Tucked away in its own little field, right on the footsteps of the Black Mountains, you will find Prothero Shepherd’s Hut, the best glamping site with a hot tub in Herefordshire.
This beautiful little hut will force you to slow down and enjoy life at a more leisurely pace – even if only for one weekend.
Anticipate birdsong, stargazing and snuggling by the fire. Sounds pretty idyllic, doesn’t it?
The Moon & I was founded by husband and wife team, Reuben and Martha, back in 2015, and the pair are the most wonderful glamping hosts I’ve ever encountered.
They really go above and beyond to ensure you have an amazing time – and that we did.
They were such a pleasure to chat to, I could have easily nattered away with them until the cows came home.
This honestly makes the biggest difference when staying at a glamping site as it just starts your trip off on a great foot!
Where is the Moon & I located?
The Moon & I is located in a small, picturesque village amongst the rolling hills of Herefordshire, a luscious county hidden away in the West Midlands.
The village is just a stone’s throw from the Welsh border, near the charming village of Hay-on-Wye, famed for its annual literature festival.
The best way to get to The Moon & I is by car. Google Maps struggled to get me to the site but the lovely Martha came to the rescue on the other side of the phone to direct me straight to the door!
You’ll generally need a car to enjoy your visit as the hut is based in such a rural location.
However, if you don’t have a car, Reuben can pick up and drop off guests from Hereford train station at £10 each way.
So long as you have enough food to keep you going for the weekend, you could easily spend the whole weekend either chilling in and outside of the hut and going for local walks.
Prothero Shepherd’s Hut
Unlike many glamping companies who buy their accommodation outright, Prothero was handmade by Reuben.
This is really unique for a glamping company and one of the reasons I adore this little hut so much.
You can tell the pair have just put their heart and soul into this project. There are so many little exquisite details that have gone into the hut.
There’s always something new to see each time you look around which is why it’s one of my favourite glamping holidays in Herefordshire.
Despite being super cosy and compact, the hut had everything you could need and more packed within it.
It even had USB sockets all around the hut which is a big plus. I’d already brought my portable charger ready just in case!
With no Wi-Fi, the connection here is a little temperamental ranging from nothing to 4G in a second.
However, why not switch off completely and have a real off-grid escape than spend time battling against the odds to get even a slither of 3G?
Bedroom
Covered with cushions and blankets galore, the double bed is oh-so-cosy to the point you can just melt into it.
This is exactly what you want from a glamping break where you’ll want to catch up on your zzz’s.
However, if you need a little bit of entertainment, there is a box of maps and stargazing books by the bed ready for you to peruse.
The bed is surrounded by so many lovely little details from the books and ornaments on the walls to the flowers and marine-style lighting.
There’s also plenty of storage space under the bed so even though the hut is small, you won’t struggle to find space for your belongings.
Kitchen
Head to the kitchen to find an array of amenities.
The hut comes complete with a kettle, double gas hob, mugs, cups, champagne flutes, tea bags, ground coffee and sugar, oil, salt, pepper, plates, cutlery, pans, pots, scissors, a wooden spoon, a chopping board, and a sieve. Phew, that was a lot.
There’s also washing up liquid and a brush. This set-up provides enough for you to cook up breakfast or an easy lunch or dinner for yourself. There’s also an outdoor kitchen with further cooking tools.
If you don’t fancy going out and doing the shopping yourselves (this is a holiday after all!), there are a number of extras you can request in advance for an added fee.
From a D.I.Y gourmet breakfast hamper, eggs and avocado, or pastries and coffee to enjoy in the morning, to a bottle of chilled organic prosecco and a s’mores basket for evenings enjoyed around the fire, there is plenty to choose from.
The kitchen, like everywhere else in the hut, was absolutely pristine.
I visited just after lockdown and you could tell how well thoroughly cleaned the hut was – it was just spotless.
There was also hand sanitiser and sanitising hand wash everywhere so you can keep yourself just as clean as the hut!
Living Area
Accompanying the bed and the kitchen is a cosy little living area with a two-person sofa and a wood burner.
Martha and Reuben provide plenty of kindling for the fire but in the summer you won’t even need it as the hut is toasty without it.
However, if you are visiting in the winter and you run through the kindling quickly, you can pick up a bag of logs from their honesty shop for £7 and/or a firelighter and kindling kit for £5.
This area was also decorated so beautifully.
From the cute moose cushion to the framed Herefordshire print on the wall (my personal favourite!), the living area provides the perfect space to sit back and relax.
Plus, it looks good whilst doing it too.
Outside the Shepherd’s Hut
Seating Area
If you thought the inside of the hut was nice, wait till you see the outside! Because if you’re looking for a relaxing break out in nature, you’ve discovered just that.
The perfect place to watch the sunset, the sheltered outside seating area features two chairs, a little table and a fire.
So grab the marshmallows for roasting and rock away to your heart’s content.
Hot Tub
Of course, the highlight of Prothero has to be the hot tub.
My favourite thing about this tub is that it is hidden away in its own little area, making for an even more intimate and romantic experience.
The tub is surrounded by solar-powered fairy lights that automatically light up at night, making the tub the perfect setting to soak and stargaze even late at night!
The hot tub is heated for you on arrival and it stays hot for hours on end meaning you can enjoy the tub whenever you like, and even more than once.
If you want to heat up the hot tub multiple times throughout your stay you can do that too.
You can either bring your own logs or you can buy a bag of logs for £7.
And if you don’t trust yourself to heat the hot tub yourself, you can even pay £20 to have the hot tub heated for you by Martha and Reuben.
Outdoor Kitchen
If the kitchen in the hut wasn’t enough to satisfy your tastebuds, head out to the outdoor kitchen instead.
Here you’ll find two Argentinian grills, a wood-fired pizza oven and a fridge. Plus a picnic table and benches for you to enjoy food or drinks in the sunshine!
Since the water in the hut isn’t drinkable, Martha and Reuben supply some in the fridge outside for you.
Bathroom
The only downside to staying at The Moon & I is that your bathroom is 100m away from your hut.
And frankly, sometimes in the middle of the night, you just won’t be bothered to walk all the way there.
But hey, what the bathroom lacks in proximity, it sure as hell makes up for in luxury. This isn’t any old camping site folks!
Inside the bathroom, you will find a normal flushable toilet, a sink and a gorgeous hot shower.
They also provide you with shampoo, conditioner and a soap bar, but if you want body wash you’ll have to bring that with you.
Towels are also provided meaning you really can pack light!
If you do need to go to the loo in the evening or in the middle of the night, Martha and Reuben provide LED lanterns so you can nip there easily when it’s dark.
Solar lamps also light the field and outside of the hut, making it an easy dash to the toilet.
Places to Visit Nearby
One of the best things about The Moon & I is its location. I may be a little biased but there are so many great things to do in Herefordshire, my beloved home county.
And you’re so close to the border of Wales too, making it really easy to sneak off for a hike in the Brecon Beacons.
We decided to spend an evening catching the sunset up at Hay Bluff and it was just stunning!
So whether you fancy walking, wildlife watching, canoeing or cycling, there’s plenty to do if you’re after a more active holiday.
So what did you think of Prothero Shepherd’s Hut at The Moon & I? It’s definitely one of my favourite glamping sites with a hot tub in Herefordshire! I can’t wait to hopefully return one day in the near future.
