Lodging in hot wooded retreat (7)
I believe the answer is:
harbour
'lodging in hot wooded retreat' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both locations as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe there's an association between them I don't understand?
'hot wooded retreat' is the wordplay.
'hot' becomes 'h'.
'wooded retreat' becomes 'arbour' (I've seen this before. I am not sure about the 'wooded' bit.**).
'h'+'arbour'='HARBOUR'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for harbour that I've seen before include "Sheltered anchorage" , "Keep (thought) secretly (in one's mind); haven" , "Conceal" , "Nurse" , "what a master may overlook?" .)