The Laundry Retreat

Our advice when booking a holiday at The Laundry? Don’t make dinner reservations for night one. It’s not because there aren’t any good options nearby. There are. But you might just find yourself so wowed by the place that you won’t want to leave. “We couldn't believe our luck when we turned the corner and saw the beautiful Tilia roundhouse and the phenomenal views,” reads one of the most recent reviews. “We even cancelled our evening plans the first night to spend it under stars by the fire instead. It’ll be hard to beat this holiday.”

We couldn’t agree more. For couples looking for somewhere to truly relax, it doesn’t get much better than the two timber roundhouses at The Laundry. Facing east to Moel Famau and the Clwydian hills, the roundhouses fall well at the upper end of the glamping spectrum. This is accommodation for people who appreciate high thread count sheets, quality bath robes, underfloor heating and the host’s attention to detail. That can be seen in everything from the stylish design touches in the en-suite bathrooms to the carefully chosen, locally baked, sourdough bread in the welcome hamper.

As you might imagine from these credentials, it’s an adults-only retreat. You might see it as a boutique hotel room that’s been separated from its neighbours and slung out into the garden, enveloped and orientated around the great outdoors. Each Instagram-friendly roundhouse has a wraparound deck with a sheltered outdoor cooking area as well as a handy indoor mini kitchen. Scandi-styled Tilia roundhouse has a sunken fire pit, while the more rustic Ilex has a covered seating area.

Guests have free range of the beautiful walled garden, lovingly tended to by hosts Tom and Jenny. They live, and operate a B&B room, in the listed 18th-century former laundry building which gives this site its name. It once serviced the rather grand Llanrhaedr Hall next door (it’s now a care home). If you’re particularly interested, you can book in with Tom and Jenny for a tour of the gardens or you may choose to explore further afield. The village has a pretty church with a noteworthy window and a family-run restaurant that’s recommended. There’s a tucked-away pub a couple of villages away that’s great for a celebratory dinner and there’s plenty of walking in the near area too. And, if that’s not enough, there’s more; as virtually the whole of North Wales is within an hour’s scenic drive.