Birdholme Glamping. Photo by Alex Wilkinson Media.

Spacious open plan living area at Birdholme Glamping

Ultra comfortable bed at Birdholme Glamping

Inside the sauna at night at Birdholme Glamping.

Amazing view from the sauna at Birdholme Glamping.

There’s glamping … and then there’s luxury glamping at Birdholme near Nottingham.

This sprawling site is set in its own woodland – well, more like a nature reserve really – just a 20 minute drive from the centre of Nottingham.

Birdholme, run by husband and wife Peter and Holly Hinchley along with their two daughters Meg and Emily, was featured on popular TV reality programme Four In A Bed and looked impressive so we thought we’d give it a go.

Two things smack you straight in the face as soon as you walk into the safari-style lodge – ours was called Otter – and that’s a feeling of space and quality.

I’ve never been in a lodge that’s so spacious with a large combined living and kitchen area complete with its own log burner and huge sliding doors where you step out onto your own veranda complete with more settees, a chair and table, hot tub, sauna and enclosed firepit. Told you it was luxurious.

There’s nothing quite like sitting in a hot tub late at night in the English countryside in mid-winter … and being very warm.

The sauna is also outside in its own cute hut a few steps away from the hot tub. Nice.

Between them you have your own private sauna sanctuary.

Then there’s the underfloor heating throughout the lodge that can quickly be switched up or down from the easy-to-use thermostats on the wall.

And don’t start me on the bed … ultra soft bedding and ultra comfortable bed equals ultimate night’s sleep. It’s probably the best bed we’ve ever snuggled in.

Showers usually tend to be functional in most log cabins and lodges. Here it’s enjoyable. Very powerful and as hot as you like with a quick turn on the control to switch between the large rain shower deluge or the hand-held one. I’d probably still be in there if I hadn’t been lured out by the smell of a full English breakfast.

Every lodge is very well equipped so you can cook to your heart’s content.

The seven lodges are in more than 15 acres of woodland and wildflower meadows set around a pond and a gently flowing stream.

They come with that absolute essential of modern living – free, powerful Wi-Fi – and a TV with Freeview.

You can take dogs to six of the lodges and the pampered pets will have their own bedding and dog towel. Canine luxury too.

It’s a 20-minute drive to car parks in the centre of Nottingham with masses to see and do – underground caves beneath the city, Wollaton Hall Grade I listed Elizabethan mansion, Nottingham Castle, the amazing National Justice museum, a major theatre and the Motorpoint Arena which draws in huge crowd-pulling acts.

The next aim for Birdholme is to host weddings, It has a large, flat area ideal for the marquee with the guests staying the lodges.

You can book the whole site out so it’s ideal for extended family weekends or corporate days away to give a chance for a spot of ‘blue sky thinking’.

So that’s the venue all sorted.

Now, what can we do about that not always so great British weather to make it all blue sky?

For more information and to book go to https://birdholmeglamping.co.uk

Prices start from £173.75 per night based on a 4 night mid-week stay in low season.