Now Taking Retreat Bookings for Spring 2027
.png)
Old Rectory House Retreats
What's Included
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.
Accommodations
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.
Kitchens
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.
Dining & Mealtime
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.
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.
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.
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.
Wood-Burners & Heating
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.
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.
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.
Pool Area
The pool and adjacent hot tub are available for your guests to enjoy during daylight hours, up until 7pm at the latest. This allows us time to carry out our nightly closing routine, including checking and adjusting the chemical levels ready for the following day.
Please let us know when you would like the pool to be available for your guests, and we’ll make sure it’s open and ready for them.
During the warmer summer months, we can often leave the pool open throughout the day. However, in the colder months, we can only open it for a few hours at a time. We’re happy to arrange these opening times around your retreat schedule so your guests can make the most of their free time.
The pool is not available after dinner 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.
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.
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.
Please see our safety disclaimer for rules and safety for using these facilities.
Woodland Spa
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 6 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.
If you have booked a 3 night retreat we are happy to include an additional sauna session.
Please see our safety disclaimer for rules and safety for using these facilities.
Wellbeing Studio
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
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.