Is this Britain's coolest pop-up hotel?
Driving down a country road leading out of the town of Pwllheli, an extraordinary sight greets the eye. On a slight hill are eight highly unusual cabins that together comprise the Llỹn Peninsula site of Epic Retreats, Wales’ first pop-up boutique-hotel-meets-glamping experience, the making of which had its very own four-part series on Channel 4.
The stunning locations were kept a secret before being revealed earlier this year; the cabins arrived here in July, where they will stay until September 11, before ‘disappearing’.
Getting to Pwllheli is straight-forward using GPS; after that, follow the directions received upon booking to this unplottable and most glorious spot, hidden along the coastal path, with the beach and ocean just beyond, and the mountains of Snowdonia behind.
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The architect-designed cabins are each unique, drawing inspiration in their design from Welsh tradition and mythology, as part of the country’s Year of Legends. We stayed in Animated Forest, distinctly Hobbit-like with its huge, circular, wooden sliding door and tall tubular skylights extending from the slanted roof.
Inside is cosy - in every sense of the word. A wood-burning stove offers maximum hygge for those inevitable periods of time when the Welsh weather leaves you with nothing better to do than lie on the bed listening to the rain, looking out through the rectangular window at the spectacular sea view. Cabins sleep two, and it’s these features that make them effortlessly romantic and perfect for couples.
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The bed takes up most of the space; aside from this there’s a tiny sitting area and sink, and not much else save for the bathroom, which has a pleasingly efficient shower, and compost toilet (less romantic). Solar power heats the water and provides lights, as well as one USB charging point.
At the centre of the site is a small marquee, which serves as reception/lounge/dining room. Stays are either Monday to Friday or Friday to Monday, with the former package offering full board (catered by a top-notch local chef, using quality, locally sourced produce) and a programme of activities and entertainment, including mushroom foraging.
For those wanting a bit more time to themselves, the weekend stays are preferable. A welcome evening is nonetheless held on the Friday night, which provides the opportunity to meet other guests over a lamb roast (vegetarian options are always available) followed by marshmallows around the campfire, while being serenaded by a local flautist and poet, setting a brilliantly fantastical tone to the weekend. Beer and wine are provided (local again, of course) and there’s a prosecco van for fizz on tap, which is rather fun.
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Hosts Chris and Louise are warm and welcoming, assisting with guests’ every need. They’re a mine of information on things to do in the area, and there’s also a small library of guide books (the walk to the Ty Coch Inn and its beautiful cove, as outlined in Secret Beaches, is a favourite, as is the walk round the path to an even nicer beach than the one directly outside, complete with cute coloured huts and an outdoor bar, Aqua).
There’s a guest fridge (and plug socket you can use if, like me, access to a hairdryer is non-negotiable for you), though the communal cooking facilities promised in the welcome letter end never seemed to materialise.
This throws up an interesting point, for although this operation bears situational resemblance to glamping, the cabins’ lack of real self-catering facilities (all have a kettle for the stove, cutlery, crockery and glasses, but no proper means of preparing food), plus the provision of fluffy white towels, crisp white sheets, toiletries and a welcome hamper of local produce, render the accommodation actually more similar to a hotel.
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Breakfast is served 8-9am during the week, and 8.30-9.30 at weekends, and is a daily highlight, with a small continental buffet, followed by either a Welsh omelette, made with leeks, potatoes and blue cheese, or a full Welsh, both exceptionally tasty (be sure to try the homemade Glamorgan sausages if available).
All the cabins have pros and cons, and comparing notes with your fellow guests (or even peeking in if you’re lucky), is part of the fun. Lack of storage space is an issue in most of them - ours had virtually none, and cars can’t be kept outside, which compounds the problem.
Little Dragon, which resembles The Burrow, home of the Weasleys in Harry Potter, is particularly challenged in this respect, but compensates with a wonderful circular bed accessed via ladder offering the best views in the house.
Glass-fronted Dragon’s Eye also mainlines on views, while SkyHut has a retractable roof for stargazing. Miner’s Legend, Slate Cabin and Arthur’s Cave are perhaps the best designed; the former two possessed of precious storage space, the latter standing out for its stylish curved interiors. Black Hat is more of a yurt, and probably the most spacious, but sadly was closed owing to a leaking pipe when we visited.
The cabins were built to be temporary, and as such are not finished to a particularly high standard. Interior walls are untreated plywood; chairs and coffee table in ours were recognisable from Ikea. Many only have one sink for bathroom and ‘kitchen’, and bathrooms often have no ventilation and little or no natural light.
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These are small prices to pay though for an experience that is novel but not gimmicky. There’s magic to be found everywhere, in the cabins themselves and the landscape surrounding them - an early-morning walk and swim led us to be metres from a seal frolicking in the water. The project is a partnership with Best of Wales, Cambria Tours and George + Tomos Architects, and has certainly succeeded in promoting the country as an attractive holiday destination. We met two sets of guests who had come from the US after reading about the venture in an architectural magazine and were delighted with what they found.
The cabins will be moving to a permanent site at the end of this season (watch this space), and it will be interesting to see what, if anything, Epic Retreats has up its sleeve for next summer. But for now, all cabins have availability until September 11, so if you’re looking for a last-minute getaway with a difference, this comes highly recommended.
Epic Retreats, Llỹn Peninsula, Wales (01650 511 101; epicretreats.wales). A two-night weekend break costs £425 per unit; three-night weekend break £595 per unit; four-night (Mon-Fri) break including all meals and acitivities £595 per unit; seven-night Epic Package (above two combined) £1,150 per unit.
