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| Where Was Double Booked for the Holidays Filmed? All 2026 Movie Locations Revealed. |
Hallmark's Double Booked for the Holidays (2026) was filmed entirely on location in Hay-on-Wye, a picturesque market town on the border between England and Wales. Famous for its independent bookshops, traditional stone buildings and historic castle, the town provides the perfect backdrop for this festive romantic comedy.
Rather than relying entirely on studio sets, the production transformed real streets, historic buildings and riverside surroundings into a charming Christmas destination. Several recognisable locations feature throughout the film, including High Town, Market Street, the Cheese Market and Hay Castle. The production also incorporated local bookshops and footpaths along the River Wye, giving the story an authentic Welsh atmosphere. For viewers who enjoy visiting real places from their favourite films, Hay-on-Wye deserves a place on the holiday travel bucket list.
Principal photography reportedly began on 15 June 2026, with filming taking place during the summer. Naturally, shooting a Christmas film in June presents a rather amusing challenge: convincing everyone that winter has arrived when the weather has other ideas. The production team tackled this by covering streets and selected outdoor areas with artificial snow, decorating local buildings with festive lights and installing Christmas trees throughout the town.
Filming predominantly took place overnight, with the reported production schedule running from approximately 4pm until 3.30am. This approach allowed the crew to create its winter atmosphere while limiting disruption to local businesses during their regular opening hours. Although the production used real locations, not every individual filming spot was publicly identified. Keeping certain details private during filming also helps protect cast and crew from unwanted interruptions.
High Town is one of the most recognisable areas featured in the film. This traditional shopping district provides the setting for several scenes involving Abigail and Charlie as they explore their temporary Welsh home. Its narrow streets, historic buildings and independent storefronts give the production exactly the sort of welcoming atmosphere expected from a Hallmark Christmas romance.
For the film, the area received a substantial festive makeover, with artificial snow, decorated shop windows, frosted wreaths and warm Christmas lights. The combination of traditional architecture and seasonal decorations helps establish the sisters' holiday surroundings without making the setting feel like an artificial studio construction. Visitors exploring High Town can also enjoy the town's distinctive independent shops, cafés and historic streets, making it an enjoyable place to spend an afternoon.
Market Street is another important filming location in Hay-on-Wye. Known for its traditional town-centre character, the street provides an attractive backdrop for the sisters' daily adventures and encounters with the local community. The production decorated the area with Christmas trees, festive lighting and artificial snow to create the appearance of a busy Welsh town during December.
Its traditional shopfronts and compact streets fit naturally into the film's cosy visual style. Market Street is also an appealing destination for visitors interested in exploring Hay-on-Wye's shopping culture. Rather than simply walking past the buildings, take some time to explore the independent businesses and enjoy the atmosphere. After all, a holiday trip inspired by a Christmas film should involve more than taking one photograph and immediately heading home.
The Cheese Market Building is another particularly interesting location featured in Double Booked for the Holidays. This historic nineteenth-century structure sits in the heart of Hay-on-Wye and provides an ideal setting for the film's festive market scenes. During production, its open ground-level area was transformed into a Christmas market, complete with wooden stalls, decorative tinsel and seasonal displays.
Local background extras helped bring the fictional market to life, with the scenes featuring the sort of handmade crafts and traditional seasonal refreshments associated with Welsh Christmas celebrations. The building's historic character adds something different to the film's visual presentation, especially when contrasted with the colourful decorations installed for the production. Visitors can explore the surrounding town centre and appreciate the building's traditional architecture, even without a camera crew filling the space with artificial snow.
Hay-on-Wye's Independent Bookshops also play an important part in establishing the film's literary atmosphere. The town is internationally recognised for its concentration of second-hand and independent bookshops, making it a particularly suitable setting for a story involving two sisters and their temporary bookshop accommodation. In the film, Abigail and Charlie take charge of the fictional Story Shoppe, a combination of an Airbnb and a bookshop. Its interior is presented with floor-to-ceiling wooden bookshelves, comfortable vintage reading chairs and an elaborate Christmas window display.
Abigail's passion for the Winterton Chronicles also gives the literary setting a central role in the storyline. Although individual shopfronts and interiors were not all publicly identified by name, Hay-on-Wye's established bookshops offer visitors an opportunity to experience the literary character that inspired this part of the film. Book lovers could easily spend several hours exploring the shelves. Their holiday shopping might become slightly more expensive than planned, though.
Hay Castle and its Grounds provide one of the film's most impressive settings. Overlooking the town centre, this historic castle offers a striking contrast to the smaller shops and traditional streets featured throughout the production. Its historic stone walls, restored interiors and distinctive architectural details provide the backdrop for the Winterton Ball, one of the most important events in the story.
For filming, the castle was decorated with towering Christmas trees, elegant gold ornaments and seasonal displays to create the atmosphere of an elaborate festive celebration. The venue is particularly significant because the Winterton Ball brings several of the film's romantic storylines together. Outside the fictional celebrations, Hay Castle is an attraction in its own right, with a history closely connected to the development of the town. Visitors interested in architecture and local history will find plenty to appreciate beyond its appearance on screen.
The River Wye Footpaths offer a different atmosphere from the busy streets and decorated market areas. These riverside surroundings provide the backdrop for quieter moments between the characters, allowing the film to move away from its crowded festive settings. The production captures the natural landscape, tree-lined paths and riverside scenery around Hay-on-Wye, creating a more peaceful visual contrast to the Christmas decorations elsewhere in the story.
These scenes help establish the romantic atmosphere without relying on elaborate sets or particularly complicated production design. The River Wye is also an appealing destination for visitors who enjoy walking and spending time outdoors. Exploring the riverside paths offers a chance to appreciate the Welsh countryside and take a break from the town's busy bookshops. Just remember that the real scenery might not come with the film's carefully arranged artificial snow.
St Mary's Church in Hay-on-Wye is another worthwhile historic destination to include when exploring the town. Although it should be treated as an additional sightseeing stop rather than an identified filming location, its historic architecture and position within the local landscape make it a fitting addition to a trip inspired by the film.
The church provides another perspective on Hay-on-Wye's long history, complementing the medieval character of Hay Castle and the traditional appearance of the town centre. Visitors interested in photography, architecture and local heritage can include it in their exploration of the area. It is also a reminder that Hay-on-Wye has considerably more to offer than its fictional Christmas decorations.
Beyond its filming locations, Double Booked for the Holidays has an interesting story behind its festive setting. The 2026 Hallmark romantic comedy stars Rachael Leigh Cook in a dual role as identical twins Abigail and Charlie, who spend their first Christmas following the passing of their mother away from their usual surroundings. They take an opportunity to manage the Story Shoppe in Wales, where their very different personalities soon lead them towards unexpected romantic situations.
Abigail is the quieter, book-loving sister who becomes fascinated by the town's connection to the Winterton Chronicles. She develops a connection with Tom, a friendly local barista played by Owain Yeoman. Charlie, meanwhile, is more adventurous and becomes involved in organising the Winterton Ball alongside Lord Rhys, portrayed by Stephen Hagan.
The romantic confusion begins when the local community does not realise that Abigail and Charlie are identical twins. With two sisters, two potential romances and a series of mistaken identities, keeping everyone's names straight becomes something of a Christmas miracle.
The film is directed by Clare Niederpruem, with a screenplay written by Brisa Carleton. Redline Entertainment is responsible for production, while Hallmark Media handles its distribution as part of the channel's seasonal entertainment offering.
Our Opinion:
Hay-on-Wye is arguably one of the strongest choices for a Christmas romantic comedy, and the film's decision to use genuine town locations makes the setting particularly appealing. Its bookshops, historic buildings and traditional streets already have the sort of atmosphere that many productions spend considerable money trying to recreate. What makes this location especially interesting is the contrast between the real Welsh surroundings and the artificial winter makeover.
Filming in June and turning summer streets into a Christmas destination is quite an achievement, even if the production team probably needed more fake snow than anyone would reasonably expect. The combination of a literary setting, a historic castle and riverside scenery also gives the film plenty of visual variety. Personally, Hay-on-Wye sounds like a destination worth visiting even without the Hallmark connection. A bookshop-filled town with beautiful architecture? That is hardly a difficult holiday decision.
For viewers hoping to recreate the film's atmosphere, Hay-on-Wye offers several places worth adding to a Welsh travel itinerary, from its historic shopping streets to the castle and riverside scenery. Keep in mind that some production details may remain private, particularly where individual businesses and private interiors are concerned.
The locations discussed above provide a starting point for exploring the real-world setting without assuming every decorated shop or street corner is accessible to visitors. So, would you add Hay-on-Wye to your holiday bucket list? Which location from Double Booked for the Holidays would you most like to visit: the historic castle, the Christmas market or the charming independent bookshops? Share your thoughts, and keep an eye on Tonboriday.com for further updates if additional filming locations become publicly available.