8-Bed Lotus Belle Mahal Tent in The Wye Valley
About
The words 'boutique' and 'luxury' get bandied about a lot in glamping circles, but for the site at Stargazer Glamping in Herefordshire border country, they are probably understatements. Let's start with the location; a Georgian country pile in the outstandingly beautiful Wye Valley, which straddles the England-Wales border. It's a land of misty mornings, shaded forests, valley meadows, and mountain views, not to mention glorious sunsets and star-filled skies — if glamping magic is going to happen anywhere, it's here. Behind the house, in the extensive, mature woods and gardens, are three separate glamping areas, each centred on a spacious Lotus Belle tent with its accompanying facilities. The 'Mahal' is the showstopper, a simply enormous specimen — the sort of thing a desert potentate might entertain in — which sleeps at least eight in four separate rooms, with a whopping 65 square metres of floor space. The other two are six-metre 'Stargarzer' tents — one with an added 4etre Lotus Belle tent— so depending on your family grouping, these each sleep anything from two to seven people. Furnishings and decor throughout are stylishly top-notch — think country-house hotel with a splash of Scandi-rustic charm — so it's not just proper beds and rugs, but also soft robes, cut flowers, sofas, armchairs and coordinated colours. Outside, you get your own fully equipped cabana-style kitchen — "You won't have to bring a thing" is the promise — and attached to this are pristine hot-water shower facilities, loo, and washing-up area. The knives are sharp, the pots and pans un-battered, while dining is at solid tables and chairs on matching crockery with proper glassware. At this point, things start to get, well, even more boutique and luxury, for want of better words. Finnish wood-fired hot tub? That's a yes. Hammocks in wooded glades, comfy sun-loungers, and an impressive fire bowl that's almost three-foot across? Yes again. A communal, outdoor honesty bar with its own drink-stocked fridge and free-to-use pizza oven is a place to chill, while a potter around the well-tended grounds turns up rose-scented grassy paths and glades. Lounge on a day bed or relax in a hammock. It's all extremely well thought out and playful, too, as the invitation to curl up for the night on an outdoor iron bed attests. You can see the Brecon Beacons and Black Mountains on a clear day, while starry nights show you the Milky Way in all its glory. Stargazer is everything that's promised and more. It might even be unique — to use another word that's bandied about — but it's certainly a gloriously upmarket and relaxing base for hanging out with the family in one of Britain's most cherished landscapes. House Rules: - Check-in time is 4pm and check-out is 10am. - There is free parking available at the property. - Pets are not allowed at the property. Testimonials: Jo Wood recommends Stargazer Glamping. September 6th 2022: "Where do I begin??? We had never been glamping before so this was a first for us and definitely won’t be our last! Dominic and Helena are fantastic, they helped me plan our weekend suggesting local points of interest and great places to eat. They also will arrange bbq packs of meat, advise on anything at all you need but the reality is the facilities on offer here leave very little for you to need or think about. The site is very family friendly, our two children aged 4 and 6 had the best time playing in the activity tent, using the tree swings, table tennis, badminton and the huge trampoline. They also loved picking their own apples from the trees and making friends with the very friendly free roaming chickens. The tent itself had everything you need, comfy beds with cosy duvets and throws, blankets to use outside if it’s a little chilly at night. Lanterns for light at night and even a socket for electricity. My daughter loved the cuddly bunny hot water bottle too- EVERYTHING has been thought of! The outdoor kitchen has everything you would ever need and the welcome pack is a lovely touch! We enjoyed the hot tub in the afternoons and spent evenings toasting marshmallows over our fire pit. Absolute perfection!!! Well done Dominic and Helena, you really have created perfection ❤️" - [Verified] Katie Hadley recommends Stargazer Glamping. July 17th 2022: "Stargazer Glamping is the most whimsical, magical place I have ever been; I really didn’t want to leave! The views are stunning, the mature gardens, orchard, hammocks, outdoor beds, I could go on!The kitchens are beautifully equipped, the shop had more than what we needed and free ice (we stayed during a heat wave!) We warmed our Croissants in the morning in the pizza oven with fresh coffee, in the communal seating area and chickens pecking around, it was like something out of a magazine! Dominick was so helpful, helping with the luggage and checking our hot tubs were