In blissful, enveloping woodlands only a 5-minute drive from the bookish town of Hay-on-Wye, this cluster of luxury family-friendly lodges feels like a genuine escape. The setting is 7 acres of restorative meadow-fringed greenery under the star-spangled sky at the edge of a Dark Skies Reserve. Owners Lorna and Ryan's family have another eco-retreat in Tobago, which has a similar living-in-the-landscape vibe, and here they've worked their magic much closer to home.
The dwellings – three hugely spacious two-bed lodges for families or groups of friends – seem to merge with the landscape. They're set apart, artfully angled under Corsican pines to ensure maximum privacy. Faced in locally grown red cedar, the two-storey lodges each have a glass wall leading out to a spacious deck with a private hot tub. This was ready for us when we arrived, and we loved wallowing under a star-smeared sky, as well as the immersive indoor-outdoor experience of the architecture, waking up to vast views over rolling meadows. Thoughtful touches are everywhere, from the kids' under-the-stairs dens and specially crafted swings in the woods, to binoculars to borrow, and a bootroom for outdoor wear. Marshmallows are provided for roasting on the outdoor fire pits, you can choose from a wide range of books and board games, and there are lots of useful local recommendations to hand, plus the option of hampers from the superb local Hay Deli. All this, and dogs are welcome too. Rural bliss.
Highs
- Lushly green setting with wildlife on the doorstep; this feels like a real escape
- Luxurious secluded accommodation, ideal for indoor-outdoor living, for families or couples alike; book two or three lodges for a larger get-together
- You get your own hot tub and fire pit with BBQ grill
- Unpolluted night skies make this a stargazing hotspot
- Dogs are welcome
Lows
- It’s purely self-catering, so look elsewhere if you like breakfast provided or a restaurant on-site. Note that Hay on Wye is just a short drive away for eateries and food shops
- Only three lodges so book ahead for popular times
- Baby cot
- High chair
- Child-friendly cutlery
- Stair gate
Some equipment may need to be requested in advance
- Games, crafts, toys, books, binoculars and puzzles
- Under-stair hidey-holes
- Swings across the property
- Woods for den building and exploring
- Wildlife to spot
- Kayaking down the Wye
- Bookshops in Hay-on-Wye
- Goodrich Castle, one of the finest and best preserved English medieval castles; also Hay Castle
- Luxury Lodges
- 3 lodges for 2-5
- Self-catering; restaurants nearby
- All ages welcome
- Open all year
- Pool
- Spa Treatments
- Beach Nearby
- Babysitting
- Creche / Kids Club
- Parking
- Pet Friendly
- Disabled Access
- Restaurants Nearby
- WiFi
- Air Conditioning
- Guest Lounge
- Terrace
- Garden
- Gym
- Daily Maid Service
- Towels & Bedlinen
Rooms
The two-storey lodges each have their own serene, Scandi style with soothing colour schemes; layouts are identical. There's a wonderful indoor-outdoor feel to the space – enhanced by the big glass sliding doors to the deck giving onto long views across trees and meadow to yonder hills. They deliver both on style and substance.
On the top floor are the large, pitched-roofed bedrooms (a super-kingsized double and a second which can be configured as a twin) sharing a bathroom with shower and freestanding tub-with-a-view. Below is the light-filled open-plan kitchen/diner/living room with its glass-fronted woodburner. No question, they've thought of everything for a relaxed stay: pocket-sprung mattresses, good quality Bluetooth speakers, Egyptian cotton towels, designer deck chairs, plus a utility and cloak room. Toiletries are locally sourced, as are the Melin Tregwynt woollen blankets. For couples, there's also the option to book the lodges with just one bedroom available.
All lodges have a spacious decking area and a fire pit with barbecue grill, as well as a private hot tub (sheltered by a sloping roof in the pods) for romantic soaks beneath the stars.
Features include:
- Central heating
- Cots available
- Fan
- Hairdryer
- Toiletries
- Underfloor heating
- WiFi
Eating
The lodges are self-catering, with the necessary basics provided, such as coffee, local speciality teas, chocolate, milk, and olive oil. Sleek open-plan kitchens are well equipped with all the cast iron pots and pans you'd need plus a cafetière, good cutlery and knives. Pleasingly, there are washer-dryers in the boot rooms. Make sure you make the most of your fire pit with a barbecue grill on the decks.
With advance notice (you'll receive their list before your stay), Hay Deli will deliver finish-at-home meals, as well as tailored hampers of ingredients, such as for breakfasts of smoked salmon and scrambled eggs or full English with all organic produce. They do grocery boxes too.
There’s a Co-op supermarket in Hay, as well as a greengrocers and an organic butcher, and the excellent Thursday farmers' market.
There are some superb places to eat locally as well, including Chapters, The Globe, Off the Grid, Blissland Pizza, Red Indigo, The Swan Hotel and the Old Electric Shop. Within a 10 minute walking distance is Whitney Bridge Cafe, scenically located right on the Wye with a riverside glass-walled dining room.
Features include:
- Barbecue
- Coffee maker
- Dishwasher
- Full kitchen
- Hob or stove
- Meal delivery service
- Restaurants nearby
- Shopping service
- Toaster
Activities
- Get outdoors on foot or by bike: explore Hay Bluff, Sgwd Gwladus Waterfall and the Brecon Beacons, where there are countless rural trails and tracks
- Take a picnic and a good book to the secret willow garden at the end of the estate's woodland
- Go kayaking, canoeing or wild swimming in the River Wye; it's a half-mile/10-minute walk to the riverbank where you can stroll from the Toll Bridge along the river, heading downstream
- Hay-on-Wye is famous for its book festival, but it’s great to visit year-round, with its excellent Thursday market, warren-like bookshops and some splendid places to eat
- Birding is special in these parts – we saw kingfisher, goosander, dipper and peregrine falcon when we stayed
Activities on site or nearby include:
- Birdwatching
- Cycling
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Historical sites
- Kayaking
- Plantlife / flora
- Shopping / markets
- Swimming
Best Time to go
The Welsh Borders are fun to visit year-round. It's busiest here around the Hay Festival during the last week of May and the first week of June, but otherwise July and August are the peak season, when families come to Wales for the summer holidays. May and September are lovely times to visit too. In winter it's cosy in the lodges and pods thanks to the wood burner. Whatever time of year you come, pack wellies and wet-weather gear just in case, as well as some good walking shoes.
Our Top Tips
Head up Hay Bluff for a stomp, and then truly rejuvenate in your hot tub under the stars, before toasting some marshmallows over the firepit.
Location
Wye Valley Hideaways sit at the edge of the rolling Brecon Beacons National Park, near the Black Mountains and close to the winding River Wye, just on the English side of the Welsh border. Hay-On-Wye is only 5 minutes’ drive away.
By Air
Cardiff International Airport (119km) is the closest. You could also fly into Bristol Airport (135km).
By Car
Wye Valley Hideaways are 3-4 hours from London and 1.5 hours from Cardiff. See our car rental recommendations. Electric car charging is available.
By Rail
The nearest station, Hereford, is a 40-minute drive away. The journey time from London Paddington is approximately 2.5 hrs, with a change at Newport.
Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.
Airports:
- Cardiff International 119.0 km
- Bristol 135.0 km
Other:
- Beach 113.0 km
- Shops 6.0 km
- Restaurant 6.0 km
Our guests' ratings...
Based on 4 independent reviews from i-escape guests
Feedback is only from guests who have booked and stayed through i-escape