The complete guide to cabin holidays

In short, somewhere to press pause on normal life for a while and enter your own little self-contained base in nature. Our cabins are somewhere you can switch off from the person you spend your days thinking you should be, drop the mask and be completely yourself. The itinerary can be as chilled or as detailed as you like too, there really are no rules here. If your human batteries get charged by reading 100 pages of a book from a cosy spot, then great. If they’re more into long walks, wild swims, or exploring the local area, that’s good too. You might spend the morning out and about, then come back to the cabin for the afternoon and do absolutely nothing. Both count. 

There are no breakfast buffets to race down to or housekeeping knocking. A cabin is remote and entirely your own space, your own pace and the feeling that you’ve returned to a simpler way of living.

Remote doesn't necessarily mean you need a map, a compass and a small donkey to get there. For us, remoteness means immersion rather than isolation and doesn’t necessarily mean counting miles to the nearest town. Our cabins are in rural or natural settings, giving you some degree of escape from everyday life. Some are deep in the woods, on hillsides or hidden away in fields where your nearest neighbour is a sheep. Others are closer to a village, pub, beach or town, so you can have your nature fix without completely cutting ties with outside world.  

It's this sense of space that makes cabin life special. You can wake up to sounds of wildlife, step outside with a coffee and be a part of the landscape without having to navigate commuter traffic, crowds or the school-run scrum. And if you do fancy a pint, a meal out or a wander around somewhere lovely, civilisation isn't necessarily far away. The beauty is in choosing your level of escape – some cabins let you dip a toe into the wild, others throw you in at the deep end.

Remote cabins hold a particular appeal for travellers seeking quiet immersion in nature. For many guests, with fewer distractions and open landscapes all around, these stays offer a chance to reconnect with the outdoors in a way everyday life rarely allows. 

Our guide to 7 cabins to reconnect with nature explores some of the best places to do exactly that, while our most remote and completely off-grid cabins reveal just how far into the wild some Canopy & Stars stays reach.

Remote cabins aren’t what you might expect

The idea of a remote cabin once suggested simplicity bordering on hardship. Today, that picture has changed completely. Many of the most secluded cabins combine thoughtful architecture with beautifully considered interiors, making them places you actively want to spend time rather than merely sleep. 

In fact, many guests now view off-grid cabins as a new kind of luxury. Our article why off-grid cabin holidays are the new luxury dives into this shift, while our most remote cabins with hot tubs prove that distance from civilisation doesn’t mean sacrificing comfort.

Many remote cabins come with limited connectivity, and that’s often part of their appeal. Without the pull of constant notifications, conversations tend to stretch longer, books finally get finished and attention shifts back to the landscape. 

Guests tell us that a few days without screens brings surprising benefits, like deeper rest, clearer thinking and a renewed sense of connection with the people around them. Our article 'why digital-free holidays lead to better conversations' explains how stepping away from technology can transform even a short break.

The UK is full of landscapes that lend themselves naturally to remote cabins. Woodland valleys, coastal headlands and mountain regions all offer different ways to experience wild surroundings. Our feature on off-grid cabins in the UK’s most overlooked wild regions highlights hidden landscapes where solitude comes easily. 

Others prefer cabins that act as a base for outdoor adventure. The fells surrounding the Lake District are ideal for hikers, as we find out in six remote cabins in the Lake District for hiking, and Scotland’s vast landscapes provide some of the most immersive escapes, as seen in seven remote cabins in Scotland for truly switching off.

Across the Canopy & Stars collection, owners are constantly experimenting with new ways to reduce environmental impact while maintaining comfort. Our feature Inside the UK’s most innovative off-grid cabins takes you through some of the most creative examples, while How owners create genius stays that feel truly restorative looks at the design thinking behind these spaces.

What do you actually do on a cabin holiday?

You do rather less than you might expect, and that’s part of the point. Go for a walk from the door, swim in a lake, cook over the fire, read on the deck, play cards, sit in the hot tub or simply watch the weather move across the landscape. There’s no pressure to fill every hour. If your biggest achievement of the afternoon is finishing a book, that counts.

Is cabin life really as relaxing as it sounds?

It can be, especially when you give yourself permission to slow down. There’s something about having nature outside your door, nowhere you need to be and a cabin that’s entirely your own that makes everyday routines feel very far away. You might notice yourself lingering over breakfast, taking a walk just because the weather looks good or sitting outside long after you’d normally have gone in.

What if I'm not really an outdoorsy person?

You don't need to own walking poles or know your way around a compass. Cabin life can mean wild swims and long hikes, but it can also mean drinking coffee outside, sitting around a fire, watching the rain from a window or wandering as far as the nearest pub. You can dip a toe into the outdoors, or throw yourself right in. There are no points for doing it the hard way.

What makes staying in nature feel different?

It’s the little things. Waking up to birds instead of an alarm, seeing the weather change across the hills while you make breakfast, coming back from a muddy walk and leaving your boots by the door, or noticing the stars because there are fewer lights around. When nature is right outside the cabin, you tend to spend more time noticing it.

Can you have a cabin holiday without having to completely switch off from the world?

Of course. Remote doesn't have to mean unreachable. Some cabins are properly tucked away and off-grid, while others have Wi-Fi, are close to villages, beaches, pubs and places worth exploring. You can leave your phone in a drawer for the weekend, or keep it with you and use it to find the nearest good walk. Cabin living is about choosing how much of everyday life you want to take with you.

What is the best thing about cabin life?

Possibly the fact that nothing much needs to happen. You can wake up without an alarm and wander outside and see what the day feels like. Maybe you go exploring, maybe you swim. Maybe you cook something excellent and spend the afternoon reading in a chair. The freedom to change your plans, or have no plans at all, is a nice luxury to have.

Remote cabins offer the chance to step outside of everyday noise and rediscover the simple pleasures of time spent in nature. Whether you’re drawn by dark skies, fewer neighbours, long walks or the quiet satisfaction of an off-grid lifestyle, these stays provide a thoughtful way to reconnect with the landscape. 

Explore the full range of secluded hideaways in our cabin holidays collection and start planning your own wild escape.