Mayfaire is our lovely, peaceful private home in England’s largest designated area of outstanding beauty. The Slad Valley has never been intensively farmed, sprayed or built on. It is rare limestone grassland habitat and its ancient beechwoods have rich flora & abundant wildlife. The hillsides and the woodlands you can walk are known for many different types of wild orchid and lots of badgers & deer. It is a place of natural abundance & strong, healing energy and is acclaimed for it exceptional beauty.
Very informally, for some non-residential courses, on a friendship basis, we invite you to stay overnight & enjoy self-serve breakfast, & the hot tub with its spectacular views. Enjoy a peaceful, rural retreat & the benefits of being fully with the energy of the group. We need to know well in advance if you want this- first come, first served! You confirm your place (places strictly limited) with your payment. We get fabulous feedback from those who stay here.
We offer informal bed and breakfast accommodation at a very much cheaper rate than you will find in the area for this quality of accommodation. You also have the benefit of staying in the energetic field of the course and relaxing with other participants. Breakfast is self-serve. During most retreats, supper is catered & served at Mayfaire, and is followed by evening circle, so it can be convenient to stay here too. It is best to arrange accommodation at the same time as you book your course as it is popular! Please be aware that we have a dog & two cats, and read Mayfaire Guidelines before booking.
This is very much community living and guests find it enhances their overall experience to stay with us and many of the group. There is lots of laughter! and it is good and sweet in many ways to hang out in an informal way, enjoy the hot tub and beautiful countryside in free time. We ask you to be mindful that this is our home and to please take care of it as though it were your own.
It’s an easy 90 minutes from London, 40 minutes from Bristol, 20 minutes from Cheltenham. There is a regular train service to Stroud from London , Bristol, Bath and elsewhere and an easy taxi journey from Stroud. You will be a 10 min drive -which can often be a shared lift with others staying here- from a Stroud venue, or it’s a pleasant 25 min morning walk on back lanes. Sometimes the day course may take place here rather than in Stroud. Prices for b and b vary depending on whether you need a single bed, double bed or dorm share sleeping on mats on the floor. Participants give us great feedback about staying here. Please see your course page on the website for further information – there will be a link on the page with full info if b & b is offered during your particular course.Full directions given after booking.
Slad village is lovely, made famous by Laurie Lee’s wonderful books – Cider with Rosie etc. There are wonderful views of the valley from our home and superb walking country all around. If your course does not include catering, (see your course Description on the booking page to find this out) or there is a free night as usually happens with ongoing groups, you can get a good dinner at The Woolpack Inn – Laurie Lee’s old pub haunt – every night ( pizza on Mondays now!) – it’s good to book in advance. You can also go to the Butchers Arms, Sheepscombe, Fostons Ash on the Slad to Birdlip Road (they sometimes do really good value offers on week days) or into Stroud, which is a couple of miles away, for Italian or curry.
We love to share our home in this beautiful area, and welcome you!
Other local places to stay We are always interested in feedback about your stay as it helps people in the future. Most courses are based in Stroud or in Gloucestershire countryside so most B&Bs are in that area. You are advised to keep driving distance to a minimum.
Please note none of these places are recommended, but we haven’t heard negative reports about any of them. If you are local, you can go home in the evening. If not, you might stay with friends in the area, or book a hotel or b and b.
Painswick is 10 mins from Slad, 15 mins from Stroud, and is known as ‘Queen of the Cotswolds’ because of its stunning church grounds and lovely old buildings. It is gorgeous and very quiet. It has a couple of hotels and several b and bs, one, St Michael’s, with restaurant. Byfield House does self-cater Tel 01452 812607, and has an annexe garden room which might suit families..
Just outside the village, between Painswick, Slad and Hawkwood, is Wren’s Nest (Contemporary Luxury) Tel. 01452 812347. Gable End House, Pitchcombe, GL6 6LN (small village just above Painswick, towards Edge), 01452 812166 £60.
This is a contact of a regular course participant who does occasional bed and breakfast in Painswick. You can access all details on the B&B at www.halecottage.com Tel 01452 812324 M. 07785 350840 Skype: martyn.thornton martyn.thornton@btinternet.com
Troy House has a double and a twin room both en suite, been rated 10/10 by a participant, 01452 812339 and 07714 159411., www.troy-house.co.uk
Hawkwood College is a residential retreat centre where several courses will be held though they also do just accommodation – 01453 759034. They are worth calling asap for accommodation if you need it, check with them for availability. Their current charges are b& b single room £42, b &b shared room £32 Supper b/b £59 single, £48 shared. Explain you are booked onto a Secret Garden day/days, and ask if you can stay there. If the course is booked via Hawkwood tell them it is a Secret Garden course you are coming for. There are lots more options on the web if you search for accommodation in the Stroud area.
Stroud there are the usual facilities of a town and lots of arty events. 10 mins from Slad The Imperial Hotel offers single rooms at a cheaper rate. (opposite the railway station, good for taxis too) Go to www.booking.com/hotel/gb/theimperialhotelstroud.en.html for more information. Feedback -staff very friendly. Restaurant very good.(Thai/ English).
The London Hotel, London Road, Stroud. (Walking distance from the Old Town Hall.) Tel: 01453 759992 email the_london_hotel_stroud@yahoo.co.uk B and B Single from £35.00 , double from £45.00 www.the- london-hotel.co.uk/index.html
A B & B in a private home Quiet, spacious, peaceful attic room, 9 Mount Pleasant, Bisley Old Road, Stroud Tel 01453 751419 £30.00.
Another B&B in a private home in central Stroud. Spacious, light room for one person only. Price £31 per night, self serve breakfast. Tel 01453 768524
Nailsworth, 25 mins from Slad. Large, sunny room with a view £30 single/£58 double. Self-service breakfast. Posibility of pick-up/drop-off, stroud train station,.Tel: 01453 835710 Mob: 07976822732.
There are lots more options on the web if you search for accommodation in the Stroud area.
Stroud District Tourism web site is www.visitthecotswolds.org.uk. This is quite a good website for this area www.cotswoldswebsite.com/stroud-accommodation.asp
Cheltenham is quite beautiful and sophisticated, suitable if the course venue is in Cheltenham, and has many hotels and is 20/25 mins – 12 miles-drive from Slad Valley or 30/35 from Stroud. There are lots of restaurants and cafes and excellent shops and theatres and you will often not need to use the car once you are at your accommodation or at all if the course is here.
Beaumont House has very good reviews, from £59 for a single 01242 223311 www.bhhotel.com Cotswold Grange Hotel 01242 515119 www.cotswoldgrange.co.uk. Badger Towers is quiet, a mile drive from the centre, 01242 522583 www.BadgerTowers.co.uk
