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Set among woodland and meadow, Cynefin Retreats is an immersive destination offering an incredible indoor-outdoor getaway experience. Offering contemporary living in either the one-bedroom luxe-pods (sleeping 2) or two bedroom luxe-lodges (sleeping 4-5), Cynefin Retreats offers a unique countryside escape, yet only three miles from the historic market town of Hay-on-Wye. All have that all-important private hot tub!
Designed for couples, the four luxe-pods are carefully angled to maximise privacy, and offer stylish living, with iconic curved walls to the rear and wall-to-ceiling sliding glass doors to the front, with uninterrupted views.
The trio of lodges are perfect for families or groups of friends, with two spacious bedrooms with option of super king or twin beds, a family bathroom,...Set among woodland and meadow, Cynefin Retreats is an immersive destination offering an incredible indoor-outdoor getaway experience. Offering contemporary living in either the one-bedroom luxe-pods (sleeping 2) or two bedroom luxe-lodges (sleeping 4-5), Cynefin Retreats offers a unique countryside escape, yet only three miles from the historic market town of Hay-on-Wye. All have that all-important private hot tub!
Designed for couples, the four luxe-pods are carefully angled to maximise privacy, and offer stylish living, with iconic curved walls to the rear and wall-to-ceiling sliding glass doors to the front, with uninterrupted views.
The trio of lodges are perfect for families or groups of friends, with two spacious bedrooms with option of super king or twin beds, a family bathroom, and open plan living downstairs. The secret den under the stairs kitted out with toys and books is sure to keep the children entertained.
All of our accommodations enjoy a private deck and terrace, with hot tub, quality outdoor furniture, and BBQ with grill for toasting marshmallows as the sun sets.
Cynefin is designed to maximise our guests’ connection with nature. By day, breakfast in bed watching the sun come up on a crisp winter’s morning, take a picnic lunch in the meadow on a balmy summer’s day, or supper on the terrace watching the sunset. By night, cosy up on the sofa with the log burner glowing and a good book in hand, or embrace outdoor living toasting marshmallows by the fire pit or enjoying Prosecco in the hot tub looking at the stars. Throughout the day, across the seasons, let this extraordinary landscape soothe the senses and rejuvenate the spirit.
All of our accommodations are dog-friendly. As dog owners ourselves, we understand that they are part of the family, and your four-legged friend is welcome. With footpaths leading right from the doorstep, Cynefin Retreats makes for the perfect dog-friendly getaway.
Please enquire for availability as our calendar cannot show all four pods and three lodges. Please also note the prices are set at our base price for the low season. This will vary with seasons so please enquire for an accurate price for your stay.
House Rules
Pet-friendlyKid friendlyNo smoking
We can accommodate an infant (free of charge) and/or one child under 10, for whom bedding can be provided to sleep on the sofa. (£20 charge)
Smoking is only permitted outside the pod.
Dogs must be supervised at all times when on the property
Bedrooms
1 King
Bathrooms
1 Attached (ensuite)
Meet the host
Lorna F
Hosting since May 2019
Languages spoken: English
Response Rate: 88%
Response Time: Within a day
Interaction with guests:Â Please enquire for availability as our calendar cannot show all four pods and three lodges. Please also note the prices are set at our base price for the low season. This will vary with seasons so please enquire for an accurate price for your stay.
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I love the lodges in Cynefin. I immediately felt at ease and ready to relax when we visited.
There were some lovely little touches for our dog (bowls, towels, treats) as well as some essentials (tea, coffee, sugar, milk, oil) and some not-so-essentials (chocolate, marshmallows...)
The accommodation itself is beautiful. A gorgeous eco-lodge set in a meadow and even with other people staying in the other lodges, you feel completely secluded. The hot tub is great, the beds are huge and really comfy, the bath is deep and long enough even for a full size adult! It's a fantastic place just to be. On a clear night, the stars are clear as day.
You won't want to leave!
My only advice would be not to pick the Silver Birch lodge though as it is the closest in proximity to the working farm next door. There was quite a lot of metallic banging during the day which was a bit annoying, but not a dealbreaker in any way.
Visited November 2023
Written 20 November 2023. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Salc71
129 contributions
Relaxing break
Lovely, lovely place. Nice touches everywhere. Loved the hot tub, the shower and log fire especially. The bed was comfy with beautiful views first thing & plenty of privacy. Would definitely recommend and would love to go back one day.
Visited November 2023
Written 17 November 2023. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Katy J
1 contribution
Amazing getaway
Cynefin retreats is an amazing getaway from all of the hustle and bustle of real life. The cabin is cosy and well equipped, we had a brief Wi-Fi issue which was fixed super speedily by Lorna. The hot tub is a great addition as are the fire out cooking utensils- all of the little details have been thought of. We only wish we could have stayed longer.
Visited September 2023
Written 9 October 2023. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Suze
3 contributions
Absolutely LOVED Cynefin.
Stunning views
The quietest place to totally relax in
Top tier fixtures and fittings
The outdoor space was tranquil, private and an oasis of calm with hot tub and fire pit, sun chairs and parasol
The shower was amazung; large rainfall head, spacious and a large porthole view to the outside world
The Eatery on the bridge down the road was a great place for drinks/eating. Definitely recommend that place.
Visited September 2023
Written 14 September 2023. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
avni t
2 contributions
Simple yet luxurious
I felt at home as soon as we drove down the driveway and walked along the path to the cabin. It's the right combination of being simple yet luxurious. The hot-tub and barbecue were enjoyed each day and it was a treat to open the doors to the fresh air. Hay-on-Wye is a short and easy drive away so it was nice to have a combination of self-catering and some meals out too. The recommendations in the guidebook for local walks and attractions were helpful- particularly recommended is the steep walk up Hay Bluff for the panoramic views. If you're looking for a home away from home, with nightime chats in the hottub and marshmallows over the fire, then book yourself in.
Visited August 2023
Written 31 August 2023. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Holly M
1 contribution
Many issues.
We stayed at Cynefin Retreats for 2 nights but was disappointed to find a few things. Our bedroom door would not lock after many attempts we found the lock was indeed broken. This made our sleep much more difficult as we were wary of the door not fully working. The access to the bathroom was a pain especially being pregnant as the door opens onwards with very little room to step in. You have to step into the shower to get into the bathroom to use the loo/ sink. The pans to use for the grill/ bbq were dirty therefore we had to clean them ourselves which was a pain as upon arrival we expected everything to be clean. Upon arrival we found our pod wasn’t ready for us to settle in despite paying £15 extra for early check in. Unfortunately there was no air con , we were provided a fan but didn’t do a lot to help the warmth. Also, the amount of bugs due to the fact they were attracted to the heat was unbelievable. We needed the doors open as it was so warm but when we opened them , especially when we was cooking , the bugs were piling in & were flying around our food/ in the bedroom and had to use the fly swat to get rid of them which made the experience even less relaxing. We unfortunately wouldn’t return out of choice due to our experience not being as relaxing as expected.
Visited August 2023
Written 28 August 2023. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Chloecox
11 contributions
Parent (no children) getaway
We had the most incredible time staying here at the Cynefin Retreats. We stayed in the hazel cabin and I feel like that was the best positioned. It was the only one on the left of the grounds and definitely had the best view. The lodge was clean, equipped and was nothing less than pure luxury. We did the woodland walk and if you follow the yellow arrow (look out for kissing gates) it leads to the most beautiful views. We also had lunch at the Bridge and it was incredible.
The only cons was the flies. Where they’re cows nearby the amount of flies you get in the lodge is scary. If you’re in the garden, close the doors. As much as the lodge is designed to be open planned I advise in the evening, if your outside Shut every single door. They do provide fly spray but the mess and you almost feel gassed out. 🪰
Thank you so so much. We WILL be back.
Visited August 2023
Written 24 August 2023. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Zaid S
1 contribution
Very satisfied
Stayed for our mini moon, location is great and although - look close together they are very private and no noise issues.
Very clean accommodation.
Hot tub was not hot on arrival, call to the caretaker and issue was fixed immediately, excellent service.
Only downside was wi-fi is very intermittent, so had issues playing music with the speaker.
Visited August 2023
Written 7 August 2023. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Mei P
London, United Kingdom38 contributions
You should definitely stay here 🙂
We came here to celebrate our wedding anniversary plus my birthday with our 10 month old for 3 nights and we stayed in Holly, one of the luxe-pods. It was absolutely perfect and one of the best cabins we've stayed in - everything has been meticulously thought out. A Baby Bjorn travel cot was provided plus a high chair. Kitchen has everything you could need to make all meals - which was important for us with a baby! The hot tub was wonderful and loved how easy it was to use, perfect for when baby was napping/sleeping 😄 great outdoor space, lovely views of the countryside and super close to Hay-on-Wye. 100% recommend to stay here.
Visited July 2023
Written 25 July 2023. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
meem b
1 contribution
A true retreat
Everything as described.
We had the most relaxed and laid back holiday ever. Total privacy, a beautiful view, enjoyed the hot tub everyday.
We spent a week in Hazel, as were badly in need of a complete break. We now plan/hope to return for a 3 night stay, 3 or 4 times a year.
Housekeeping staff friendly and very helpful.
It could not have been better.
Visited July 2023
Written 17 July 2023. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
For anyone wanting to get ‘out and about’ there are a wealth of options nearby to explore. We are fortunate to have Hay-on-Wye, the ‘Town of Books’, famous for its Literary Festival just three miles up the road. And, of course, the great outdoors beckons! Wild swimming, canoeing, trekking, cycling, and horse-riding are all within easy reach.
Access
Car advised
How to get there
The post code for Cynefin Retreats is HR3 5HU.
If arriving via Whitney-on-Wye: After passing through Whitney-on-Wye, you will pass Whitney Saw Mill on your right. You need to take the next left, with the sign showing the B4350 to Hay via Toll Bridge. Cross the bridge (the daily charge is £1), and Cynefin Retreats is the first turning on the left (about half a mile after crossing the bridge) next to two small red brick buildings. At this turning you will see the sign for Cynefin Retreats.
If Arriving via Hay-on-Wye: Drive on the B4350 which takes you through Clifford village. We are about a mile after you leave the village, located on the right-hand side of the road, next to two small red brick buildings. At this turning you will see the sign for Cynefin Retreats.
Activities nearby
Fishing spots availableGolf course (within 30 mins drive)Horse riding facilities
Things to know
Check in / out timings
Check in after 4 pm • Check out by 10 am
Cancellation policy
100% refund within 24 hours after booking (provided the stay is at least 60 days away).
50% refund* if you cancel at least 8 weeks before check-in
25% refund* if you cancel at least 4 weeks before check-in
No refund available once booking is confirmed
About this property
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