THE LOWDOWN

You know you’re in for a good time when the entrance to your destination has a great big Muddy Stilettos Award Winner badge on the gate! And that’s what greeted us as we arrived at The Four Bells Glamping site in Hawstead near Bury St Edmunds, the winner of the Best Boutique Stay in the Suffolk & Cambs Muddy Awards 2024. Keen to see what all the fuss was about we checked in to one of the three beautiful bell tents on a sunny day in September and gave glamping a go, hoping we’d benefit from a night in nature, without having to rough it for even a second.

Thankfully for this self-proclaimed camping-phobe, The Four Bells is all about off-grid glamour, meaning you can still breathe lungfuls of fresh Suffolk air, wake up to the sounds of bird call and watch stunning sunsets over the rolling hills while still enjoying all the benefits of modern life – underfloor heating, power showers, comfy beds and even TV!

The Four Bells takes all the best bits of camping – firepits for toasting marshmallows, oodles of outdoor space and sleeping under the stars – with all the comforts you need to make it a pleasure.

THE VIBE

There’s no battling with tent pegs here. Everything has been well thought out to make the experience all about relaxing from the off. Before you even arrive you’re sent a digital welcome pack with clear instructions of how to get there, the code to open your bathroom and all the information you need to make your stay as enjoyable as possible. On arrival there’s a large car park right next to the kitchen and only a short walk from the three bell tents. If you have big bags just throw them in the trollies provided to get to your tent.

The plump and inviting beds are all made up and you can even ask to have the wood-fired hot tub lit to the perfect temperature for a post-drive dip. There are also logs and matches ready to light the fire pit or wood burner if it’s a cool night.

With only three tents on a field surrounded by trees (it’s called The Four Bells because the largest option is two combined!), it feels exclusive and secluded and the sort of place to book if you really want to get away from it all. There is a rustic outdoor cooking area in the middle of the site and the indoor kitchen is communal too, but every tent has their own huge private bathroom, so you can decide to be sociable or keep yourself to yourself if that’s what you prefer.

STAY

We stayed in Santa Maria because we had two kids and our dog with us. It was the nearest to the kitchen and parking and came with an enclosed garden – helpful for containing both my little sausage dog and runaway three-year-old daughter! The garden area contained an outside seating area, a fire pit and the pièce de résistance – a lovely wood-fired hot tub with colour changing lights that looked amazing as the sun set. There were also strings of bulb lighting that gave the whole place a magical glow after dark.

The three different bell tents, all named after famous bells, are similar in style but slightly different sizes and configurations. Big Ben is made up of two connecting tents with space for 6 people plus a cot. Santa Maria is dog-friendly and sleeps 4 plus a cot, while Emmanuel sleeps 4 plus a cot, but is ideal for couples looking for a romantic break as it has the best views over the field beyond. Big Ben and Emmanuel also have outdoor baths for bathing under the endless Suffolk skies.

inside glamping tent at Four Bells suffolk

Our tent had a double bed, two singles (these fold up into chairs for couples), super soft bedding, eye-catching navy furniture, a mini log burner, hessian flooring, a fridge and a TV. It was thoughtfully decorated and cosy. Best of all, the ceiling height made it feel super spacious and allowed my 6ft4 husband to stand up straight. There was also a light projector to use at night that turned the walls of the tent into cool kaleidoscope as well as well placed lights to use when it got dark. I really appreciated the electricity in the tent, which meant charging phones and letting the kids watch TV was a breeze.

The real USP of this glamping site is the fact that the bathrooms are all private, have under floor heating and huge power showers (ours had three jets!) as well as his and hers sinks. The bathrooms also had a wardrobe area and space for suitcases so you don’t have to fill the tent with unnecessary clutter. The bathrooms really put the ‘glam’ into the glamping experience for me and made holidaying in the great outdoors with young children so much easier.

SCOFF & QUAFF

The Four Bells is self-catering, which means you’ll need to bring food with you – and handily each tent comes with a small fridge plus a larger one in the main kitchen – or you’ll be heading out by car to nearby pubs, cafés and restaurants. There’s a very small Honesty Shop on site but it’s only stocked with juice and snacks, so you won’t be able to rely on it for dinner. The nearest supermarkets are a Tesco Express or a Waitrose depending on how much you need or how flush you’re feeling!

Inside our tent the kids were overjoyed to see a jar full of super sized marshmallows as well as hot chocolate sachets, while my husband and I were happy to see tea, coffee and milk for our morning hot drink in bed.

If you want to BBQ you can do so over the fire pit that comes with your tent or use the outdoor communal kitchen. The indoor kitchen is also well kitted out with a gas oven (that took me some getting used to!) as well as a microwave and extra crockery if you forget to bring over plates from your tent.

There’s a cycling café, Maglia Rosso in the village of Hawstead (that’s within walking distance along country roads) and the nearest pubs are The White Horse in next door Whepstead and The Rushbrooke Arms in Sicklesmere. Bury St Edmunds is the foodie capital of Suffolk and only 4 miles away from the glamping site. You’ll find everything from the One Michelin Star Pea Porridge and gourmet greats including Maison Bleue, 1921, Lark and The Eaterie at The Angel Hotel to more relaxed offerings such as Pizza Express, Giggling Squid and Byron Burger.

KID FRIENDLY?

child playing with rainbow lights at The Four Bells Glamping

Very. My three-year-old and six-year-old were beside themselves with excitement at staying in a tent all together and there was plenty of space for us all inside, with one large king size bed and two singles with wooden sides that are ideal to stop little ones rolling out of bed.

While it could be a romantic spot to sleep under the stars, we preferred it as a family getaway – toasting marshmallows over the fire, enjoying the rainbow lights and playing board games (provided by the owners in a box in the kitchen) together felt magical and made for a trip my kids will never forget. Once they were asleep though we had a lovely relaxed time in the hot tub with a glass of bubbly, all within sight of the tent and our sleeping kids.

DOG FRIENDLY?

Yes! We took Twiglet the sausage dog with us and she had a brilliant time. Only Santa Maria is dog friendly however and comes with a brilliant enclosed garden area that dogs can’t escape from, so you’ll need to book well in advance if you’re travelling with a pooch. Twiglet curled up in her bed in front of the small log burner in our bell tent and was as content as a pig in the proverbial!

ACCESSIBLE?

All the accommodation is on ground level, however it’s fairly tricky to get into the tents through the zip and the ground is uneven once inside. The bathrooms and kitchen are all accessible via a ramp and the showers are wheelchair friendly.

ANYTHING ELSE?

The Four Bells Glamping is open from March until the end of September but you can still get a slice of the countryside life over the cooler months when the site turns into The Field Spa, an open air relaxation and a Nordic spa experience, during which you an use the wood fired hot tubs and then take a dip in the cold plunge, which is proven to improve circulation, muscle relaxation and sleep.

OUT AND ABOUT

The Four Bells Glamping is ideally placed to make the best of both countryside and town with the gorgeous medieval Bury St Edmunds 15 minutes away. The town is home to a Cathedral, abbey ruins and gardens as well as mainstream and boutique shopping. Culture vultures will love the Regency theatre and more modern music venue, while beer lovers will be in their element with a tour of the Greene King Brewery.

For more rural entertainment, Nowton Park is nearby and absolutely stunning in spring, while Ickworth Park, a National Trust property and grounds, is the perfect place for a wholesome family day out.

THE MUDDY VERDICT

Good for: Families with kids of all ages (although I’d probably not want the faff of having a baby sleep under canvas), couples who like their mini-breaks more low-fi than lavish, and dog owners who want to enjoy miles of lovely walks. I imagine it would be great fun to book the entire place out with two other families or friends and cook communally and watch the sun set over G&Ts together without worrying about annoying your neighbours.

Not for: If you’re looking to go totally off-grid without access to wifi and TV then this isn’t the place for you.

The damage: From £150 per night

The Four Bells Glamping, Church Road, Pinford End, Bury St Edmunds, IP29 5NU; info@thefourbellsglamping.co.uk, 01284 386004

Review: The Four Bells Glamping, Suffolk

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