WHY IT RATES:Wales will open its first pop-up hotel this summer in celebration of country's Year of Legends.- Eric Bowman, TravelPulse Senior Editor
The first pop-up hotel in Wales, Epic Retreats, will open this summer giving visitors a chance to celebrate the country's Year of Legends on a glamping trip in the Welsh countryside.
Epic retreats is a partnership between Best of Wales, a company that offers vacation rentals; Cambria Tours, a Wales-based tour company; and George + Tomos Architects, a Welsh architecture firm - is made up of eight distinctive cabins that will travel to three undisclosed location in Wales starting in June, the mobile accommodation units will make stops in: West Wales, the Llyn Peninsula, and Southern Snowdonia. The locations and dates are as follows:
• West Wales, June 5 - July 3, 2017: Travelers can discover the region's links to King Arthur and enjoy farm-to-table cuisine.
• Llyn Peninsula, July 10 - August 7, 2017: Guests will stay in a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Wales.
• Southern Snowdonia, August 14 - September 11, 2017: Visitors can embark on an adventure in the largest of three national parks in Wales.
Travelers can choose from three packages that vary in length: a four-night, mid-week retreat, a three-night, weekend break, and the "Epic Package" that combines the three and four-night options. The hotel has limited availability, allowing only 200 bookings during its three-month span.
The cabins were designed exclusively for this project and will form a luxury "epic group campsite." Each is furnished with a private bathroom and living area. Designed with Welsh legends in mind, the cabins offer distinctive architectural features inspired by Welsh history and mythology. Guests can choose to stay in one of the following rooms:
1. Arthur's Cave: Some believe that Arthur may have been from Wales and this cabin celebrates the link between the country and the legend by recreating a magical cave he slept in while traveling.
2. Black Hat: Shaped like a black top hat, this cabin commemorates a French invasion attempt from 1297. The French Army was scared off by women dressed in scarlet tunics and tall black hats that the French mistook as the British Army.
3. Cabin in the Woods: A creature working through the woods is the subject of the 14th-century poem, The Battle of the Trees, and the concept behind this cabin.
4. Dragon's Eye: A red dragon adorns the Welsh flag and this cabin represents the eye of the dragon, looking out onto award-winning Welsh countryside.
5. Little Dragon: Inspired by a dragon, the iconic emblem of Wales, this cabin was created using locally-sourced, sustainable materials. The scaly shingle exterior and claw-like tripod base are evocative of the smoke-breathing beast that, according to legend, once dominated the country's rugged landscape.
6. Miner's Legend: In tribute to the legendary mining heritage of Wales, this cabin is a collage of mining structures and corrugated iron sheds; its interior transports the guest's imagination to the subterranean mines.
7. Skyhut: Even Welsh skies win awards; Wales is the country with the highest percentage of 'International Dark Sky' status, and this cabin doubles as a stargazing observatory.
8. Slate Cabin: Mimicking the art of constructing cairns, whereby walkers collect stones and build place-markers along their route - a raw, unclad building is layered with slate, forming a textured, stylish exterior.
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