Luxury glamping pods in Hereford, UK

Planet

The aspiration is to be an exemplar for eco-tourism, founded on a low carbon footprint in aesthetically beautiful contemporary accommodations.

CARBON REDUCTION
We are accessible by train to Herefordshire, and then buses and/or taxis to our site

Electric cars can be charged using a 13 amp outside socket for a charge.

Accommodations use a green energy supplier

Butchers, green grocers, and a deli in nearby Hay-on-Wye, with plentiful locally grown food and supplies, which we promote to our guests

Wherever possible, we’re using local suppliers to source our products, such as artwork, hand soaps, welcome hamper contents.

Our toilet roll is supplied by an ethical company, Who Gives A Crap

Eco-friendly and ethical products provided for shower room, cleaning and washing, such as Ecover.

Hot tubs are heated using the waste energy from the filter motor in a system based on one motor only rather than the conventional two motor tubs.

Each luxe-pod is extremely energy efficient, and close to Passive Haus standard, with significant insulation together with a unique and innovative passive climate control system to manage ventilation year-round.

ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE
Bins provided for guests to compost their raw vegetable waste, which we collect and use to feed the plants and trees.

Following advice from Wood Knowledge Wales the luxe-pods were designed and constructed to celebrate and demonstrate the strength and quality of local softwoods in an advanced construction setting. Examples of this are the spectacular laminated larch-glulam curved framework that support these structures together with solid timber walls using Brettstapel techniques to mirror the curve of the framework resulting in a spectacular aesthetic that sits gently within the local landscape. Both cladding and decking use locally grown western red cedar from woodlands managed under a continuous cover regime. This is an uneven-aged sustainable forest management system designed to support forest resilience.

Only organic fertilisers are used on the land. Fruit from trees is available to guests when in season.

As you walk through our woodland, you will see habitat piles providing a home for local wildlife, hedgehog, toad, and newt, along with a plethora of bird, bat and owl boxes.

With advice from a local ecologist the meadow and woodland have benefited from extensive planting to enrich the original landscape of mature Corsican pines and coppiced hazel to create a wildlife habitat for mammals, bats, birds, and insects. Indigenous snowdrops, primroses, and bluebells have been planted to bring additional colour and energy to the woodland walks in late winter and spring.

People

LOCAL ECONOMY

We are a small family business. We have a small team, predominantly locally based with some part time, remote workers.

Wherever possible, we use local suppliers to source our products and offerings, such as artwork, hand soaps, welcome hamper contents, our masseur. We signpost the local Hay-on-Wye deli for people to order finish-at-home suppers or to order groceries in advance to their door. This is not only to reduce the carbon footprint of the products we use, but also to support the local economy and local livelihoods.

EMPLOYMENT, INCLUSIVITY AND DIVERSITY
More than 50% of our staff are employed locally (within thirty miles of the site).
We are completely inclusive within the restraints of our accommodations’ design. Our pods are largely suitable for people with limited mobility, being one storey. We consider ourselves very inclusive and welcome all guests from all communities.

OPTIMISATION OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES
To bring our dream to reality, we brought together an innovative group of local architects, craftspeople and specialist consultants, all of whom shared a common ambition to create a unique, cutting-edge design with modernist aesthetics and excellent energy performance. Following this our project positively promotes and utilises the services of local suppliers found mainly in and around Hay-on-Wye.