Dorset holiday park partners with Norwegian Log to offer contemporary Scandi-style lodges

Merley House Holiday Park near Wimborne has teamed up with log building manufacturers Norwegian Log to offer its holiday home owners a new range of cabins with an on-trend, Scandi-style twist – and the first family to buy one has already moved in.

Set in 35 acres of Dorset countryside, family-owned Merley House boasts 150 privately-owned holiday homes including six traditional log cabins that have been supplied by Reading-based Norwegian Log over the past 15 years.

Norwegian Log has now launched a new contemporary range of buildings, and the first Merley House holiday home owners to opt for this style have been handed their keys. Sue and Mike Garlinge from Essex are the proud owners of a three-bedroom, contemporary-look lodge built from solid log, so naturally warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

But as many people found in 2020, their carefully laid plans had to be put on temporary hold just as the lodge was completed. “Lockdown happened!” said Sue. Finally able to enjoy their holiday home, between lockdowns, the couple took pleasure in the ‘easy living’ it brings. “I love it, the lightness of the place is wonderful and you don’t have to decorate it,” she added.

Phil Hammick, owner of Merley House Holiday Park said: “These log holiday homes are brilliantly built and put together, and they can be made bespoke to the client’s requirements, plus can be erected on the pitch in a matter of weeks. They also look superb in comparison to other lodge manufacturers’ products.

“The Norwegian Log team is very helpful in choosing the right cabin for the client and as the Park is only 70 miles away from the company’s Reading show home, it’s easy for us to take the client to see the product in person, and make choices there and then, before getting a quote. We’re able to assist if needed so the client gets exactly what they want, from light switches and sockets, to the final layout.”

Also enjoying a Norwegian Log holiday home at Merley Park is Graham Ely. He bought a traditional-style cabin three years ago, and has been enjoying the benefits of low running costs and the friendly community. “It’s really high quality and economical to run. It’s cool in the summer and warm in the winter and never cold,” he said.

Nick Forrester, director at Norwegian Log, said: “Our log buildings are ideal for holiday parks as they are treated as mobile homes, with all the advantages of a ‘caravan’ but none of the drawbacks. They are built to an extremely high spec, maintenance costs are low and customers can design the interior as they wish. Our new contemporary cabins, with huge glazed sections and bifold doors, are proving to be very popular and it’s great to see the first of these now at Merley House Holiday Park.”