
3.2
out of 5
Guest doesn't recommend this property
Cleanliness
4.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
4.0
Location
3.0
Value
2.0
Customer
Service
2.0
Wonderful setting and atmosphere which we enjoyed. Disappointing that we chose here because of new restaurant which was advertised but when we got there was closed for glamping guests both evenings. This meant we had to drive with children to find meals. Tents comfortable and children slept well but sited too close to each other. Beautiful lake and delicious breakfast. Staff friendly.

How was your experience at West Lexham?
Need to tell guests in advance if you’re closing restaurant in evenings.





Still a magical place but jury is out on recent changes

Review submitted on Tue, 27 Jul 2021
4.0
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
4.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
4.0
Location
5.0
Value
3.0
Customer
Service
4.0
this is the second time i have stayed at West lexham with 4 other families and as before the bell tents were extremely comfortable and the surroundings are idyllic. We hugely enjoy the wild swimming and the freedom for our children to run around safely. There are lovely walks and an area for us to play ball games etc. The washrooms are lovely but they were not cleaned as often as last year and so on occasion ran out of toilet paper, tissues and were a bit messy after we had all been river swimming. The showers are very hot and the bathrooms generally are of a very high standard.

There have been a lot of changes since we visited last year - the tennis courts which we so enjoyed have been removed and a yoga orangery is in the process of being finished. The swimming pool which was closed last year due to Covid restrictions is definitely out of action for the time being and looks like it is being completely refurbished. The amazing garden kitchen and pizza oven (another huge plus point for us last year as it was so well stocked and spacious) has been removed and replaced by a vegan cafe. the food looks nice enough but i was not impressed at being charged a service charge for a take away cup of tea. The team at West lexham sent me an email a few days before we arrived to clarify that they are definitely no longer a self catering facility which is not what we had booked. I was aware of this before because i had received their updates but it still meant things were not as convenient. The staff had kindly set up an area with a kettle and washing up facilities and also left out gas BBQs for us to use so that was helpful. however there was not a very good system for recycling our rubbish and there was only one shelf in the fridge for all the guests to use. We definitely got the impression that self catering is not where they want to be now and i would not be surprised if they remove the bell tents going forward.

The other thing that in my opinion has spoilt what was simply a stunning and relaxing place is the addition of about 5 new wooden cabins. They were not finished but from what i could see they look very beautiful inside. the issue i have is that they are right next to the tents (in fact they have moved one of the tents from last year to make space) which means that the tents are right on top of each other and i question where people are going to be able to sit outside when the cabins are indeed up and running. last year each bell tent had a picnic table and fire pit - these are now gone as there simply isnt room.

I still think West Lexham is a fabulous place but at £700 for 3 nights with half the facilities it had i will be looking for a better value glamping site next year. i think they need to decide who their market is - couples looking for vegan food and yoga classes or families who want to relax in the outdoors (but dont want to have to buy 3 meals a day during their stay).

i wish them well.

How was your experience at West Lexham?
Fabulous place but recent changes have altered its charm



Magical place to escape for fun and relaxation

Review submitted on Tue, 04 Aug 2020
5.0
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Had the most amazing stay at West Lexham with a group of friends and our children. The place is so beautiful and relaxing. The bell tents surpassed all expectations - the beds are enormously comfortable and warm. Thick carpets, fairy lights and night lights provided all add to the sense of luxury. nice touches like a cool box and a rubbish bin and useful tables and storage units. The wash-house is quite simply astonishing - the standard is better than my house at home - with 5 separate shower rooms - one even has a bath and baby changing table. immaculate condition throughout - i have to say that visiting during Covid19 it was evident that the cleaning staff were working extra hard, They were constantly cleaning the bathrooms or checking on the kitchen, everywhere was spotless. Sadly the pool was not open because of the restrictions but the lake was brilliant for swimming in and my young children loved the wild swimming. the kitchen was well stocked and we had use of the pizza oven too. the children loved running around the place - lots of places for hide and seek - and it all felt very safe and contained. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this place for families/ friends/ couples. cant wait to return next year.

How was your experience at West Lexham?
Fantastic place, very well managed. Absolutely beautiful. wonderful place to stay.



Brilliant

Review submitted on Mon, 27 Jul 2020
4.8
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Excellent, we had an amazing time and just wish we could have stayed longer. We went for our daughters 5th birthday and she just loved it.
The whole site was brilliant and exceptionally clean, have already recommended to friends!

How was your experience at West Lexham?
Brilliant





Chilled Glamping in Norfolk

Review submitted on Mon, 17 Aug 2015
4.2
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
4.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
4.0
Location
5.0
Value
4.0
Customer
Service
4.0
We had a lovely week at West Lexham in a Bell Tent in July - children 4 & 7.
The site is gorgeous, plenty of space in site for adventuring, roaming and play.
The tent was lovely, very waterproof (we had a couple of very wet nights), fun and relaxing. We enjoyed using the outdoor kitchen, pizza oven, and fire pit with other campers.

There were some issues with the showers while we were there - scalding vs freezing, but hopefully that is sorted now. The toilets/showers were always lovely and clean though.

There does seem to be an unmanaged wasp problem, which would only get worse in August. This could be vastly improved with some wasp control, traps etc set up around the kitchen/dining areas, picking fallen fruit up off the ground etc.

It did seem very odd that there was no recycling facilities in the kitchen - would expect to see recycling for glass, paper, plastic at least?

Great location for exploring Norfolk - we ventured to Wells, Sheringham, Bewilderwood, Sandringham, Holkham Bay during the course of our stay.

Overall we had a fabulous time at this beautiful site and look forward to another visit.





Brilliant!

Review submitted on Sat, 15 Aug 2015
4.8
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
4.0
Value
5.0
Customer
Service
5.0
Had a fab time staying here will be coming again in the future!.......................................................................................