If sleeping in a grass-roofed hobbit house, gathering around a campfire and waking up surrounded by the Laois countryside sounds like your kind of Irish getaway, Glamping Under the Stars should definitely be on your radar.

Located at Cullenagh near Portlaoise, this family-run glamping retreat has grown into one of the most unusual places to stay in Ireland's Midlands.

And in 2026, it has become even more interesting.

Alongside its wonderfully quirky hobbit houses, wood lodges and shepherd's hut, Glamping Under the Stars has introduced two new treehouse-style cabins and a fully accessible eco-lodge.

There are actually two separate glamping areas here — Mountain Under the Stars and Meadow Under the Stars — each offering a slightly different experience.

You can spend your evening around the campfire, toast marshmallows over your own chimnea, let the children explore the wildflower meadows and, when darkness falls, look up at a sky with considerably less light pollution than you'll find in Ireland's larger towns and cities.

For families looking for something a little different from a standard hotel break, this is exactly the sort of accommodation we love discovering.

Where is Glamping Under the Stars?

Glamping Under the Stars is located at Cullenagh, Portlaoise, County Laois, in the heart of Ireland's Ancient East.

Despite the peaceful countryside setting, it's surprisingly accessible.

The site is around 10 minutes' drive from both Portlaoise and Abbeyleix, while Dublin is roughly an hour away. That makes it particularly attractive for a weekend escape — you can leave the city and, without spending half the day in the car, find yourself sitting beside a campfire in the Laois countryside.

Its central location also makes Glamping Under the Stars a great base for exploring County Laois and the wider Midlands. The Slieve Bloom Mountains, Rock of Dunamase, Emo Court, Abbeyleix Bog and Heywood Gardens are all within easy reach.

Two Different Glamping Experiences

One of the first things to understand when booking is that Glamping Under the Stars has two boutique glampsites:

• Mountain Under the Stars — the Hobbit Village
• Meadow Under the Stars — home to treehouse-style cabins, an accessible eco-lodge, wood lodges and a shepherd's hut

They have different accommodation styles, so it's worth looking at both before deciding where you'd like to stay.

Families looking for the most whimsical experience will probably be immediately drawn towards the Hobbit Village. Those wanting a little more space and luxury should take a look at the newer accommodation on the Meadow site.

Mountain Under the Stars — The Hobbit Village

Let's start with the hobbits.

The Mountain glampsite contains a collection of wonderfully quirky grass-roofed hobbit houses. From outside, they look as though they've been lifted from the pages of a fairytale — the low buildings blend into the landscape beneath their green roofs, while each has its own themed interior.

Importantly, though, this isn't camping where you're expected to crawl into a tiny sleeping bag.

The hobbit houses are designed as proper family accommodation. Each can sleep a family of up to six and includes its own private bathroom. Outside you'll have a private garden area with a picnic bench and chimnea stove — perfect for one of the essential parts of any glamping trip.

There's also a communal kitchen area, campfire and wildflower meadow.

What Are the Hobbit Houses Like Inside?

Each hobbit house has its own theme and character. Rather than creating six identical accommodation units, the interiors have been designed to feel playful and imaginative — they're especially appealing for children.

Tell a child they're staying in a hotel room and you might get a shrug. Tell them they're sleeping in a hobbit house, and suddenly getting away for the weekend becomes an adventure.

The grass-covered construction has another advantage too — the buildings are naturally energy efficient, helping them stay cooler during warm weather and cosy when temperatures drop.

Meadow Under the Stars

The second accommodation area is Meadow Under the Stars.

This has traditionally offered wood lodges and a shepherd's hut surrounded by landscaped gardens and a beautiful wildflower meadow. But for 2026, Meadow has received a major upgrade — three completely new self-catering accommodations have opened.

Seanchai's House — The Storyteller's House

One of the most eye-catching new additions is Seanchai's House — the Storyteller's House.

Designed in a treehouse-inspired fairytale style, it feels closer to a woodland storybook cottage than a normal holiday cabin. One of its most distinctive features is a reading turret with cross-hatched windows, while the high roof and timber exterior add to the fairytale appearance.

It has:

• Three bedrooms
• Two bathrooms
• Kitchen facilities
• Space for up to eight guests
• A covered outdoor deck

For larger families or grandparents travelling with children and grandchildren, this is a particularly interesting option. You still get the outdoor glamping atmosphere, but with considerably more space and comfort.

Honeycomb House

Then there's Honeycomb House — an unusual two-bedroom accommodation that takes its inspiration from the shape of a honeycomb. Its distinctive geometric exterior immediately separates it from a normal holiday cottage.

Inside there are two bedrooms, one bathroom, kitchen facilities and accommodation for up to six people.

If you've always liked the idea of glamping but aren't particularly keen on sleeping under canvas, these new cabins could be exactly what you're looking for.

The Home Place — Fully Accessible Eco-Lodge

Perhaps the most important of the 2026 additions is The Home Place — a purpose-designed, fully accessible eco-lodge sleeping up to six guests across two bedrooms.

The addition significantly expands the accommodation available for families and groups that include someone with mobility requirements. The newer Meadow development also includes improved pathways through the site.

It's great to see accessibility being incorporated into the accommodation design rather than treated as an afterthought.

Wood Lodges and the Shepherd's Hut

If you want something between a hobbit house and traditional camping, the Meadow site also has handcrafted wood lodges.

Moonrise Lodge and Sunset Lodge each sleep a family of up to six. Inside you'll find proper beds and a wood-burning stove — which sounds particularly appealing on a cool evening. Bed linen is provided, and there are electric lamps and sockets for charging phones.

The Shepherd's Hut provides another quirky option. Like the wood lodges, it sleeps a family of up to six and has a wood-burning stove inside. You'll have your own picnic area and chimnea, with a private bathroom nearby.

Campfires, Wildflower Meadows and Stargazing

Sometimes it's the simplest things children remember from a holiday.

Both glampsites are designed around spending time outdoors. There are communal campfire areas, while several accommodation options have their own chimnea stove. The Meadow site includes around two acres of wildflower meadow, with winding paths cut through the grass.

For adults, it's somewhere peaceful to wander. For children, it's somewhere to explore, play hide and seek and look for butterflies, dragonflies and other wildlife.

And when darkness falls, the skies above County Laois have considerably less light pollution than you'll find in Ireland's cities — which is, after all, what the name promises.

Rolltop Baths and Luxury Touches

The newer self-catering cabins bring a level of comfort that goes well beyond traditional glamping. Seanchai's House features a beautiful rolltop bath — the kind of detail that makes a weekend break feel genuinely special.

It's a good reminder that glamping in Ireland has come a long way from sleeping bags and shared facilities.

Family Glamping in Laois

Families are clearly at the heart of Glamping Under the Stars. The site describes itself as having been created by parents for parents, and you can see that in the setup.

Children have space to play without parents constantly worrying about traffic. There are meadows to explore, friendly ponies to meet, lawns for games and campfires in the evening. Travel cots and high chairs can also be provided.

Most of the accommodation sleeps families rather than simply couples, making it particularly suitable if you have several children or are travelling with extended family.

Couples and Romantic Breaks

Despite the family focus, you don't need children to stay here.

Glamping Under the Stars also welcomes couples looking for a quiet countryside break. If you're planning a romantic getaway, the site recommends visiting outside the main school holiday periods, when the glampsites are naturally quieter.

A hobbit house, campfire, bottle of wine and an evening beneath the stars isn't a bad alternative to another hotel weekend.

Hen Parties and Group Bookings

Glamping Under the Stars also caters for hen parties and private groups. Hen parties and adult groups are required to book an entire glampsite for private use — a clever arrangement that means family guests aren't sharing a quiet glamping site with a large party group.

Both the Mountain and Meadow sites can accommodate groups, with a maximum capacity of around 24 adults per glampsite. Optional activities can also be organised, including creative workshops, flower crown making, music and adventure activities.

Things to Do Near Glamping Under the Stars

The location makes this an excellent base for exploring Laois.

One of the best nearby attractions is the Rock of Dunamase — the dramatic ruins of a medieval fortress sitting high above the surrounding countryside. It's free to visit and offers fantastic views.

You could also explore Emo Court, with its beautiful house, lake and parkland, or walk the boardwalks at Abbeyleix Bog. Then there's Heywood Gardens, Timahoe Round Tower and plenty of forest walks throughout the county.

The Slieve Bloom Mountains

If you enjoy walking, make time for the Slieve Bloom Mountains — around a 25-minute drive from the site. One of the nicest family options is Glenbarrow Waterfall, where a woodland walk follows the river through the trees before reaching the waterfall.

Spend the morning walking through the Slieve Blooms, return to your accommodation, light the BBQ and finish the day beside the campfire. That's a pretty good weekend in Laois.

Practical Information

Is there Wi-Fi? Accommodation at Glamping Under the Stars is deliberately designed to offer a break from Wi-Fi. Good 4G coverage is available, but the idea is to encourage people to disconnect and enjoy the surroundings. For a couple of nights, that's part of the attraction.

Cooking and self-catering: The site is primarily self-catering. Communal cooking facilities are available for the more traditional glamping accommodation, while the newer cabins provide a more complete self-catering experience. The Meadow site also has the Glamp House — a communal kitchen and dining cabin with an outdoor sun deck.

Accessibility: The Mountain glampsite has previously achieved Age Friendly status and includes even textured pathways, nearby parking and accessible bathroom facilities. The major 2026 addition is The Home Place eco-lodge on the Meadow glampsite. Anyone with specific accessibility requirements should contact the site before booking.

How long to stay: For most families, two nights is the recommended minimum — and also the minimum stay for many bookings at weekends and peak periods. Two nights gives you enough time to enjoy the site properly without feeling rushed.

Is Glamping Under the Stars Worth Staying At?

If you're looking for something different from a standard Irish hotel break, absolutely.

What we like most is the choice. You can go quirky and stay in a grass-roofed hobbit house. You can choose a rustic wood lodge or shepherd's hut. Or you can opt for one of the luxurious new 2026 treehouse-style cabins. There's now also a purpose-built accessible eco-lodge, opening the experience to more families and multigenerational groups.

But whichever accommodation you choose, the basic appeal remains the same. You're here to get outside. Children can run around the meadow. You can cook together, sit around the campfire and toast marshmallows.

And once darkness falls, you can look up at the stars rather than another hotel ceiling.

Sometimes the simplest holidays are the ones everyone remembers.

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Travel Through Ireland Tip: Give yourself at least one evening where you don't go anywhere. Get some food before you arrive, light the BBQ, let the children explore the meadow and toast marshmallows as it gets dark. Part of the reason for staying somewhere like Glamping Under the Stars is the accommodation itself — enjoy it.

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Location: Cullenagh, Portlaoise, County Laois Glampsites: Mountain Under the Stars and Meadow Under the Stars Accommodation: Hobbit houses, treehouse-style cabins, accessible eco-lodge, wood lodges and shepherd's hut Best for: Families, unusual stays, couples, groups and countryside breaks Nearby: Portlaoise, Abbeyleix, Rock of Dunamase, Emo Court, Slieve Bloom Mountains