The 25th Hay Festival is still six weeks away. If you’ve had your appetite whetted by the programme of events and decided to make the trip to the Welsh/English border town in June you will no doubt be aware that accommodation for the festival is already a very rare commodity. In fact hotels, barns and B&Bs are often booked a year or even two in advance. It can also be expensive but that’s the law of supply and demand and there are always ways to do Hay on a budget too.
So here is our guide to finding a place to stay.
1. Rooms do come onto the market even at the last-minute. The best way to find one is via the bedfinder service. For £10, they will match up visitors with places to stay as they become available.
2. Look further out – if you are prepared to make the journey (about 45 minutes) Hereford hotels often have rooms still available at late notice and there’s a regular shuttle bus. Lea House a B&B near Ross on Wye has rooms at the time of posting http://www.leahouse.co.uk/
3. Pitch a tent. There are a number of camp-sites where you can pitch for just a few pounds a night.
Tangerine Fields Camping
Wye Meadow Camping
www.peak-performance-consultancy.com/haycamping
The Radnor Arms
4. There’s a swathe of up-market camping opportunities to from ridge tents to yurts and rigid podules:
Pennard Orchard
Blue Bell Tents
www.bluebelltents.com
Yurt Events
Podules at Baskerville Hall Hotel
www.bookmypodule.com/hay
Hotel Bell Tent
www.hotelbelltent.co.uk
5. Try the section on accommodation on the Hay-on-Wye tourist information site www.hay-on-wye.co.uk.
6. Check websites for cancellations. Shrub Cottage, on the Brecon Cottages site became available a few days ago. Sugar and Loaf also has some properties still.
7. Follow the #hayfestival hash tag on twitter. Some B&Bs, hotels and owners now post availability via their twitter accounts.
8. Try the accommodation section of the Hay Festival Forum.
9. The fringe HowTheLightGetsIn Festival also has camping. Nothing to stop you staying there. The festival is worth a visit too.
10. Finally, Emma Balch may have some last minute accommodation…. she bought, gutted, and is completely renovating Pottery Cottage in Clyro, formerly the home of Adam Dworski of Wye Pottery. It has one spacious room with double bed, and ensuite bathroom and a mezzanine above the main room. It may be at a lower rate if not all the details are finished, or at a higher rate if it’s totally ready, and she won’t know that until the last minute! Follow her progress here.
MAKING HAY at the Hay Festival 
thanks so much for the link – much appreciated. We still have yurts available for Hay although soon we will start to sell out for certain sizes/dates. Not long now…!
Looking to avoid the rain? Ty Gwillym holiday cottage has dates available from 29 May – 1 June.
Located near the town of Builth Wells, 16 miles from Hay-on-Wye, Ty Gwillym Cottage provides you with the opportunity to enjoy rural Mid Wales at its best. Sleeps four people with one double room and one twin.
Short breaks are available from 5pm Friday arrival until 11am Monday departure for £145. Weekly breaks are priced at £325 based on 5pm arrival on Monday and 11am departure the following Monday.
Check out our website for further details at http://www.tygwillymcottage.co.uk.
If you are interested please contact Mrs. Madeline Cornwell on 01597 860450 or at tygwillymcottage@gmail.com
Three Wells Hotel still has rooms available, approx. 40 minute drive (including likely traffic time!) from Hay.
I have 4 and 5M Bell Tents that I can hire out furnished or unfurnished if people can find a spot to pitch one a campsite or garden maybe. I deliver pitch and collect. @farawayhideaway.
Mrs. Hardy has a double room free on 8th and 9th of June 01497 847219
http://www.facebook.com/no6boleynhouse has availability next weekend fri sat sun 07860581466 or email no6boleynhouse@aol.co.uk
Check out http://www.lowerbuckton.co.uk SY7 0JU for delightful bed and breakfast in glorious Herefordshire.
A recently renovated two – bedroomed house in Bear St ( near the Old Black Lion pub ) has just appeared on the TO website for 2013’s festival . Call 07879 626155 for further details.
Two double or 1 x double + 1 x twin rooms available for whole period of Festival. Shared bathroom and access to kitchen. Very simply furnished but large and airy. Dead central, overlooking town clock. 07961 698628
Campsite with shuttle bus http://www.newcourt-horseriding.co.uk/
Camping pitches and pre-pitched bell tents still available at Walkers Cottage Camping http://www.hay-on-wye-camping.co.uk
Greg’s Gypsy Bowtops has good availability for Hay Festival: http://www.gregsgypsybowtops.co.uk
The gypsy caravans sleep up to 4 people and are situated close to the festival.
We are a boutique style luxury self catering and have had a cancellation for the last weekend of Hay. Up to 5 individually designed bedrooms with private bathrooms available, 45ft kitchen, movie room and sitting room, walled garden and hot tub.
All bedrooms lockable and we can provide continental breakfast.
From £100 night, min stay 2 nights preferred, breakfast extra, 20 minutes from Hay, in Lyonshall near Kington. Find us trip advisor and face book or call 07837451856
Joe’s Lodge bunkhouse is available for the week of the hay festival (22nd – 31st May)
It’s located in Talgarth, 6 miles outside of Hay-On-Wye. Sleeps up to 25 people.
All enquiries email joeslodge@live.com
Hi…
We have beautiful gypsy caravans to offer for boutique camping during the Hay Festival and our availability is still very good.
Please find attached a colour information pdf with all the facilities and prices.
We would love it if you could advertise this on your website and provide some great accommodation for festival goers.
Please let me know if you require any further information.
Kind regards Juliet King https://www.gregsgypsybowtops.co.uk 07771 698773
We still have availability in our beautiful peaceful two yurt site just 25 minutes away. http://www.kitehillyurts.co.uk
Nice 1 bedroom available with double bed shared bath and two toilets in terrace house in Glasbury on Wye with Glasbury Beach within minutes walk at the end of our street. Free parking space included in our privately owned car park. 4 minute drive to Hay Festival and How The Lights Get In festival. Full access to kitchen and unlimited tea, coffee and toast but no English breakfast as I work long hours. £75 per night. 30% percent deposit required to confirm booking. Please contact me at 01497847334 or 07720863883. Thank you!