Honeymoon Ideas :: A weekend Retreat
When I came across the quaint Upper Gelli Lodge , I fell in love. After a very busy few weeks, Jamie was in desperate need of some R&R and this modern and romantic little place appeared to be the perfect destination to do so. Set in a little corner of the welsh countryside, with enchanting views across the valleys, Upper Gelli is somewhere that I not only plan on returning to in the near future myself, but will be recommending to all of my lovely brides as the perfect honeymoon destination for anyone wanting to stay a little closer to home.
I wanted the location to be a surprise for Jamie, and so directed him (surprisingly successfully!!) alongside the steam railway and off onto a narrow lane, which twisted up to where the little blue lodge was nested. As soon as the amazing host Ros opened the front door, which was adorned with a heart shaped wreath of lavender, I fell instantly in love. The decor was perfect; clean, bright and romantic, with soft neutral hues throughout. Every little detail was accounted for, from the soft sheepskin rug in the bedroom, to the locally sourced products in the bathroom, Ros and Gary have created an experience that could only be described as perfect for each of their guests. I had booked the weekend as an early anniversary present for Jamie, and we were greeted by a bottle of local pink champagne, a little bundle of chocolates and a sweet anniversary card, and from that moment I knew that the weekend was set to be utter bliss.
The Lodge
This stunning display of Il Colle prosecco and locally sourced chocolate's from Just Three Drops in Llanfair was left for us on the table on arrival.
From the welcome hamper filled with local produce, to the beautiful fresh flower arrangement, the attention to detail was flawless. The hamper included some crackers, handcrafted by the incredible Foodies. I honestly didn't know it was possible to love crackers so much, but we polished these beauties off on the first evening!
On entering the lodge I was blown away by the beautiful, romantic and simplistic decor. the neutral hues and big windows through out gave the lodge an overall calming feel, which added to the relaxing vibe Ros and Gary have achieved throughout! It was a truly perfect atmosphere, which was only enhanced when lighting the log burner when night fell!
For me and Jamie, the crowning glory of the lodge was definitely the Hydropool hot tub! This four seater hot tub with hydrotherapy jets was honestly the best hot tub we've ever used! We found ourselves scheduling our days to make sure we took optimum advantage of this heavenly tub with its gorgeous views over the welsh valleys, completed with champagne and colour changing lights after dark, this was the hardest thing for us to leave behind!
The exterior of the lodge is painted in a cheerful turquoise blue, and is surrounded by the most beautiful details, from heart shaped wreaths to plant filled buckets, everything about this place makes you want to return again and again.
Personally, I think the lodge really came into it's own after dark, with the cosy open fires, the cute candle lanterns dotted around and the mood-lit hot tub, it turned into a true romantic haven for us to enjoy. Thank you to Ros and Gary for having us stay at your wonderful little holiday home, we will most certainly be back!