Christmas and New Year at Hunter's Moon
Imagine Christmas morning in a house with a tree growing through it. The log fire crackling in a hearth that has warmed four and a half centuries of Christmases, a tree twinkling beneath a thousand stars in the pod, ten of you around one table, and a hot tub steaming in the frosty garden. Hunter's Moon is made for a magical festive break.
A house made for Christmas
Hunter's Moon is at its most magical in midwinter. Frost silvers the carved oak porch, the wisteria stems and the wrought-iron balcony; on the rare snowy morning the whole house looks like an illustration from a fairytale. Inside, the snug glows with the open log fire, the stained glass throws colour across the hall, and the cinema pod becomes the place for Christmas films under its ceiling of stars.
With four en-suite bedrooms sleeping eight, plus two Z-beds for ten, there is room for three generations without anyone sharing a bathroom. The kitchen has a double oven and an American fridge-freezer big enough for the turkey and everything that goes with it, and the round dining table seats the whole family beneath the chandelier.
Then, when the washing up is done, the hot tub. There is nothing quite like sinking into hot water under a clear December sky, with the stars out, the badgers rustling in the wood and the house lit up behind you.
Your festive stay includes
- A decorated Christmas tree in the pod, ready for your arrival
- A festive welcome hamper of local produce, mince pies, wine and Somerset cider
- Logs, kindling and firelighters for the open fire throughout your stay
- The hot tub heated and ready, with plastic glasses for the fizz
- Sky cinema, Netflix and a DVD library for the Christmas films
- Board games, a cot, highchair and stair gate for the little ones
- Total seclusion: no neighbours, no traffic, just the woods and the stream
- Dogs welcome downstairs, so nobody has to stay in kennels
Festive extras we can arrange
Christmas should be a holiday for the cook too. Our trusted local suppliers can deliver a fully prepared Christmas dinner to reheat, or an in-house chef can cook and serve the whole meal while you sit by the fire. We can also arrange a bigger tree, extra decorations and garlands, stockings and gifts for the children, a Christmas Eve hamper of treats, cocktail making for New Year's Eve, and a masseur for Boxing Day. See celebrations and groups for the full list, and tell us what you would like when you book.
New Year's Eve
For New Year the pod turns into the party room: the surround-sound system takes your playlist, the seating curves around the dance floor, and at midnight the balcony and the garden give you a view of fireworks going up across the Somerset Levels. Glastonbury and Wells both hold their own celebrations, and the Tor at dawn on New Year's Day, with the mist below and the whole year ahead, is a tradition worth starting.
Christmas in Glastonbury and Somerset
Glastonbury Frost Fayre
Late November. The High Street closes for a day of street stalls, food, mulled cider, music and the switching on of the lights, with the Tor floodlit above the town.
The Holy Thorn
The Glastonbury Thorn flowers at Christmas as well as in spring. A sprig is cut from the tree at St John's Church each December and sent to the King; the ceremony is open to all.
Wells Cathedral
Advent and Christmas services in one of England's loveliest cathedrals, with carols by candlelight, the Christmas market in the market place and the shops open late.
Longleat Festival of Light
The great house and park lit with thousands of lanterns, a Christmas market and the safari open as usual, from mid-November to early January.
Bath Christmas Market
Two hundred chalets around the Abbey and the Roman Baths, from late November into December, under an hour away by car or train.
Winter walks and wildlife
The starling murmurations over the Avalon Marshes are at their peak in December and January, and a frosty climb up the Tor clears the head after Christmas lunch. See walks.
Steam trains run Santa Specials at the East Somerset Railway at Cranmore, Wookey Hole holds its Christmas grotto in the caves, and the Somerset carnivals, with Glastonbury's in mid-November, are among the biggest illuminated processions in the world. Pubs and restaurants near the cottage serve festive menus throughout December; the Lion at Pennard is a half-hour walk away for Christmas Eve drinks.
Dates, prices and booking
Christmas and New Year are let as short breaks of three, four or seven nights, typically arriving on 22 or 23 December and again on 29 or 30 December, with the full fortnight available for families who want both. These are the most sought-after weeks of the year and are usually booked ten to twelve months ahead, so please check the availability calendar early or contact us to be first in line for next year. Prices for festive weeks are shown on the calendar; the usual 25% deposit secures your dates.
What guests say about winter at Hunter's Moon
★★★★★
A unique holiday rental. We booked Hunter's Moon for a family New Year break and my husband's 60th birthday. A perfect quirky house with amazing features and lovely grounds. The host Jo was very accommodating and Lorraine the housekeeper went above and beyond. The house is fairly isolated but is within easy reach of Glastonbury and Wells. If you like walks there are some lovely bridle paths and fields to explore around the area with great wildlife. We would highly recommend this property.
★★★★★
Perfect stay. Perfection! Cannot speak too highly of this beautiful property and the care of the hosts. Every last detail is taken care of. We will never forget our week here before Christmas, watching Christmas films in the cinema pod, taking hot tubs in the frosty evenings and sitting in the snug by the fire. This place really does have a very special atmosphere, totally relaxing and enveloping.
★★★★★
Refreshed and revitalised. We have come back from our Christmas break at Hunter's Moon feeling refreshed and revitalised. It is a very special place, with plenty of room and is the epitome of luxury. It is our second time and Jo is a fantastic host, very responsive, friendly and efficient. From the hot tub through to the cinematic pod this holiday home is the perfect place to indulge and relax.
Book your Christmas at Hunter's Moon
Check availability for the festive weeks, or call us to talk about dates and extras.
Check availability Call 07774 264955