If you’ve been paying attention to Instagram lately, you’ll know that the UK weekend away has had a makeover. Those 10-story posts are no longer coming from a boutique seaside hotel or a pub with rooms in the home counties. They’re now being posted from places where it’s unlikely that there’s even another guest in sight.

In 2023, we want something a bit more remote from our short-term getaways. We’re craving shepherds’ huts with stacks of pre-chopped firewood. We’re obsessed with woodland cabins, where they leave you a book about foraging and a guide to the local tree population. Above all, we’re lusting after an outdoor bath. We will go literally anywhere for an outdoor bath.

No surprise then, that my eyes lit up at the prospect of a stay at Rewild Things, a collection of six luxury treehouses tucked away in a sprawl of lush Gloucestershire countryside. Because yes, each and every one of them has a shiny tin and copper tub gleaming on the outdoor deck. 

While some of the competition has adopted a more spartan approach, you aren’t expected to rough it in these cabins, and the under-floor heating, the rainfall shower, the super-king bed and the uber-soft bamboo robes are all measures that have been taken to make you feel like you’re being thoroughly pampered. 

You can even pre-order a full fridge of food and drink to be there for you on your arrival, including a range of oven-ready dishes made fresh in the on-site kitchens (get the fish pie for maximum autumn cosiness). Camping, this is not.

In terms of things to do, there are plenty of walking trails to be explored direct from your doorstep, but you could quite happily spend the entire time unwinding in the outdoor living area, curled up by the firepit or soaking in the aforementioned bath. 

Helpfully, there’s an outdoor heater and a whole bunch of sheepskin throws to bundle up in when the temperature starts to drop, which, let’s face it… it’s about to. Sleeping aside, I spent almost my entire stay outdoors, which feels incredibly wholesome, even if you’re just sitting around with a book.

There is, however, the option to be a bit more active, with wild swimming available at nearby Madam’s Pond. You’ll need to book through Rewild Swim Club, but it’s well worth it for the chance to get the blood pumping in this secluded woodland lake. 

There’s even a Scandi-style sauna set up on the bankside, so you can work up a sweat before plunging into the chilly depths. Thankfully we had the whole place to ourselves, meaning nobody could hear our shrieks as we dashed from hot to cold and back again.

The main selling point, though, is the peace and quiet. Crucially, none of the other cabins are visible from your deck, so to all intents and purposes, it feels like you’re in glorious isolation. 

Light pollution is also minimal, so on a clear night you can sit out on the deck and argue over whether you just saw an aeroplane or a shooting star. Factor in Monopoly Deal and a bottle of red and you’ve got the perfect antidote to the urban grind.

The cabin-stay trend isn’t going anywhere soon, so if you’re sold on the idea of immersing yourself in nature, but also like the idea of central heating and a memory foam mattress, Rewild Things might just be your dream weekend away. And did we mention there’s an outdoor bath?

Prices at Rewild Things start at £250 per night, with a three-night stay currently available at £645 (including a breakfast hamper and bottle of prosecco) when you quote the code ‘Winter Treet’. Find out more here. 

Images: courtesy of Rewild Things