Frida - Stargazing Lotus Belle Tent in Herefordshire, United Kingdom
The Moon & I
- Stargazing Lotus Belle Tent for 2 from £80 per night (read our low price promise)
- One double bed
Not suitable for children
Not suitable for pets
Overview
Frida is here to get you off-grid and outdoors, all outdoors. After a busy day exploring the beautiful Black Mountain range or Brecon Beacons gets you muddy and hot, the Naked in Nature washroom is there for you to wash it all off out in the open. The elegant roll top bath lets you shower in style under a lush green canopy of trees, all set up behind a screen for privacy, giving you the invigorating experience of washing out in the open. Even the occasional passing tractor (or chicken) will only be heard and not seen.
The stargazing lotus belle tent is a cosy nest for you to curl up in after you’re all scrubbed. The homage to its namesake Frida Kahlo is clear from the riot of colours on the mugs, blankets bed linen and even the image of the artist herself embroidered on the cushions. It’s off-grid, lit only by lanterns and twinkling strings of solar fairy lights, which you’ll want to switch off to see the brilliant starlit skies through the clear roof panels or the telescope.
Owners Martha and Reuben will give you the warmest welcome and can furnish you with hampers of local produce, direct you to great local farm shops or whip up an organic breakfast that’ll set you up for a full day of adventure. You might fancy quiet browsing in the bookshops of peaceful Hay-on-Wye and antique hunting in Hereford, or canoeing down the Wye and hiking or cycling in the hills. For a touch of indulgence when you get back, ask Martha and Reuben about the brownies, marshmallows and cocoa that make up their “Full Works” hot chocolate.
If you're travelling with friends or Frida isn't available for your dates, try Prothero, Martha & Reuben's other lovely space.
Essentials
The important stuff
- Check in: 4 pm
- Check out: 10 am
- Bring wellies, torches, waterproofs and warm clothes as the bell tent is off-grid and has no heating. Hot water bottles and blankets are available
- Please don't use disposable BBQs on site
- A small bundle of logs are included for the wood burner in the hut
- Log and kindling bundles for outdoor fire pit are available to purchased on site for £5 – the owners will take payment for any additional extras on card or cash on check out
- There may be limited phone signal. WiFi available from the owner's house
- Sleeping arrangements
- One double bed
Cooking
- Gas stove for making tea and coffee
- There are currently no cooking facilities available, but an outdoor cooking area is coming soon. Martha and Reuben can offer lots of other added extras instead – please see the Food & Drink tab for more information
Washing
- Outdoor naked in nature washroom just outside the tent among the tree
- Compost toilet
Heating, lighting & bedding
- Bed linen and towels provided
- The bell tent is off-grid and does not have heating, electricity and plug sockets
- LED battery powered fairy lights and candle lanterns
Entertainment
- Books about Frida Kahlo, for whom the tent is named after
- Books about astronomy, star charts and a telescope
Getting there
The Moon and I, The Plough, Blakemere, Herefordshire HR2 9PY
What3words address: iteration.poems.downcast
By car
A well behaved sat nav will bring you right to the door provided you pop in the postcode. If you have any trouble finding The Moon & I, just give the owners a call and they'll be happy to help. When you arrive, open up the wooden gate, park up, knock the front door of the property (facing the road) and Reuben and Martha will come out to greet you. You will generally need a car to enjoy your visit due to the rural location.
Food & Drink
At The Moon & I
Martha and Reuben can ensure you're well-stocked for your weekend adventure or midweek break, so please pre-order and choose from this menu of yummy delights:
- Bottle of 'Castle Brook' sparkling wine, chilled and waiting on arrival - £40 (delicious locally produced English sparkling wine from Castle Brook vineyard in Ross on Wye)
- Bottle of chilled Prosecco waiting on arrival - £15
- 'The Full Works' hot chocolate for two - £15 (hot chocolate, mini marshmallows, chocolates & yummy mini brownies)
- Packed lunch for adventures - £10 per person. Can be made to order and delivered with breakfast, includes sandwiches – choice of fillings: Ham, cheddar & red onion chutney / Cheddar, red onion chutney / Pesto, cherry tomato & mozzarella / Brie, bacon & cranberry / Cheddar & marmite / Chicken mayo, salad and all served with Tyrrells Herefordshire crisps, fruit & luxury flapjack biscuits & fruit juice
- DIY Build a Breakfast Hamper for two (only available at Prothero, not Frida) - £20. A delicious array of locally sourced, high welfare breakfast fare delivered to you ready to cook at your convenience! Including pork sausages, bacon, fresh free range eggs, mushrooms, fresh bread, baked beans & coffee. Vegetarian option also available
- Continental Breakfast Tray for two - £15 (Includes organic yogurt, fruit & granola pots, fresh orange juice, mini French pastries & a pot of fresh Black Mountain Roast Coffee)
- DIY Porridge Parcel for two (only available at Prothero, not Frida) - £10 (A fab winter warmer of a breakfast including organic porridge oats, organic milk, organic honey, berries & naughty organic dark chocolate fakes for sprinkling)
- Bacon Breakfast Bap with ketchup or brown sauce - £5
- Supper (main meal & dessert) - £15 per person. If you fancy a lazy evening by the fire and don't want to venture out for supper, then here are the home-cooked supper options which can be delivered straight to your door: Sausage & Hereford Cider Casserole, (vegetarian sausages available) served with fresh bread for dunking OR Vegetable Stew with veggie dumplings. All suppers are accompanied by a fab hot chocolate, marshmallow & brownie fireside hamper for pudding.
Pubs & Restaurants
The Yew Tree, Preston On Wye (7 minute-drive or 30 minute-walk) – a proper rural country pub that serves local steak and fish & chips (amongst other classic pub food) next to a cosy fire
The Bridge Inn, Michaelchurch Escley (25-minute drive) – right on the river in the Herefordshire countryside, you can snuggle down by the fire in the winter or sit out on the riverside terrace in the summer, drink a locally brewed gin or cider and eat a delicious meal
Off Grid Gourmet, Hay-on-Wye – one of the many cool, pop-up restaurants serving locally sourced, ethical, high welfare food prepared in front of you, outdoors to order!
Activities
At The Moon & I
Walk the 4 acres of land and enjoy some wildlife spotting! You're also welcome to feed the chickens on request.
Places to visit
Hay on Wye - renowned for its annual literature festival and filled with incredible book shops, independent cafes and artisan shops
Walk 'The Bluff' also known as 'Hay Bluff' - the mountain ridge that looks over Hay-on-Wye and also out towards the Brecon Beacons
Hereford - only 15 minutes away, you can enjoy the comforts of a small city: cinema, artisan shops, mainstream supermarkets and chain restaurants. The cathedral is stunning and well worth a visit
Outdoor & Active
With the river Wye and the Black Mountain range just round the corner, The Moon & I is perfect for canoeing, cycling, wildlife watching and of course walking.
During the summer months, have a sunny lazy day by the Wye at Bredwardine, enjoy the stunning views and do some wild swimming.
Meet your hosts
Reuben and Martha fell in love with The Plough, a 460-year-old former cider house, back in 2015. They set to work doing up the old inn and have made it into a family business. Martha and Reuben live at The Plough with their two daughters, two cats and a few chickens and love welcoming new guests!
Wildlife & Environment
The land is teeming with wildlife with plenty of owls, woodpeckers, kites, buzzards, cuckoos, swifts, hedgehogs, foxes and badgers! Martha and Reuben are very eco-friendly and as well as having environmentally-friendly products and vegan, cruelty-free cosmetics, they also provide local, organic breakfasts.
Our guests say...
Beautifully decorated and spotlessly clean and the outdoor bathroom a real treat which allowed a sense of freedom and feeling at one with nature.
16/09/2018Alison
It was truly magical, no light pollution, quiet and when the clouds cleared a beautiful starry night. The hosts were very warm, welcoming and helpful. The shower under the trees was a wonderful experience and a definite must! The supper and breakfast available on the extras was fabulous. The fire is a must too for your toasting marshmallows. The wood available on the extras is kiln dried and even I managed to get the fire started with the fire lighters provided. Hot chocolate by the fire under the stars was wonderful. The chickens are friendly and we had many chats. :) I stayed to get away from it all and it certainly was that. Thank you and I'll be back.
02/09/2018Natasha
Perfect! The bell tent was beautiful, and the use of the fire pit in the evenings was lovely. The outside bathroom was so private. It was a camping experience with everything catered for also! Could not ask for more and would definitely go back!
31/08/2018Ben
We had an absolutely fantastic break. Staying at Frida was relaxing and the link to Frida Kahlo made it very special. Martha and Reubin's space is a wonderful place to relax and unwind. The telescope provided meant we could look at the stars and really take time out. The bell tent is comfortable and inspiring and the bed is sooooo comfy! We loved the outside bathroom. Big fun. Martha was a wonderful hostess and the views from the tent were a treat. You really feel that you've got away from it all......though there is a supermarket 15 mins away for the essentials. Great place to explore Hay and Ross too!
20/08/2018dawn
Absolutely perfect. By perfect I literally mean this place was heaven. Not only was the tent exactly like the photos it had so many added extras e.g gas kettle and all different types of hot drinks essentials. The nature bathroom was incredible, the most beautiful thing I could of dreamed, honestly could of stayed here for so much longer. To top it off, the hosts were probably two of the nicest people I’ve ever met. Catered to all of our needs and beyond. Charged our phones for us whenever we wanted, brought us extras when needed and you never once felt like you were bothering them, always happy to help. When the gas bottle needed changing in the nature shower Reubon quickly sorted this out for us and was so helpful. The added extras you could pay for was just an even better bonus with this place. We enjoyed a home cooked meal (which they worked around for me being veggie and it was still amazing), hot chocolate, brownies and even extra touches with there food deals ( which is well worth the extra money).
09/08/2018Hollie
Love this place? Tell everyone!
Booking Terms
Canopy & Stars low price promise
Book with us in confidence knowing you won’t find that place cheaper elsewhere. All of the prices we display are set and matched by our Owners. (In this world of foreign currency, we do have to say 'subject to exchange rates' for some of our European places.)
What does ‘from price’ mean?
Our ‘from price’ is based on a four night stay in low season and designed to help you to compare different prices across our collection. Some of our Owners vary their nightly rates and check in days throughout the year, so it may differ from the rate quoted below the calendar. It is quite common (although by no means universal) for places to charge a little more in peak season or for shorter stays, to cover changeover costs. Consider booking longer stays during the cooler months if you’re looking for the lowest nightly rates.
Agency Terms & Conditions
Except where otherwise specified, we Sawday’s Canopy & Stars Ltd Company No 09088366 of Merchants House, Wapping Road, Bristol, BS1 4RW act only as an Agent in respect of all bookings we take and/or make on your behalf. Sawday’s Canopy & Stars is part of the Alastair Sawday’s Group of Companies. We accept no liability in relation to any contract you enter into or for any services or arrangements you purchase (“Booking(s)”) or for the acts or omissions of any supplier(s) or other person(s) or party(ies) connected with any Booking. For all Bookings, your contract will be with the supplier of the Booking in question, and in most cases this will be the owner of the property you’ll be staying at (“Owner(s)”). When making your Booking we will arrange for you to enter into a contract with the Owner of the Booking. Your Booking with us is subject to these Agency Terms & Conditions and any specific booking conditions of the relevant Owner(s) you contract with. The Owner’s booking conditions may limit and/or exclude the Owner’s liability to you.
You may decide to make more than one Booking with us at the same time. The price charged in total for more than one Booking will always equal the prices charged separately for each individual Booking. All Bookings are available to be purchased separately at the same price as they are when more than one Booking is made. This means that any multiple Bookings do not constitute a package as defined in the Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992.
By making a booking, you agree that:-
- you have read these Agency Terms & Conditions and agree to be bound by them;
- you consent to our use of your information in accordance with our Privacy Policy;
and
- you are over 18 years of age and where there may be age restrictions in place, you declare that you and all members of your party are of the appropriate age.
The Canopy & Stars online booking system enables Guests to make Bookings 24 hours a day. A Booking is confirmed on receipt of a 25% non-refundable deposit for all Bookings with check in dates of more than 10 weeks away. For all Bookings that have a check in date of less than 10 weeks before check in, payment for the Booking will be required in full and the entire Booking will be non-refundable. The Canopy & Stars telephone booking line is open Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm. When using the online enquiry form, for those Properties without online booking, please allow 24 working hours for us to contact you by telephone to confirm the Booking. If we are unable to reach you by phone we will attempt to contact you by email. We will contact you during Canopy & Stars working hours (Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm). Online or email enquiries will be dealt with in the order they are received, but please be aware that we cannot guarantee reservation of your selected dates until the receipt of suitable payment. Therefore, if possible, we do recommend that you book on the Canopy & Stars website using the online booking system.
1. Booking and payments
1.1 In order to confirm your chosen Booking, you must pay a non-refundable deposit as required by the Owner of the Booking in question (or full payment if booking within 10 weeks of the date of your check-in).
1.2 Your Booking is confirmed and a contract between you and the Owner will exist when we receive payment of the deposit and send you a booking confirmation on the Owner’s behalf. This booking confirmation will normally be sent out within 24 hours in the case of email and seven working days in the case of post, and will contain the details of your Booking and of payments made and due. If you have not received your booking confirmation within the specified time, please notify us as soon as possible by email (bookings@canopyandstars.co.uk). Please check your confirmation carefully and report any incorrect or incomplete information to us immediately. As we act only as booking Agent, we have no responsibility for any errors in any documentation except where an error is made by us.
1.3 Where a deposit has been paid, full balance payment will be due 10 weeks in advance of your check in date and a reminder will be sent to you two weeks prior to this date, where applicable, by email. We automatically take the balance payment using the same card as used to make the deposit payment. It is your reponsibility to advise us if we should use a different card and to contact us by telephone (0117 204 7830) to arrange for alternative payment method. If the balance payment does not successfully go through as there is a problem with your card, such as it expiring, then we will contact you to try and take alternative payment. If we have been unable to take payment after two weeks of the balance due date, then with regret, we will notify the Owner who may cancel your Booking.
1.4 Except where otherwise advised or stated in the booking conditions of the Owner concerned, all monies you pay to us for a Booking will be held on behalf of the Owner(s) concerned.
1.5 Credit Card payments are processed via Alastair Sawday’s Publishing Co. Ltd who provide merchants services facilities to Sawday’s Canopy & Stars Ltd.
2. Cancellation and Amendment by You
2.1 Any cancellation or amendment request must be sent to us by email (bookings@canopyandstars.co.uk) and will be considered and responded to within one working day of receipt. You are also advised to confirm all changes to our Customer Services Department by calling 0117 204 7830. Please ensure that you have received written confirmation of any changes to your Booking prior to travel. Whilst we will always try to help, we cannot guarantee that such requests will be met.
2.2 Amendments and cancellations can only be accepted in accordance with the booking conditions of the Owner of your Arrangements. The Owner may charge the cancellation or amendment charges shown in their booking conditions (which may be as much as 100% of the cost of the Arrangements and will normally increase closer to the date of departure). The Owner may charge cancellation or amendment charges in accordance with its own booking conditions, however for the sake of convenience only, we have outlined the Owner’s charges at clause 2.3 and 2.4 below. Please note that these are the Owner’s own cancellation and amendments charges, not Canopy & Stars’, and therefore the Owner may vary their charges as they wish, without notice to us. The correct charges will be notified to you at the time of your cancellation or amendments.
2.3 Owner’s General Cancellation Charges:
2.3.1 Cancellation by you at any time will result in your deposit being forfeited, as all deposits are non-refundable.
2.3.2 All monies paid for a holiday (deposit and balance) are non-refundable within 10 weeks before check in date.
2.3.3 Cancellation of any holiday after it has been paid in full and at a date 10 weeks or more in advance of your check in date, will result in forfeiture of your deposit (or an amount equivalent where one was not paid as the holiday was paid in full) and the balance being returned to you.
2.3.4 Cancellation insurance is available but will be a third party arrangement and not involve Canopy & Stars or the Owner in any way.
2.4 Owner’s General Amendment Charges:
2.4.1 Alterations to your Booking can only be made more than 10 weeks prior to the check in date, after which time alterations will be treated as cancellation. All alterations are subject to availability and may incur a £30 adminstration fee.
2.4.2 Differences in the total amount payable resulting from alterations will be refunded to you in the case of a decrease in price and paid by you in the case of increases in price.
Special note: Generally Owners will charge the above cancellation and amendment charges, however we must stress that these are a guide only and charges may differ from those shown here depending on the Owner. The exact charges will be notified to you by the Owner at the time of cancellation and/or can be found in the Owner’s own booking conditions which are available from the Owner on request.
3. Changes and Cancellations by the Owner
We will inform you as soon as reasonably possible if the Owner needs to make a significant change to your confirmed Arrangements or to cancel them. We will also liaise between you and the Owner in relation to any alternative Booking offered by the Owner but we will have no further liability to you.
4. Complaints
Because the contract for your Booking is between you and the Owner, any queries or concerns should be addressed to them. In the event that you have any complaint about your stay, please notify the Owner as soon as possible. If you don’t follow this procedure there will be less opportunity for the Owner to investigate and resolve your complaint and so make your stay as enjoyable as possible. Delays may also mean that amount of compensation you may be entitled to may be reduced. Whether or not your complaint is dealt with satisfactorily, please also contact us as we appreciate all feedback. It’s important to us and the Owner to know that you’ve enjoyed your stay or if anything could have been improved.
5. Pricing
Canopy & Stars reserve the right to amend advertised prices at any time on behalf of the Owner. We also reserve the right to correct errors in both advertised and confirmed prices.Special note: changes and errors sometimes occur.
6. Information & Accuracy
The information and prices shown on this website are varied from time to time and may change between the time you first view a property and make a Booking. You should check that all the details are as you expect prior to making a Booking. It is always possible that, despite our best efforts, some of the properties (including the features and extras available) may be incorrectly described and/or priced. If we discover this is the case after you have made a Booking, we reserve the right to contact you with details of the correct information and/or pricing and will give you the option to:
(1) proceed with the Booking based on the correct information and/or pricing, which may require the payment of an additional amount by you;
OR
(2) subject to availability, change your booking dates to dates when the pricing can be honoured ad so no additional charge to you. In the event that a lower price can be offered for alternative dates then the difference would be refunded;
OR
(3) cancel the Booking. If we do not receive your instructions within 5 days of contacting you, we reserve the right to cancel your Booking without liability to you.
7. Our Responsibility for your Booking
Your contract is with the Owner and its booking conditions apply. As Agent, we accept no responsibility for the actual provision of the Booking. Our responsibilities are limited to making the Booking in accordance with your instructions and acting properly in accordance with our legal duties as an Agent. We accept no responsibility for any information about the Booking that we pass on to you in good faith. However, in the event that we are found liable to you on any basis whatsoever, our maximum liability to you is limited to twice the cost of your Booking (or the appropriate proportion of this if not everyone on the Booking is affected). We do not exclude or limit any liability for death or personal injury that arises as a result of our negligence or that of any of our employees whilst acting in the course of their employment.
8. Pets
Not all properties accept pets. If you wish to take your pet on holiday, please advise us before booking and we can check whether pets are accepted at the property. You must obtain the prior consent of the Owner before taking any pets to the property. A nightly charge may be made by the Owner for each pet and additional terms may apply.
9. VAT
Many of the Owners of properties in the Canopy & Stars portfolio are not registered for VAT in which case no tax is payable. Where VAT is payable, the tax is included in the advertised holiday rental price.
10. Visa, passport and health requirements.
Unless you tell us otherwise, we assume that all members of your party are British citizens who hold or will hold full British passports valid for the entire duration of the Arrangements you chose to purchase. Information on visa, passport and health requirements, where given and applicable, is so given on this basis. Requirements may change and you are therefore strongly recommended to check the up to date position with the Owner of the Booking, Passport Office, appropriate embassy or consulate or your doctor as applicable in good time before the commencement of your holiday.
11. Insurance
You are strongly recommended to take out personal travel insurance for all members of your party. It is your responsibility to ensure that the insurance you purchase is adequate and appropriate for your particular needs. Please read your policy details and take them with you on holiday.
12. Special requests
If you have any special requests (for example dietary requirements, cots or room location), please let us know at the time of booking. We will pass on all such requests to the Owner, but unfortunately, we can't guarantee that they will be met and we will have no liability to you if they are not.
13. Group Bookings
Not all Owners accept Bookings for a single sex group (for example, a stag or hen party). Guests wanting to make such a Booking should check with us beforehand to enable us to check whether the Owner is prepared to accept the Booking. We will then advise you accordingly. In event that an Owner does not accept this type of Booking then it is with regret, that the Booking may be cancelled and cancellation fees may apply. It is the Guest’s responsibility to enquire with Canopy & Stars and/or check on our website beforehand to make sure that this type of booking is permitted.
14. Maximum Numbers
Please note that except by prior arrangement confirmed in writing, only the number of persons specified on a booking confirmation may occupy a property. Most owners reserve the right to refuse admittance or revoke a booking if this condition is not observed and you are unlikely to receive any refund.
15. Your Responsibilities
Please note that you have a contract with the Owner of the property. As such you are under a responsibility to behave in a proper, appropriate and legal manner whilst staying at the property with due respect to the Owner, the Property and other guests and their property. You are responsible for informing the Owner of any losses or damage to the property as soon as possible. Please note that you will be liable to pay the Owner for any losses or damage to the property caused by you or a member of your party (except reasonable wear and tear). Some Owners will also require damage deposits. You must also leave the property by the check-out time specified on your booking. If any guest behaves inappropriately or improperly (of which the Owner will be the final judge on their Property), or illegally, the Owner reserves the right to ask the guest and their party (at their discretion) to leave the Property before the end of the holiday period and/or refuse any future bookings from you. Any refund for so doing will be at the entire discretion of the Owner. In addition, the Owner reserves the right to sue the guest for any loss, damage or injury caused to the Owner, the Property or to other guests and/or their property. As agent, we will have no liability to you in these circumstances.
16. Governing Law and Jurisdiction
These terms and conditions have been drafted in accordance with and are governed by English law and the courts of England and Wales have exclusive jurisdiction in relation to any and all disputes arising out of these Agency Terms & Conditions.
17. Discrepancies
In case of a discrepancy between these Agency Terms & Conditions and any other Canopy & Stars literature, these Agency Terms & Conditions shall prevail.
18. Validity clause
In the event that a court finds that a condition in these Agency Terms & Conditions is illegal or void, the illegal or void provision will be severed from the remainder of the Agency Terms & Conditions, which will continue to be valid and have full force and effect.
Beautifully decorated and spotlessly clean and the outdoor bathroom a real treat which allowed a sense of freedom and feeling at one with nature.
16/09/2018