Ask any pregnant person and they’ll probably tell you that as happy as they are to be carrying a child, the process isn’t exactly glamorous. Not only do you quickly discover that the whole thing is more like 10 months (rather than the previously advertised nine months we’ve been told for most of our lives), but once you get past the initial sickness, nausea and tiredness, you’re treated to backache, mood swings, insomnia, sore breasts and so much more, along with an ever-changing body to navigate.

I’m not saying that I’m not overjoyed to be in this position. Like so many, the road for me to get to this point was far from smooth sailing, but as I enter my third trimester, I’m not going to lie and say that I absolutely love being pregnant (I’m yet to see any evidence of the glow that women are always told so much about). Throw in a very ill-timed (and longer-than-planned) kitchen renovation that has taken over my whole house for the last four months and I’m in desperate need of a break.  

With travelling abroad being pricey (and likely very uncomfortable at this point in my pregnancy), I went in search of a UK-based staycation to escape the madness at home for a couple of days. Now, anything would be better than my current dust-covered space, but I did have a few requirements: I was after somewhere in the countryside that serves good food, has comfy beds and allows dogs. So I hit the jackpot when I found the Tudor Farmhouse Hotel in Clearwell, Gloucestershire.

Located on the border of Wales, the hotel is a three-hour drive from London and is nestled in the Forest of Dean and the Wye Valley. Dating back to the 13th Century, the Tudor Farmhouse has been converted into a 20-bedroom boutique hotel, which is fully geared up to help its guests relax and recharge in the rural setting. 

Whether you want to stay in your room all weekend or go out and explore the local area, all options are very much encouraged. Although the phone signal is limited, all rooms have access to reliable and fast broadband – perfect for watching films and Netflix (they actively encourage guests to BYOD (bring your own device). 

There are four room types on offer, which differ slightly in size and facilities, but all rooms are unique, drawing on the characteristics of the old farmhouse. Whatever room you go for, comfort is guaranteed, with generously sized beds, duck feather pillows and duvets (something I sadly couldn’t enjoy due to allergies, but the hypo-allergenic options were just as luxe), tea and coffee-making facilities and decent-sized bathrooms equipped with Bramley products. Coupled with my bbhugme pregnancy pillow, which pretty much accompanies me everywhere at this point, I would have been more than content staying in bed all day if the weather hadn’t been on our side.

A huge bonus when visiting the Tudor Farmhouse was how dog-friendly it was. Only three of the ‘hen rooms’ allow dogs (so they’re not the biggest on offer), but if travelling with your four-legged friend, the hotel provides a bed, blanket, bowls and a homemade treat to ensure they’re just as comfortable as you are during your stay. 

Although dogs aren’t allowed in the main restaurant, the adjoining conservatory and gardens do allow them, so you can still enjoy all your meals together. This sets the Tudor Farmhouse apart from many other places I’ve stayed at in the past, which advertise themselves as dog-friendly, but then don’t allow the dogs anywhere inside other than your room – and with the food as good as it is here, you won’t want to miss out on any meals.

Serving breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner, the food focuses on quality seasonal and locally sourced ingredients – most of which are sourced from producers within a 20-mile radius of the hotel. There’s also a kid’s menu available if you’re travelling as a family, with the environment providing a comfortable and relaxed setting for any time of day.  

Another highlight, which is particularly great for any other pregnant travellers, is the hotel’s dedication to catering for all dietary requirements – especially when it comes to drinks. Joint owner Hari Fell also runs NoLo Cocktails, a company committed to making not drinking not boring. As a result of this, the hotel not only offers an extensive wine and cocktail menu, but a full list of 0% options that are just as good, so you don’t need to spend all night sipping on water or feeling like you’re drinking overpriced juice.

All in all, the Tudor Farmhouse was exactly what I was looking for. Set in an idyllic setting, with ample green spaces to explore on its doorstep, it’s unfussy and relaxed, with genuinely excellent food – made even better by the fact that my current ‘kitchen’ set-up consists of an air fryer, kettle and a microwave in the corner of my living room. 

While the stay was ideal for this stage of my pregnancy, I’d more than happily book a weekend break again in the future, whether it’s as a couples break or with the family in tow.

Where we stayed: Tudor Farmhouse House Hotel, Clearwell, Gloucestershire

For how long: 2 nights

How do you get there: By car – the hotel is situated in the Forest of Dean on the border of Wales, which is about a three-hour drive from London (the hotel has free parking). If travelling by train, the nearest station is Lydney, which is five miles from the hotel and easily accessible by taxi.

Type of holiday: Relaxing country escape

How much did it cost: Standard room rates with breakfast start at £99

The Babymoon Break package is priced between £680 and £900 (depending on the room). This includes a two-night stay for two, two dinners at the hotel restaurant, breakfast, a bottle of non-alcoholic prosecco in the room on arrival, one mocktail (or cocktail) per person before dinner each evening and a pregnancy massage for the mum-to-be. You also go home with a NoLo cocktail box with three different mocktails to try.

Friday

We were travelling from Margate by car so set off on Friday morning. Check-in is from 3pm, which is when we were hoping to arrive to give ourselves plenty of time to relax and explore the area before our dinner booking. Friday traffic had other plans for us, though. After hitting every possible red light and motorway diversion along the way, we arrived at the hotel around 5.30pm, so had time for a quick walk around the grounds with the dog after checking in before changing for dinner at 7pm. 

Dinner is included as part of the babymoon package, as is a cocktail or mocktail beforehand, which we enjoyed in the hotel’s outdoor terrace before heading in for dinner. 

Saturday

We started our day with breakfast at the hotel (served from 7am-10am). We had booked a table for 8.45am (you get a one-hour booking slot), so we didn’t have to rush and still had plenty of the day left after breakfast.

There are numerous walks to explore on foot directly from the hotel (with the reception providing routes, maps and points of interest), and the family-friendly Puzzlewood and Sculpture Trail are both within a 10-minute drive, but we chose to drive about 15 minutes to the trail to Symonds Yat Rock. 

We parked at the Forest Holidays campsite (which also has a cafe, shop and other facilities) and started our route there. It was clearly signposted the entire way and is fairly flat and manageable. There are other longer or more strenuous routes to take, but the Christchurch to Symonds Yat Rock walk took about an hour and a half each way. Once you get to the end, there is a small cafe, toilet facilities and a viewpoint, and from here you can continue on longer trails, but we chose to head back the same way we came.

By the time we made it back to the car, it was almost 2pm, so we chose to drive across the border to explore the town of Monmouth before heading back to the hotel. Monmouth was about 10 minutes from where we walked and had plenty of coffee shops, pubs and shops to explore. I had a pregnancy massage booked at 4pm, so we had time to wander along the high street, look in a few shops and stop for a coffee and a drink.

Back at the hotel, the treatment room is in a small shepherd’s hut set in the garden and the massage lasted one hour – a huge treat to soothe aching muscles in my neck, back and shoulders, not just caused my pregnancy but a lifetime of terrible posture and a desk-based job. There are other treatments available to book, but this was included as part of the Babymoon Break package.

Although the package did give us the option to book in for dinner at the hotel for a second night, it was already fully booked, so we went to the Butchers Arms pub next door instead (which is also dog-friendly), which has a casual menu of burgers, steaks and sharing boards – with a Sunday lunch menu available too.

Sunday

Check out is at 11am, so we had plenty of time for breakfast and one of the shorter local walks close to the hotel before checking out and heading home.

Find out more at the Tudor Farmhouse Hotel website 

Images: Tudor Farmhouse House Hotel; Annie Simpson