Weekend in the Woods: Our Favourite Places to Stay in the Forest of Dean

For more unique and boutique weekend stays see: 10 of the Cosiest Northumberland Cottages, The Best Lyme Regis Cottages to Book, 20 of the Best UK Glamping Sites.

Places to Stay In the Forest of Dean

They say it’s all about location, location, location and, man, does Puzzlewood House nail that. Find it within the grounds of the Puzzlewood estate, only a two minute walk from Puzzlewood itself. Part of the original Puzzlewood farmhouse, Puzzlewood House is as grand as it sounds, with two big bathrooms, a huge kitchen, dining and living room, and four large bedrooms, sleeping up to eight of you.

Inside, the interior has an understated farmhouse vibe and although some of the rooms could do with modernising and a few more personal touches, it’s comfortable lodgings for a group of you. Especially if you’re planning to spend most of your time outdoors adventuring in the Forest.

What Puzzlewood House does have that’s supremely worth a stay, is exclusive access to Puzzlewood before and after it’s open to the public. Which means you can wander the wood without another soul in sight morning or early evening.

Cost:  From £520 for a 3-night break (low season) | Puzzlewood Patch cottage (also on site) sleeps 4

Find it: ///instincts.thus.uncouth

Or try this: More properties sleeping 8+ in the Forest of Dean

Places to Stay In the Forest of Dean

The quiet, unpretentious Tudor Farmhouse is hard to describe with just one noun. Hotel? B&B? Boutique self-catering apartment? A mix of all three? In essence, it’s a hotel. It has an award-winning restaurant and stylish rooms – yet there’s none of the stiffness you might expect. Instead, Tudor Farmhouse delivers lashings of unstuffy B&B hospitality, combined with a cosy feeling that you’re actually staying on a family farm.

As the name suggests, Tudor Farmhouse was once a working farm and its owners have transformed it into a boutique destination that still genuinely retains its homespun warmth and charm. Keeping the original ‘farm’ vibe alive, whilst mixing it with hotel slickness is a sweet business move; it sets it apart from the other places to stay in the Forest of Dean. There are 20 rooms to choose from, categorised by size and comfort – the ‘pecking order’ as they call it: Hatchling Rooms, Hen Rooms, Cockerel Rooms, and suites.

Cost: Rooms rates from £129

Find it: ///glorified.mammoths.surface

Or try this: More hotels and pubs with rooms the Forest of Dean

Places to Stay In the Forest of Dean

Tan House is a stunning 17th-century Italianate villa built in the 1670s during the Restoration and the reign of King Charles II. It’s set in over 20 acres of land and has a stunning formal garden for you to wander around at your leisure. ‘Tanhouse’ as it was then known, was formerly the principal house of an oak bark tannery; one of the largest in the country. For six generations, it was home to the eminent Probyns who were a wealthy family with several properties in Newland.

Bed down in luxury by staying in the beautifully furnished 5 bedroom Garden Wing – sleeping 10 guests – or the recently renovated 3 bed bungalow, Hillside Retreat, which sleeps up to 8 and is studded in the hill on the Tan House Estate. For the ultimate indulgence, add one of Tan House’s unique dining experiences to your stay. We love the Tan House Pique Nique Society events – a range of vintage style gourmet dress up and dine experiences for groups set in the stunning grounds.

Cost: From £800pn

Find it: ///nutty.swan.damp

Or try this: More self-catering places to stay in the Forest of Dean

Places to Stay In the Forest of Dean

Sitting handsomely in the heart of the Royal Forest of Dean is The Speech House Hotel, a former 17th-century hunting lodge with royal connections. Built for King Charles II in 1669, it still comes with the historic charm that you’d expect of a hotel of this age.

The Verderer’s Court is the most historic room in The Speech House where judgements took place over 300 years ago. The Verderer’s Court is now Verderers’ Restaurant, a AA Rosette fine-dining restaurant with many original features of the room still sitting in the same position as they have for many years – including the original raised gallery.

The hotel has 35 comfortable en-suite bedrooms, half of which are in the historic main house, some with impressive antique master four-poster beds. There are dog-friendly and family rooms available if you want a comfortable base for exploring the Forest of Dean. Plus, there’s several options for grabbing a bite to eat, from the informal Orangery, to the more formal Verderers’ Restaurant. The hotel also has a cosy bar and nice garden for drinks and alfresco lunches.

Cost: Rooms from £89pn B&B

Find it: ///active.relief.drove

Or try this: More hotels and pubs with rooms the Forest of Dean

Places to Stay In the Forest of Dean

If you fancy a spot of glamping in the Forest of Dean, we are big fans of The Roost in Mitcheldean. Made up of two gorgeous cedar-wood glamping cabins (The Nook and The Nest), you’ll find them hunkered down in a large meadow on the edge of the Forest.

Fully self-contained, the cabins boast handmade king-sized beds, a kitchenette complete with a dishwasher, a snug lounge with wood burner, and a large bathroom with walk-in shower. Best of all, step onto the decking outside and there’s a Japanese soak tub to fill with bubbles and sink into as the sun sets across the valley. Oh, and did we mention they’re super dog-friendly, too – with truckle beds for your pet pooch to be comfy during their stay.

Cost: From £139pn

Find it: ///cabs.point.reference

Or try this: More Forest of Dean glamping recommendations

Places to Stay In the Forest of Dean

When you want rolling views across the glorious Forest of Dean countryside, stay at the button-cute Coach House by Saltbox Escapes. The Coach House is a wonderfully renovated 19th-century stone cottage, full of character and beautifully decorated to give you a light, bright colourful spot to spend a weekend.

The open-plan living area has an exceptional view thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows, the open-plan kitchen comes with induction hob and oven, dishwasher and washing machine, as well as all the pots, pans and utensils you need for cooking up delicious meals.

Walk up the chunky oak staircase to the upstairs bedroom where a kingsize bed awaits along with a handy single bed (if you’re travelling with a little one). There’s also room for a travel cot for an infant and courtyard views through the quirky round window.

Cost: From £75pn

Find it: ///shut.idealist.resold

Or try this: More self-catering cottages in the Forest of Dean

All the places feature here have been independently picked by us. If you book something through the links on this page, we may earn an affiliate commission.