We welcome well-behaved dogs to our estates and love seeing them enjoy themselves. All our dog-friendly properties include dog bowls as standard. We ask that dogs be kept on their leads within any development areas, otherwise, they can run freely but please be mindful of ground-nesting birds* by keeping your dog away from reed beds where birds may be nesting.
*At Lower Mill Estate, Somerford Lagoon’s southern and eastern shoreline is closed from 1st October – 31st March to protect the wildlife.
Our deposits are 20% of the total property cost, before any additional extras are added. Additional extras will be included in the balance payment. All deposits are non-refundable.
Our check-in days are usually Monday, Friday or Saturday. If you have a specific day in mind, contact our friendly booking team who can assist.
Most of our properties offer 2, 3, 4 or 7 night stays; please use the search facility on our website.
We accept most methods of payment. Unfortunately, we cannot accept payments using AMEX.
The remaining balance is required 8 weeks before your stay. If you wish to pay your balance in advance, simply log into our secure online payment system with your booking reference number here.
There will be washing up liquid, a sponge, two tea towels and one toilet roll per toilet will also be provided. Your welcome pack from Habitat Escapes will contain a small amount of tea, coffee, sugar and some milk. Bed linen and towels for the property are provided – these are not to be used at the swimming pools.
Please note, items such as salt and pepper and oil are not provided but may be left in the property by prior guests/homeowners.
Your safety is of paramount importance to us. Here are just a few of the extra measures we will be taking to keep you and your family safe.
All our properties have Wi-Fi included with them. The login details are included in the information pack within the property.
7 days before your arrival, we will email you with the security code for the main entrance gate as well as instructions for the key, which is held at the property in a key safe.
Lower Mill Estate, Somerford Keynes, Gloucestershire, GL7 6BG
Silverlake, Warmwell Road, Dorchester, Dorset, DT2 8GH
To maintain a safe and natural environment, there is one (unless told otherwise) allocated parking space per property. If there are several cars in your party, please park in visitor spaces (marked V) or overflow car parks throughout the site. Please ensure all cars display parking permits whilst on site. We do also offer communal electric charging points which are located around the estate.
A selection of our properties will have a hot tub included, some of which are available for an additional fee. Click here to see all the properties we have available.
During the festive period, there will be a fully decorated Christmas tree at the property. Some of our owners like to add their own touches and lighting so this varies at each property. Several houses on the estates add external lighting and our facilities are decorated too.
Lower Mill offers an award-winning on-site resident’s spa featuring Europe’s first outdoor eco-pool as well as two 20m heated pools – one indoor and one outdoor, steam room, sauna, gym, a restful reading lounge and treatment room.
Ballihoo restaurant is open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. There is also the Ballihoo Marketplace, providing a selection of essential groceries and sustainable, local items.
If you’re looking for adventure, our Activity Hub has a range of activities on offer.
For more details on all our facilities, click here.
At Silverlake, the on-site resident’s spa – Hurricane Spa features an outdoor 20m heated pool, roof terrace, sauna and gym, along with relaxation lounge and treatment rooms, where you can pamper and indulge yourself to your heart’s content.
Our Hurricane Terrace has far-reaching views across the estate and serves a selection of drinks, light bites, and cocktails. There is also an outdoor pizza shack, serving hand-made pizzas on Saturday evenings.
If you’re looking for adventure, our Activity Hub has a range of activities on offer.
For more details on all our facilities click here.
From Monday 6th June you will no longer be required to book the pool at the spa. For Tennis and MUGA courts, these can be booked using the sign-up sheets at the court.
The pool at The Spa is currently open from 1000 – 1715. From Monday 6th June you will no longer be required to book the pool at the spa.
To book treatments please click here or contact the spa on +44 (0) 1285 862 640.
During ‘low season’ our Spa is open for family swim and adult-only swimming during the below times. Please note there is no entry to the Spa before 1000 and the last entry to the pool is 30 minutes prior to closing.
Family |
Adult Only |
|
Monday |
1000 - 1715 |
|
Tuesday |
1000 - 1715 |
|
Wednesday |
1000 - 1715 |
|
Thursday |
1000 - 1715 |
|
Friday |
1000 - 1830 |
1830 – 2000 |
Saturday |
1000 - 1800 |
|
Sunday |
1000 - 1830 |
1830 – 2000 |
During ‘high season’ our Spa is open for family swim and adult-only swimming during the below times. Please note there is no entry to the Spa before 1000 and the last entry to the pool is 30 minutes prior to closing.
Family |
Adult Only |
|
Monday |
1000 - 1830 |
1830 – 2000 |
Tuesday |
1000 - 1830 |
1830 – 2000 |
Wednesday |
1000 - 1800 |
|
Thursday |
1000 - 1830 |
1830 – 2000 |
Friday |
1000 - 1830 |
1830 – 2000 |
Saturday |
1000 - 1800 |
|
Sunday |
1000 - 1830 |
1830 – 2000 |
The pool at The Hurricane Spa is currently open from 1000 – 1800. From Monday 6th June you will no longer be required to book the pool at the spa.
To book treatments for the spa, please email them directly at hurricane@silverlakedorset.com or call +44 (0)1305 819 909.
During ‘low season’ our Spa is open for family swim and adult-only swimming during the below times. Please note there is no entry to the Spa before 1000 and the last entry to the pool is 30 minutes prior to closing.
|
Family |
Monday |
1000 – 1800 |
Tuesday |
1000 – 1800 |
Wednesday |
1000 – 1800 |
Thursday |
1000 – 1800 |
Friday |
1000 – 1900 |
Saturday |
1000 – 1900 |
Sunday |
1000 – 1800 |
During ‘high season’ our Spa is open for family swim and adult-only swimming during the below times. Please note there is no entry to the Spa before 1000 and the last entry to the pool is 30 minutes prior to closing.
|
Family |
Monday |
1000 – 1900 |
Tuesday |
1000 – 1900 |
Wednesday |
1000 – 1900 |
Thursday |
1000 – 1900 |
Friday |
1000 – 1900 |
Saturday |
1000 – 1900 |
Sunday |
1000 – 1900 |
Summer: |
Family |
Monday |
1000 – 2100 |
Tuesday |
1000 – 2100 |
Wednesday |
1000 – 2100 |
Thursday |
1000 – 2100 |
Friday |
1000 – 2100 |
Saturday |
1000 – 2100 |
Sunday |
1000 – 2100 |
Due to safety restrictions about water temperature, water sports equipment is not available for use between November and April.
When going on the water in your own craft, it is a safety requirement that all water users wear a certified and correctly fitted buoyancy aid. You will also need to have proof of appropriate third-party liability insurance, to a limit of £1 million.
For more information, please click here.
If your property is within the Somerford Nines gated community, you will have exclusive use of the private, heated outdoor swimming pool, gym and sauna. These facilities are open from 1st April to 31st October. For more information click here.
For information on Lower Mill Estate click here.
For information on Silverlake click here.
The earliest you can arrive is 1600 on the day of arrival and check-out is by 1000 on the day of departure. During the quieter seasons, we offer early check-in and later check out for a small fee, subject to availability. Please contact us for more information.
You can log in to our secure online payment page and enter your booking name and reference number.
We would recommend to all our guests to take out separate cancellation insurance.
All cancellations are required to be in writing to Habitat Escapes. On receipt of the cancellation, Habitat Escapes will seek to re-let the Property for the period of the booking. If we succeed in re-letting the property for the whole of the period booked, we shall refund an amount equal to the money paid, less the administration fee per week or part thereof booked. Where Habitat Escapes is unable to re-let the property at all, monies paid by the guest shall be forfeited to Habitat Escapes.
Occasionally our homeowners will reserve the right to cancel reservations. In this instance, Habitat Escapes will endeavour to offer the guest alternative accommodation, if this is not suitable, a full refund will be issued.
Travel cots and highchairs are available upon request for an additional £10. Please note you will need to bring your own linen and mattress for the travel cot.
Providing that this does not take you over the permitted number of guests that the property can accommodate, you can add guests to your booking. We also allow day guests to visit whilst you stay.
Please contact us at stay@habitatescapes.com with any guest details. We will require the names and car registrations for any guests visiting your rental property. Guests will have to adhere to the estate codes of conduct and must park in the overflow car park using a display permit.
A refundable security deposit of £500 (some properties require £750) is due before arrival. Please click here to complete payment of your security deposit no more than 5 days before arrival.
These can be added at the point of booking, alternatively please email stay@habitatescapes.com and we will be happy to add these to your booking for you.
If you don’t want to spend your precious time off cleaning up after everyone, why not book a mid-week clean to ensure your property feels as lovely as it did when you stepped through the door. Prices from £40, book at clean@habitathousekeeping.com.
We offer a range of flexible options and will assess each booking on a case-by-case basis. Any guests that are unable to redeem their reservation because of Government-imposed travel restrictions due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, will be able to rearrange their break for up to twelve months from the original booking date. Please contact us at stay@habitatescapes.com if you require further information.
Large vehicles, such as campervans, motorhomes, and limousines, are not permitted on to the estate without prior consent. We also are unable to allow sign written vehicles on site. Please contact us at stay@habitatescapes.com if you require further information.
We do offer a discount of 5% on stays for our NHS Heroes. Simply book your stay online and email stay@habitatescapes.com from your NHS email and we can apply the discount for you. NHS discount cannot be combined with any other promotional discounts/offers.
Silverlake benefits from having level access to both the spa and pool surrounds (via side gates). There is also a hoist and wide steps, which are available for pool use on request. The Hurricane Spa has a lift directly to the Hurricane Terrace bar, offering unrivalled views across the estate on one level with toilet facilities.
Given the nature of the estate, the footpaths can often be uneven and undulating, however, most paths around the estate have a smoother surface. If you have any specific requirements, please contact us and we will be happy to help.
Habitat Escapes aims to take all the hassle from letting a property yourselves, or indeed with another agent. Our full management service with housekeeping includes a national marketing and PR campaign as well as a comprehensive website. We deal with all enquiries from quotes through to booking and processing payments. Once on site, we provide a meet and greet service, welcome gift for your guests, complimentary toiletries, a service of being on call 24/7 and dealing with any issues that may arise over the duration of their stay – we are the only agent who will be based on-site and contactable seven days a week.
Click here to contact a member of the team.
If you encounter any problems during your stay, please let us know immediately so that we can address the problem and ensure you have everything you need for a relaxing stay.
Our properties all have a guest directory that includes a list of useful numbers for your stay. This will include an emergency out of hours number, should you require it.
Whilst many of our properties accommodate larger parties, we do not accept stag or hen party bookings on either of our estates.