Shire Suite at White Lotus Eco Spa retreat

If you love Lord of the Rings, you will LOVE this. Such a unique, magical property! Very peaceful to wake up to the sound of birdsong. The suite was spacious and comfortable. The rest of the grounds were beautiful, we loved exploring all the different buildings and rooms. The solarium in particular was a perfect place for yoga and meditation. The suite was well stocked with coffee, tea, a mini fridge and microwave, etc. Though we never met the staff in person (self check in was a breeze!), they were very helpful and responsive via the app.

It would have been nice if the continental breakfast was offered in the nice shared kitchen in the Barn where the suite is — for convenience, and because the shared kitchen space in the Castle (where the continental breakfast is) had would benefit from some updates and a deep clean. This is very nitpicky, but the tile floors throughout the suite were very cold; I would have loved some more rugs to walk around barefoot comfortably. Note there is no cell service and food options nearby are limited, so be prepared for that. But all of these were minor inconveniences - overall we had a wonderful stay, and would definitely recommend for anyone looking for a peaceful, rural, off-the-beaten path style of retreat for yoga/meditation/reading.

The property is beautiful and serene. Kind of quirky with feelings of being at camp. The room was cozy and inviting and it was just what I needed.

Other than the twisty roads in the dark, there wasn’t much to not like.

Very diverse and unique

This is a beautiful property with genuinely kind people. I loved the peaceful atmosphere, the barn setup, and especially the indoor swing. The staff and other guests were wonderful — someone even brought me birthday pancakes and sang to me, which meant a lot. That said, winter travelers need to know that the access conditions can be extremely challenging. When I first tried to enter the property, I got stuck on the icy road leading to the Hobbit House and ended up crying in my car because I couldn’t move forward or backward. A very kind gentleman with a bulldozer came to my rescue — he literally cleared the path behind me and in front of me, bulldozing nearly a mile of frozen ground so I could safely get through. I cannot overstate how grateful I was in that moment. Then, when I got stuck a second time trying to reach my actual suite, the manager’s partner, Victoria, came out to help. She is absolutely lovely — she saw how done I was (I was about in tears again) and helped guide my car over the ice patch so I could finally get settled. Everyone was so kind and patient with me. Once I was in the Shire Suite (inside the barn), I realized I couldn’t safely walk the gravel paths because the snow had turned into hard, slippery ice. The trails were completely iced over, so exploring the grounds wasn’t possible. When it was time to leave, I got stuck twice more, and another guest with a truck had to guide me and help me get enough momentum to reach the main road. If you are visiting in winter, you will absolutely need one of the following: • a 4WD or AWD vehicle • top‑tier winter tires • or snow chains A standard car is not enough for these conditions, even if you’re an experienced driver. You may find yourself unable to leave your cabin or the property without assistance. One more important note: If you book through Booking.com, the “Shire Suite” is the one located inside the barn. The “Hobbit House” is a separate building.