Register to get 3 free articles
Register to unlock the article and receive our free newsletter. Join 26,000 other hotel leaders and stay in the know.
Want unlimited access? View Plans
Already have an account? Sign in
The Dreaming, a new wellness retreat with accommodation, has recently opened in the Elan Valley, in the heart of Wales.
Founded by singer, activist and dreamer, Charlotte Church, The Dreaming offers short residential retreats with daily wellness activities as well as longer retreats with specialist practitioners.
The retreats available are three days and take place at the weekend (The Journeyer) and mid-week (The Nurturer). During the stay, guests are offered a wide selection of wellbeing activities, immersed in a location which boasts waterfalls, rocks and caves.
The activities include yoga, a sound healing ceremony, foraging, mythic storytelling, star-gazing, cold water immersion, singing at dawn, den building, sensory portal building, painting, dance, dreamwork, outdoor cinema, herbalism, woodwork, meditation, Qi Gong, silent disco and night time forest bathing.
The building itself, Rhydoldog House, was designed to let guests relax and connect with the natural surroundings, with all the rooms carefully planned and themed and ethically decorated. East-facing rooms allow guests to fully immerse themselves in the sunrise, while the Moon room looks out over the moon garden. All rooms have ensuite facilities and three meals a day are provided in the refectory.
The grounds of the retreat include access to all 47 acres, and The Den allows for outdoor sleeping to “comfortably experience the nocturnal wildlife”.
Prices start at just £450 for three nights including all meals and activities. To allow access for people who can’t afford it, The Dreaming also offers a “pay what you can” space on every three-day retreat.
Church said: “I have regularly tried to use my platform to campaign for climate action, economic equity, and wellbeing for all. Some of that has turned out to be effective and meaningful, but I always felt there was more I could be doing.
“I think that’s why I fell so utterly in love with Rhydoldog House, as it gave me a vision of an integrated healing centre in line with my most deeply held values. The realisation of that vision has completely changed my life and I hope that we can help our guests change their lives too, even if it’s just in small ways.”
