Even if you love the bustle of city life, there’s something “eternally appealing” about escaping to a “remote, timber-clad cabin”, said Condé Nast Traveller. Many of these cosy boltholes combine the “style and glamour” of a hotel stay with the “delicious isolation” of a tucked-away rural lodge. Here are some of the best.
The Log House Studio, Carmarthenshire
This “authentically Swedish” cabin lies in the “secluded, tree-fringed fields” of Cwm Farm in Llandeilo, said The Guardian. It was hand-built by owner Tim, after taking log-building courses in Scandinavia, and doubles as his studio when it’s not booked by guests (look out for his paintings adorning the walls). The wood-burning stove and glowing paraffin lamps give the cabin a warm, inviting feel, and a ladder leads up to the mezzanine area: a lovely spot in which to “curl up with a book”.
canopyandstars.co.uk
Looking Glass Lodge, East Sussex
“This is something a bit special”, said The i Paper. Designed to melt into its stunning natural surroundings, Looking Glass Lodge is “suspended above the forest floor” in a “tranquil” clearing of the High Weald. The “cutting-edge” retreat is equipped on both sides with full-height electrochromic panoramic windows, so you can see out but wildlife can’t see in.
lookingglasslodge.co.uk
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Elmley Nature Reserve, Kent
This “charming” collection of cabins and shepherd’s huts is set “slap-bang in the middle” of Elmley Nature Reserve on the Isle of Sheppey, said Condé Nast Traveller. “Ideal for both bird lovers and lovebirds”, this is a great choice for those looking for a “cosy weekend holed up in perfect comfort and solitude”. The remote location means there aren’t any restaurants nearby, but guests can order “wholesome and delicious hampers” directly to their cabin.
elmleynaturereserve.co.uk
The Tawny, Staffordshire
Set in 70 acres of tranquil Staffordshire countryside, this “deconstructed hotel” has a handful of “low-impact cabins” dotted throughout the grounds, said The i Paper. The shepherd’s huts (pictured above) are nestled among the trees a short walk from the lake, and each includes a wood-burning stove, underfloor heating and a private deck complete with an outdoor tin bath. Guests might even be lucky enough to spot one of the “majestic nocturnal birds” from which the hotel takes its name.
thetawny.co.uk
Cuan Mor Lodges, County Down
Just half an hour from Belfast, Strangford Lough is the biggest sea inlet in the British Isles. The beautiful conservation zone is home to an array of wildlife, from porpoises and seals to birds and badgers. On its shores lies Cuan Mor – an idyllic collection of “red timber cabins for nature lovers to hide away in”, said The Guardian. Perched around a “lily-pad-strewn lake”, the cabins have wooden decks and shared use of a jetty: an ideal setting for “sipping a nightcap and toasting s’mores over the firepit”.
cuanmorlodges.com
Nether Glenny Bothy, Stirling
The Bothy is a “dizzyingly off-grid cabin” set within an 84-acre Scottish smallholding above the Lake of Menteith, said The Times. Decorated with “cowhide rugs, antler-framed mirrors and sheepskins”, the larch-clad retreat has a “cute mezzanine bedroom” and, outside, a wood-fired tub, where you can soak up the “mighty views” across the Fintry Hills. There’s plenty to keep guests entertained, from hikes through the Trossachs to tours of the farm. “A real find”.
netherglenny.com
