Luxury lodges offer star bathing near Wales’ only International Dark Sky Park

16/4/2025

Lôn Lodges under the stars.

Looking for the perfect spot to star bathe on the edge of an International Dark Sky Park in beautiful Mid Wales?

Then look no further than Lôn Lodges - https://www.lonlodges.co.uk/ - located in secluded spots on Lôn Farm, Nantmel, near Rhayader.

Comprising two luxury lodges and a glamping lodge, each with a private hot tub, the accommodation is perfect for romantic getaways, family adventures, group retreats or wellness experiences, offering the ultimate blend of comfort and connection to nature.

Amongst its many attributes Lôn Lodges offers guests fantastic night time stargazing, being located close to the Elan Valley Estate, which became the first privately owned but publicly accessible park to achieve International Dark Sky Park status in 2015.

The estate was granted silver-tier status by the Arizona-based International Dark Sky Association, meaning that the entire 45,000 acres of the Elan Valley are protected against light pollution for the benefit of those who live, work and visit the spectacularly beautiful area.

Whilst staying at Lôn Lodges, which comprise two luxury lodges and a Stellar Safari Lodge – guests discover the dark sky magic, immersing themselves in wonderful views of the Milky Way, planets and shooting stars on clear nights.

Kerena and Stephen Pugh, who run the lodges with their family, alongside a busy sheep farm, have spared no expense with the luxury accommodation, with each lodge sleeping up to six people and offering peace and privacy.

Their latest addition to the Stellar Safari Lodge is a private sauna and exhilarating cold shower experience. “The wood fired sauna and cold shower experience are proving very popular and certainly fits well into our little magical retreat,” said Kerena.

Whether you’re looking for peace and tranquillity or the thrill of outdoor activities, the Rhayader area, known as the “Outdoors Capital of Wales,” has something for everyone. Enjoy endless hiking trails, family-friendly walks, cycling routes, pony trekking, fishing, golfing to name but a few outdoor activities.

The breathtaking Elan Valley, home to waterfalls, lakes, reservoirs and educational centres, is also on the doorstep while Rhayader offers a variety of shops, including the famous Hafod Hardware store, cosy cafés and welcoming pubs.

Lôn Lodges is a Visit Wales Quality Assured Glamping destination and a regular visitor is Dafydd Wyn Morgan, of Cambrian Mountains fame, who has set up his own night photography and videography business, Serydda - https://www.serydda.co.uk .

Having had his stargazing photography published by national magazines and television channels, Dafydd specialises in presenting “the night sky in harmony with the landscapes of the natural world”.

Based in Tregaron, he was instrumental in establishing the Cambrian Mountains Astro Trail in 2019 and Lôn Lodges was one of the first tourism accommodations he photographed at night.

The lodges recently hosted friends and family of late Alyn Wallace from across the UK and Europe as they attended the unveiling of an art installation in his name above Craig Goch Reservoir in the Elan Valley. Alyn died unexpectedly on March 28 last year and was one of the world's best astro-photographers.

As part of his work as an astro-tourism specialist, Dafydd has completed an astro-tourism package for Lôn Lodges to provide eye-catching content for a social media campaign this year.

“Stellar Safari Lodge is well placed to benefit from astro-tourism, being in a super-dark location with views of the Milky Way, the winter family of constellations and even the Aurora Borealis,” said Dafydd.

“Kerena and Stephen provide a great pair of binoculars for viewing the night sky. I recommend sitting in the hot tub for stargazing followed by marshmallows over the fire and under the constellations. Lôn Lodges now has a superb gallery of images highlighting how great a place it is at night. As I often say, night is the best time of day!”

Events are being held at Elan Valley Visitor Centre on June 29 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Elan Valley achieving International Dark Sky Park status.

Visiting night photographers can complete the Alyn Wallace Big 5, an astro-adventure to places that Alyn himself experienced, by booking with Serydda.

Lôn Lodges is a member of MWT Cymru, an independent membership organisation representing more than 600 tourism and hospitality business across Powys, Ceredigion and Southern Eryri (Snowdonia).