Wonderland Festival Retreat

It’s no wonder that Wonderland Festival Retreat in Sussex is sometimes used for weddings as well as glamping stays. It’s an idyllic spot after all. There are 10 acres of fields and orchards with a lake and views of the South Downs. Among all this, is a handful of glamping options including a lakeside geodesic dome (or Bubble as they call it here) and a shepherd’s hut. Each offers a glampy hideaway, designed for two. Both are great for chilled out, romantic stays. The fact that there’s a rowing boat on the lake and a spa deck with a hot tub and a sauna make it all the more relaxing.

Choose the Bubble for a prime position by the lake with loungers on the deck and a swinging seat in the dome’s window. Inside there’s a quirky circular bed, a log burner, a projector and facilities for making tea and coffee. It’s light, bright, airy and modern. Over at the shepherd’s hut, things are a bit more retro and a bit more boho too. With timber clad walls painted a gentle green, the hut looks traditional on the outside but step inside and a riot of colours transport you to more exotic shores. It’s a lovely space that also has a log burner and bed plus a little more in the way of a kitchen.

Each accommodation has its own shower and loo in a hut a few steps away, and both have access to shared spaces including an outdoor kitchen with a barbecue and pizza oven. The spa deck is available at an extra charge – one that’s totally worth it if you’re here to relax. It’s all situated on a country estate that spreads across 190 acres. In summer, its fields are grazed by sheep and cattle. In winter, they flood and become an unofficial wetland nature reserve, filled with wading birds. You really needn’t go anywhere if you’re after a retreat but if you’re the type that can’t sit still, there’s plenty of walking, cycling and wild swimming nearby. The South Downs are a few miles away, and the coast at Shoreham and Brighton is a few miles further than that.