Starry Meadow

100%

7 reviews

· Hay On Wye, Powys, Wales

6 acres hosted by Diane W.

10 glamping pitches

Creature comforts

Enjoy the comforts of home in nature — including real toilets, showers, and kitchen.

A well located pop-up glamping site with a family festival feel next to Hay on Wye and the Brecon Beacons

They say ‘make hay when the sun shines’ and many people are doing just that. With festivals abandoned and live events cancelled, many bell tent businesses are opening glamping sites. Starry Meadow is one of them and has taken the phrase quite literally. A five-minute walk from the famous book town of Hay-on-Wye it really is making Hay accessible to holidaymakers. And, though sunshine may not be guaranteed, since Starry Meadow is only open for the month of August there’s certainly a very good chance of it. What's more, if you're missing the festival atmosphere you'll find it here thanks to food stalls, flags and loads of cool activities for kids.

This pop-up glamping site is on the edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park (great for hiking), within walking distance of the River Wye (probably the best river in the UK for canoeing) and a stroll away from bookish Hay town, which, though best known for its literary festival in May (which, this year, went virtual for the first time), is also a good spot for antique shops and quirky, foodie hang outs like The Old Electric Shop and The Granary Café. For a glamping site created in such impromptu style it really is remarkably well located.

The site itself is a spacious, family-friendly affair and it’s obvious the bell tents were once destined for the festival scene: Expect flags, bunting, strings of festoon lighting and a few festival-esque touches on site, such as a bar and food outlets and even some acoustic music on weekends. But the big bonus here is the range of activities on offer. Horse riding, archery and film nights, to name just a few, will keep the kids entertained so you don't have to. And then there's the ease of the accommodation. The site's 30 bell tents are kitted out with fitted floors, bedside tables, mirrors, fairy lights and proper futon-style beds, sleeping up to four people (with extra room to accommodate young children). There’s even an open-sided marquee where you can chill out in shelter if the sunshine doesn’t appear and a load of oversized garden games for when it does. When it really heats up, stroll down to the riverside and take a swim. There is a lovely riverside walk leading to pebble beaches along the Wye just a five-minute walk away.

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Reviews

100% Recommend5 Ratings · 7 reviews

Sarah ?.

3 years on Hipcamp

February 2022

Firstly, the children had an amazing time, they run their socks off for 4 days. The adults enjoyed too but something happened on the last morning which needed the owners attention. To say the way the gentleman spoke to us was rude is understatement and the way he spoke about the rest of the children on site was just nasty. Instead of being helpful, they decided to be rude and threatening. This spoilt what was until then an amazing week. Not the 'family friendly' vibe they advertise and when I try and say my story on their page they just delete the comment

Rebecca W.

3 years on Hipcamp

Recommends

· September 2021

Festival inspired Family Bell Tents - a6c4

The site was very well organised. Site map provided on arrival. Tent was very clean and spacious. Comfy futon beds, mirror, lamp and electricity available. Toilets and showers good. Kitchen area with kettle, microwave and fridge/freezer. Site felt very safe for the children who enjoyed the cinema, storytelling, bubbles, dancing in the evenings and pony ride (pre-booked) fire pits were great and perfect for toasting marshmallows. My son is 7 and loved it....didn't want to leave. Different catering each day. Great loaded nachos one day which were gluten free. Able to BBQ n there is a co op store in Hay so u can easily shop daily for supplies. Short walk into Hay. Lovely village. Highlights were the fossils shop n fudge shop. The Warren was a further walk but worth it when the kids could paddle in the shallow waters. Would love to visit again.

Colin ?.

3 years on Hipcamp

August 2021

We as a family had a great time, cannot recommend it highly enough. The manager and staff were lovely . Our teenage kids gave it a 5* review. Enough said. We will be back

Carol ?.

3 years on Hipcamp

August 2021

So, this was my first experience of ‘glamping’….and the experience was just amazing. From the moment we all arrived, everyone was very accommodating and the vibe was just so friendly. Young families, grown up families…..it was almost like being away with one big family. The tent was beautiful and clean. The showers were lovely and hot and the bacon rolls in the morning were much appreciated. The live entertainment was fantastic every night, and as I was celebrating my birthday on the Sunday, the whole campsite and the bands made my celebrations extra special…so to sum up…..I really didn’t want to leave…..we will definitely return next year….the whole set up was amazing….and I would highly recommend a stay at this amazing site. Thank you to everyone….we made a lot of new friends…..and the marshmallows around the fire pit was definitely a hit with our group. Well done to you all…..amazing experience

Carla B.

3 years on Hipcamp

Recommends

· August 2021

Festival inspired Family Bell Tents - a6c4

This was the first time camping for our 1 year old and 4 year old. They had an amazing time! This is the perfect family festival for children under ten. The cinema tent had a ping pong table, chalk board and games for children to play with during the day. Each night at 5pm a film would be put on for the children to watch. In the tent next door was the bar and entertainment area - we listened to some brilliant singers during our stay. We felt that staff had thought of everything. The sandpit and hay bales to climb over and jump off were a huge hit! I’d recommend taking your marshmallows and chocolate dipping sauce for the evening. At around 7pm the little stoves were lit and families gathered around the pit. My children absolutely loved this! Fridges were provided to store baby milk, toilets cleaned often and individual showers were available. We never had to queue for anything. As one reviewer mentioned, there was a delay for the pizza but it was not a problem. We spoke to the lady working in the van and this was their first time at a festival this size. She was more than apologetic! The pizza was delicious. Each night there was a different caterer provided which was a nice touch. An ice cream van on site would have been good for the hot days, but again not an issue as town is a close walk! We will definitely book this for 2022 and are recommending it to our friends.

Chris H.

3 years on Hipcamp

August 2021

The whole experience was fantastic. The staff at the site were simply amazing, they were so friendly and helpful, nothing was too much, always chatty with everyone. The facilities were great, the bell tent all set up for our arrival, great space, plenty of room around each tent. The place was fully booked but didn't feel at all crowded. There were two toilet and shower blocks, and both were well kept, and the showers were warm! All events/activities on site were super, what more could you ask for when you have: a cinema/indoor activity tent, snug (with sofas!), Bar/entertainment tent, beach area, football nets, swing ball, huge haystack for playing/jumping, fire pits. My only criticism was the food. Each night there was a different food truck. Second night was a pizza company, they were due to be open between 5-9pm, however they sold out by 7pm, we walked into the village and had a meal, by the time we were back (about 9) they were still serving the orders they took before we left! There was a van serving breakfast, although the quality was good they seemed to be cooking to order rather than in batches, which meant long queues and a wait for the food. I'm still giving 5 stars because I think the areas of the service that were weaker weren't due to the festival organisers, but down to the individual companies. My only suggestion would be that the organisers explore doing some of their own food (just sandwiches and the like) and if possible, see if in future they can have more than one food van on site to help relieve the pressure. Because the site is so close to town you obviously have the option to eat there, or bring your own food to prepare, but a lot of guests during our stay seemed to opt for the on-site catering. The site was super child friendly, loads of opportunity for kids to make friends, play and create memories. The atmosphere at Starry Meadow was superb, it was abuzz with kids' laughter, screams and shouts it was just what was needed.

Location

Hay On Wye, Powys, Wales, United KingdomTo respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking

Hosted by Diane W.

Joined in July 2020

From the host

Starry Meadow Glamping site is a unique festival-feel glamping experience. It's wonderfully easy. There's no need to cook as there are gourmet food outlets on site. There's a marquee- bar and plenty of deckchairs and firepits to while away a starry evening. Children will love it, with activities such as pony riding, family-friendly films and craft sessions available, as well as oodles of space for kids to run around. The glampsite is on the outskirts of the bustling town of Hay on Wye, and there's plenty to do. It’s in the Brecon Beacons National Park (great for hiking), a couple of minutes walk from the River Wye with a wonderful pebble beach and excellent canoeing. Hay is a good spot for book stores and antique shops, and be sure to visit The Old Electric Shop and Chapters Restaurant. Expect flags, bunting, strings of festoon lighting, and a few festival-esque touches on site, such as a bar and food outlets and even some acoustic music on weekends. Inside, bell tents are kitted out with fitted floors, bedside tables, mirrors, fairy lights and proper futon-style beds, sleeping up to four people (with extra room to accommodate young children). There’s even an open-sided marquee where you can chill out in shelter if the sunshine doesn’t appear and a load of oversized garden games for when it does. Starry Meadow Glamping is open July 30th - August 30th. Bookings start on Mondays and Fridays.

Nearby attractions

The Brecon Beacons, Hay on Wye town and the River Wye are all quite literally on your tent step, which offers a fantastic array of opportunities and also a good deal of diversity. If you fancy an active day, climb Hay Bluff for rewarding views, swim in the River Wye – 'The Warren' (a 10-minute walk) is a lovely meadow, edged with pebble beaches, which is the perfect place to picnic, skim stones and relax – or rent canoes locally for a paddle down the river and an easy return from a pick-up shuttle. We wouldn't suggest doing all in one day (that would be a very busy day) but we would suggest doing all. Canoes can be hired locally from Want to Canoe? (01497 820604), Wye Valley Canoes (01497 847213) and Celtic Canoes (07515 905419). For something more chilled, just mooch around Hay on Wye. Home to the famous Literature Festival, Hay is a pretty market town with vintage shops and bookstores in abundance (and a great map shop!). Also, while there, be sure to grab an ice-cream from Shepherds (01497 821898).

Food and drink

Food is available on the glamping site, and there's a licensed bar. If you want to eat out, though, Hay on Wye has a wide variety of options and is a fashionable enough town that it offers the full range from olde local pubs to more hipster hang outs. We particularly like poking around in The Old Electric Shop (01497 821194) – they just happen to stock copies of the Hipcamp guidebook on their shelves! – where there's a great café menu if you manage to bag a seat. Across the road, The Granary (01497 820790) offers more hearty meals as well as lighter bites and has a lot more space. Try Tomatitos (01497 820772) for tapas (and atmosphere), Red Indigo (01497 821999) for excellent curry and a friendly welcome and The Swan Hotel (01497 821188) and Kilverts (01497 821333) for beautiful beer gardens.

Things to do nearby