All our locations have basic internet access and you'll need to connect to our WiFi to get online. WiFi is also available for use in the Forest Retreat. 

Select Forest Holidays from the WiFi options and fill in the quick form on your browser. You’ll need your cabin number, booking name and email address.

Phone signal is sometimes hard to find in the forest. If you want to make calls, we suggest using WiFi Calling settings while in your cabin.

You can upgrade to premium WiFi with our in-cabin entertainment package, which is great for streaming and gaming. You can buy this either before or during your stay (subject to availability).

Use your TV to find out what's on in the forest, browse our food options and of course, enjoy a movie (or two).

 

Our In-Cabin Entertainment package will keep you connected in the forest and entertained in the comfort of your cabin. It includes unlimited WiFi internet for use with laptops, mobile phones, or tablets, and lets you connect your own devices and apps for streaming.

 

You'll also have unlimited access to a selection of box office films, including action-packed thrillers, romantic comedies, children's films, and much more. 

 

If you're staying in a cabin with a log burner, follow our tips below to light your fire.

1. When lighting a fire, air is your friend. Every log burner has air vents which should be opened completely before you start. Adjust them once the fire gets going, to control the amount of air being drawn into the stove.
2. Use a good amount of kindling. Build a small structure in the middle of the stove with kindling and a couple of firelighters. Make sure there’s space for air to get in and feed the fire.
3. Light the firelighters with a match and then as the kindling takes hold you can close the door – but leave the vents fully open.
4. Wait for the kindling to burn strongly. Now you can add two or three larger logs, being careful not to smother the fire. Always open the door slowly – opening the door too quickly may draw smoke down the chimney.
5. Once the logs are fully alight, you can adjust the air vents to half-open so your wood burns for longer. You may need to open them again if the fire dies down, or when adding new logs. Don’t completely close the air vents.
   
   

A few safety tips
Only use good quality dry fuel – don't use wet logs. Nothing other than kiln-dried logs should be put inside the log burner. Please don't place things on top of the log burner, or leave bags or other items near to the fire when it's hot.

---

Logs and starter kits
You can pick up kiln-dried logs and a starter kit at the Forest Retreat, or pre-book them up to 48 hours before your stay − we’ll have them ready and waiting in your cabin.

Instructions for kitchen appliances are in the cutlery drawer, and pots and pans are in the pull-out drawer below the oven.

 

Check out our inventory for everything you should have in your kitchen.

 

 

You'll find our sustainable kitchen packs in every cabin. They include dishwasher tablets, a small bottle of washing up liquid, sponge and cloth, plus some green waste bags. Everything you need to keep the kitchen sparkling. Make sure pack a few spares from home, just in case!

Help us in our recycling efforts to be eco-friendly by using the correct bins (check the cabin location map to see where your nearest recycling and waste point is). Please ensure all waste is removed from your cabin on the day of departure and placed in the correct bin.

 

 

As part of our commitment to being good for people and planet, we're aiming for zero waste to landfill by 2028. We'll minimise the waste we create and maximise reuse and recycling.

 

If your cabin comes with our gas-fired barbecue, follow these simple steps to get it sizzling in no time. There’s nothing better than eating al fresco in the forest, but it’s important to use your barbecue safely.

 

To protect yourself and the forest, follow these simple safety steps:

• Your barbecue should not be left unattended whilst in use.
• Lighter fluid and charcoal is not required for your gas barbecue, so please don't use it.
• Don't move the gas barbecue around on the decking.
• Ensure your barbecue is switched off once you have finished cooking − including the gas tank.

---

In a Silver Birch cabin?
Gas barbecues are available to hire for the full duration of your break and can be added on my account.

With some basic steps to follow, you’ll be tackling the trails in no time.

• Leave no trace – protect the trails by keeping off wet and muddy routes, following existing trails, avoiding skidding, and taking your litter home.
• Control your bike – stay focused and check your speed, especially downhill or on blind corners. Don’t ride whilst eating, drinking, or using your mobile phone. Always give way to walkers, and let people know you’re approaching them.
• Think of the wildlife! Animals are startled by certain noises, so be considerate. Avoid disturbing the wildlife and people’s pets, and always pass wide and slowly, particularly with horse riders.
• Always use a helmet and safety gear – and wear appropriate clothing. Our bike hire comes with helmets, and we strongly advise you wear them at all times while cycling.
• Our bikes are designed for day hire and so are not supplied with lights. Plan your day so you’re back to the forest before dark, so you’re not riding on roads or paths in the dark.
  
  

---

Bringing your own bike?

Some extra bike safety advice…

The best way to look after your bike is to be proactive. Here are some handy tips:

• Get your bike insured (or ask your insurer to extend your contents insurance so that it covers your bike). Check that you’re covered for thefts outside the home.
• Mark your bike with a visible marking product (ideally one approved by the Association of Chief Police Officers).
• Register your bike’s details at Immobilise or Bike Register. These national databases help police to reunite items with their owners.
• Create a ‘bike passport’ that contains important details about your bike so you can easily describe it if anything happens.

 

We want you to make the most of your stay, but we ask that you keep noise very low after 10pm. This is for the benefit of our other guests and our local wildlife. Sounds carry surprisingly far in the forest.

 

We'd like you and your tails to treat the cabin like you would your own home.

 

Please...

• Keep your dog on a lead whilst in and around our locations, and always clean up after them.
• We know it’s tempting, but we’d rather you didn’t bath your dog as it affects our drainage system.
• Clean up after your dog - if you're using a poo bag then please ensure it is biodegradable. We don't have facilities for dog poo disposal in our cabins so please place the bag in one of the many poo bins around the area.
• Keep your dogs under strict control (on a lead if necessary) at all times around the grounds, the stream meadow, woods and in fields where there are wildlife and farm animals.
• Don't leave your dog unattended inside at any time.
• Try to keep your dog off the furniture.
• Don't allow your dog on the bed.

 

Good to know...
Your dog can join you for dining, too! Bring them along and treat them to our Doggy Dining menu, while you enjoy our all-day dining options.

Ticks are small spider-like creatures. They can be found in woodland, moorland, grassland and parks.

 

They’re most active from March to October. Just carefully check for ticks after a walk in the forest or in the countryside. If you've been bitten by one it's important that you remove it quickly. We sell tick extraction tools in the Forest Retreat, if you need to use one.

Wild swimming and water sports open up a whole new world of adventure and offer a range of physical and emotional benefits, but it’s important to respect the water. Around 85% of accidental drownings occur at open water sites and we want you to experience an enjoyable, safe stay.

 

Staying safe by the water:

• Supervise children at all times
• No motorised watercraft
• No camping
• No fires
• No littering
• Keep dogs on a lead

Be aware of:

• Deep water
• Cold water
• Strong current
• Sudden drop
• Wildlife
• Slippery surfaces

 

Respect the water and stay in the know with handy resources from the RNLI and RLSS.

The Forest Retreat is open every day from 9am – 8pm.

 

To help you with checking in and out, we also open from 8:30am on Mondays and Fridays.

 

 

Just a short walk from your cabin, visit the Forest Retreat and enjoy everything from all-day breakfast and sparkling brunch to British classics and small plates with a glass of wine.

 

View our menus: Breakfast | Brunch | All-day dining | Small plates | Children | Drinks

 

We also offer a non-gluten menu for dishes throughout the day.

 

Ahead of your stay you can pre-order food and drink to your cabin, or book a spot to dine in. Just browse and book through my account.

Curries, pizzas, easy meals or family feasts – our takeaway menu is full of your favourites so you can relax, while we deliver right to your cabin door. Pre-order, plan your first day's dinner, or decide on the day – the choice is yours.

 

 

Help us in our recycling efforts by using the correct bins (check the cabin location map to see where your nearest recycling and waste point is). Please ensure all waste is removed from your cabin on the day of departure and placed in the correct bin.
 

 

As part of our commitment to being good for people and planet, we're aiming for zero waste to landfill by 2028. We'll minimise the waste we create and maximise reuse and recycling.

The closest supermarkets to Forest of Dean are Londis (4.2 miles), Tesco Express (1.7 miles), Waitrose (6.6 miles), and Co-Operative Food (7.4 miles).

 

You can arrange a supermarket delivery during your stay, but we ask that you meet the driver on their arrival to accept your delivery.