Old Rectory House Retreat​s

What's Included

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In order to help you plan your retreat, we've created this page to clarify what exactly is included with your retreat with us as well as what jobs we do for you and what responsibilities sit with you as the retreat host. We live on site and take care of many of the behind the scenes tasks ensuring that everything is set up and supported as agreed. At the same time, we are a family home with school schedules and other commitments, so there may be moments when we’re not immediately available—though we will always communicate this in advance and provide contact details for any emergencies. Our aim is to give you complete clarity so we can work together seamlessly and create the best possible experience for your guests.​

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Accommodations​

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All accommodations will be set up and beautifully presented for your guests arrival. The beds will be configured to your request. Each guests will receive a pool towel, bath towel, towelling robe, flannel and hot water bottle in colder months. Each room has a hair dryer. All bathroom are stocked with Bramley toiletries. Tea and coffee are included - supplied by Miles Tea and Braziers Coffee Roasters in here Somerset. Milk is also included - organic whole milk and oat milk. If you'd like any more specialist milk, that is your responsibility to bring.

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Kitchens

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Each accommodation has access to a kitchen. The cottage has a fully equipped kitchen while the studio apartment and shepherd huts have kitchenettes. The is also a fully fitted woodland kitchen adjacent to the woodland banquet hall. For full details on these, please refer to the catering page.

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Dining & Mealtime

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For full details on catering and the options available, please refer to the catering section in our website. The following rules apply to all retreats unless you have a separate agreement with your chef with regards to the logistics. 

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After each meal, it is the host’s/group's responsibility to clear away and wash up. Both the cottage kitchen and the woodland kitchen have dishwashers, and we recommend loading them with plates and cutlery after eating so everything is ready for the next mealtime.

After mealtimes in the woodland banquet hall it is your responsibility to turn all the heaters and lighting off in the woodland which is very important for economic an environmental reasons. We will show you how to do this at the start of your retreat.

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Please note that we do not come in to clean or reset dining spaces during your retreat. However you leave the dining areas is exactly how they will remain when you return for your next meal.

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As the retreat host, you are responsible for ensuring both kitchens are left in the same clean and tidy condition at the end of your stay as they were when you arrived.

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Wood-Burners & Heating

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All accommodations are fully heated for your comfort. The shepherd huts include both a wood burner and an electric fan heater with a thermostat. The cottage has a wood burner alongside central heating, and the wellbeing studio features electric radiators plus a wood burner. We preset the heating based on the season, but you are welcome to adjust it to suit your needs.

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Each wood burner will be pre-built and ready to light on your arrival, with a supply of logs next to it, along with extra kindling, firelighters and matches. After you light the wood burner for the first time, rebuilding and preparing the fire for any subsequent use is your responsibility.

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If you need more logs, you’ll find a large log store in the wooden shed next to the wellbeing/yoga studio, and each shepherd hut has additional logs stored underneath. If you’d like instructions on how to use the wood burners, just let us know and we’ll talk you through everything when you arrive.

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Pool Area

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Our heated pool and adjacent hot tub are open year-round and available for use during daylight hours (7pm latest) throughout your retreat. Please communicate to use what times you’d like to use the pool, and we will ensure it is open and ready for use.

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The pool is not available after sunset or 7pm latest, as we must complete the evening shutdown and carry out chemical checks to prepare it for the following day. The hot tub may be used in the evenings; however, it is your responsibility to replace the cover securely after each use.

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The pool house includes a small kitchen with tea and coffee facilities, along with an honesty shop offering drinks and snacks. If your guests take any items, please record them on the IOU sheet provided and settle up at the end of your retreat.

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As the host, you are responsible for leaving the pool area and pool house in the same clean and tidy condition at the end of your stay as they were when you arrived.

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Please see our safety disclaimer for rules and safety for using these facilities.

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Woodland Spa

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Our woodland spa area consists of large wood-fired hot tub, wood-fired sauna, 2 x ice baths, drench bucket and outdoor shower. There is a changing room in the sauna building as well as a separate toilet and changing room. All retreats have a session with the facilities included in their retreat. It's a really popular activity so we'd suggest allowing at lest 2 to 3 hours in your itinerary.

We heat and prepare all the facilities for your group and have them at the perfect temperature for your agreed start time. It is then your group's responsibility to keep the fires going throughout the session which is all part of the experience. We will put an supply of logs next to the hot tub and sauna heaters and it's a simply process of adding the odd additional log. we can give you a quick tutorial when you arrive.

Being wood-fired these facilities take a lot of time and work to heat up (hot tub 5 hours and sauna 2.5 hours) so we need plenty of notice ahead of your retreat as to what time you want them so we can make sure we are available to set it up.

Anyone booking a 3 night retreat, we are happy to include an additional session in the wood-fired sauna/ice baths (not hot tub) on a separate day to the main woodland spa session.

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Please see our safety disclaimer for rules and safety for using these facilities.

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Wellbeing Studio

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Our wellbeing studio is fully stocked with yoga props for your guests to use. We have 14 sets of everything including : mats; bolsters; blocks (various sizes); cushions, blankets, straps and eye masks. Please replace these to their original positions at the end of the retreat.

We do have tables and chairs that can be put out in the studio for certain activities although we would suggest using the woodland banquet hall for any activities/workshops needing seating/tables. Let us know if you want any guidance with this.

There are 2 radiators controllable via the wall thermostat plus the wood burner for colder months.

The studio has it's own designated WiFi so you can stream music and a soundbar with bluetooth connection. Let us know if you need ay help connecting to these.
 

Bins & Recycling

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All accommodations and kitchens have bins and recycling boxes. If during your retreat these are getting full, you can empty them in the refuse/recycling shed adjacent to the wellbeing studio. There are spare bins bags etc in the cupboards near all bins. There is no need to empty all the bins at the end of the retreat, we will do this.