Luxury self-catering accommodation near the Hay Festival
Book-lovers flock to Herefordshire in May, where the Hay Festival welcomes authors, poets, speakers and artists for a ten-day celebration of the written word.
Under the canvas of a magical tent in the Brecon Beacons National Park, the Hay Festival brings book enthusiasts together to read, hear and talk about all things literary. The festival is held in May between the two rural towns of Hereford and Brecon, and the journey there is all part of the joy: rolling hills and undulating landscape resulting in ten days of joyous bookwormery. Our luxury self-catering homestays in the area make equally idyllic bases to recharge in the evenings, all the better to energise guests planning to attend all those talks, lectures and debates.
The festival pops up on a green field site with all venues in close proximity, so expect to pad across boardwalks and carpeted walkways to get from point to point – all part of the unique Hay charm. With more than 600 events on the schedule there’s a lot to be said for keeping an eye out for early ticket releases: the festival is world-renowned so events do sell out. Alongside the academics and adult performers, there’s an equally popular children’s programme, plus that amazing countryside to explore when taking a break from the books.
Charity
Black Mountains, Herefordshire, UK
Modern rusticity, clever artistry and divine seclusion combine to make Charity the ultimate wild retreat for friends and family gatherings; set down a winding mountain road in the Olchon Valley near the Brecon Beacons.
Sleeps: Up to 12 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 6 guests
From: £3,595 per week, £2,695 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Wood-fired hot tub, sauna, outdoor shower, outdoor pizza oven, table tennis, snooker room, cinema barn and badminton lawn
Distance: Approx. 8 miles from Hay Festival as the crow flies
Weddings at Charity
Black Mountains, Herefordshire, UK
A big and beautiful celebration house hidden deep in the heather-clad hills of the dreamy Olchon Valley, yet just three hours from London, Charity embodies the very essence of wild and free.
Sleeps: Up to 12 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 50 & Up to 30 guests
From: £7,495 per week, £695 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Wood-fired hot tub, sauna, outdoor shower, outdoor pizza oven, table tennis, snooker room, cinema barn
Distance: Approx. 8 miles from Hay Festival as the crow flies
Hollyhocks
A chalky Tudor cottage nestled on the banks of the river Arrow in the fairy-tale village of Eardisland, this is a characterful home, complete with hot tub
Sleeps: Up to 4 guests (+2)
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,950 per week, £1,450 per short break
Pets: Two well behaved dogs are welcome
Features: William Holland spa bath and outdoor kitchen
Distance: Approx. 13 miles from Hay Festival as the crow flies
The Sculptor´s Gardens
For those seeking a celebratory gathering space less ordinary, Alice in Wonderland-esque gardens, a duo of hot tubs, games and cinema rooms combine in this unique pairing of riverside properties that offer the perfect luxury country retreat.
Sleeps: Up to 18 guests (16 adults and 2 children)
From: £5,750 per week, £4,550 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: William Holland spa baths, outdoor kitchen, tree house, cinema room, games room with pool table
Distance: Approx. 13 miles from Hay Festival as the crow flies
Atelier Rose
This luxury riverside home is a wonderland of vintage charm. Ring the old pull-string bell and push open the door to botanic coving, four-poster beds, an orangery with giant tin spa bath and secret topiary gardens.
Sleeps: Up to 12 guests (10 adults and 2 children)
Alternative Group Option: Up to 6 guests
From: £3,550 per week, £2,695 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Large William Holland spa bath, cinema room, pool table room
Distance: Approx. 13 miles from Hay Festival as the crow flies
Celestia
Talybont-on-usk, Brecon Beacons, Wales, UK
Resting on an open clearing beneath the flat-topped peaks of the Brecon Beacons and cocooned by a tangle of woodland, these luxury farmhouses are an ode to mountain living in remote south Wales.
Sleeps: Up to 14 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 8 & Up to 6 guests
From: £3,750 per week, £2,795 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Pool table, Steinway piano, fire pit with grill, and stargazing bowl
Distance: Approx. 18 miles from Hay Festival as the crow flies
Tincture
Llanwrtyd Wells, Cambrian Mountains, Powys, Wales, UK
A fairytale, off-grid cottage riding on the tides of nature in the heart of Wales' wild and little-discovered Cambrian Mountains.
Sleeps: Up to 4 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,995 per week, £1,495 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
Distance: Approx. 23 miles from Hay Festival as the crow flies
The Hop Store
Set within 150 acres of perfectly aligned hop yards, rolling meadows and juicy apple orchards, The Hop Store is idyllically situated on one of the last remaining hop farms in the UK.
Sleeps: Up to 4 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,795 per week, £1,350 per short break
Pets: Sorry, no pets
Features: Hot tub and fire pit, heated garden room, games room with pool table, dartboard and giant jenga
Distance: Approx. 28 miles from Hay Festival as the crow flies
