I’ll never forget the drive up to Superior Oak Lodge in the Scottish Borders – a proper faff from the start. We’d piled into the car in Eyemouth with the kids buzzing about a three-day family getaway, me at the wheel nursing a lukewarm Costa, when disaster struck five minutes in. Little Jamie, our cheekiest five-year-old, decided it was the perfect moment to unleash a full packet of Haribo across the back seat. Sticky tangles everywhere, and me yelling “Oi, hands off the gummies till we’re there!” while swerving round a rogue pheasant on the A1107. Classic us – chaos before we’d even unpacked.

By the time we trundled into the lodge’s spot near Eyemouth, the sun was dipping low over the North Sea, painting everything in that soft Borders gold. Superior Oak Lodge is one of those gems tucked away in a quiet holiday park, just a stone’s throw from the beach – sleeps six comfortably, which is spot on for our rabble of four plus Nan and Grandad tagging along. Pulling up, I was hit with that instant “ahh” feeling. It’s a sturdy wooden lodge, all warm oak cladding that screams cosy without trying too hard. The veranda wrapped round the front like a hug, with those picnic benches begging for a brew and a natter. I could already picture mornings there with a cuppa, watching gulls wheel over the bay.

We tumbled out, arms full of bags and bickering, and fumbled the key code – another minor calamity as the door keypad blinked at us mockingly. But once inside? Blimey, it was a treat. Open-plan living at its best: a cracking open fireplace (unlit, but primed for later), squishy leather sofas that swallowed you whole, and a kitchen done out in sleek oak units that made me feel like a proper chef, even if I’m more Pot Noodle than MasterChef. The dining table was massive, perfect for our endless Uno marathons, and the full-size cooker had me eyeing up a Borders steak pie from the local shop we’d spotted en route. Fridge humming away, fully kitted with everything from toaster to dishwasher – no faffing about with subpar gear here.

Wandering through, the bedrooms were a highlight. Three doubles, all en-suite (two with baths, one with a posh walk-in shower), and they’d been done up lovely – crisp linens, fluffy towels, and those little touches like blackout curtains for the kids who still think 6am is party time. Ours overlooked the veranda, with sea glimpses that made my heart skip. The kids claimed the twin setup straight away, bouncing on the beds like it was a trampoline park. “Mum, this is better than home!” Sophie squealed, which earned a proper eye-roll from me – cheeky monkey.

First impressions? Pure relaxed bliss amid the lodge life madness. We cracked open a bottle of Borders red (nabbed from a nearby farm shop), and while the grown-ups slumped on the sofas with the telly flickering on some rubbish quiz show, Jamie managed to smear jam across the coffee table. Laughter echoed as we wiped it up, the kind of silly chaos that makes family breaks golden. Stepping out onto the veranda at dusk, that salty sea air hit me – Gunsgreen House visible in the distance, the beach path just a five-minute wander. No grand plans, just simple joys: waves crashing, kids dashing about, and the lodge feeling like our own wee haven.

Sat there later, nursing my wine, I had a quiet moment of reflection. Life’s been a whirlwind lately – work stresses, school runs – but here, in this unpretentious oak beauty, it all melted away. Sometimes the best holidays aren’t about ticking off sights; they’re about arriving somewhere that wraps you up, mishaps and all, and lets you breathe. Superior Oak Lodge nailed it from the off. Can’t wait to light that fire tomorrow.