Our best places for film lovers

With outdoor decking, a huge picture window and bi-folding doors keeping you connected to nature, Hidey-hole Cabin is the perfect space for unwinding both day and night. You could spend your days watching the wildlife in the fields from your king-size bed or canopied deck.

When night comes however, at the push of a button, the picture window transforms into a movie night screen and there’s a popcorn maker to settle in and watch your choice of blockbuster.

What to watch: With the name, we did consider The Hole, but this place lends itself much better to an easier watch. How about The Mercy (partially filmed at nearby Bewl Water) and starring Colin Firth.

Not a single space, but a site, containing seven incredible spaces, Brook House Woods makes it super hard to decide where to go first. There’s Whittler’s Cabin, a small two-bed immersion in the woods and wild living. Walden, Humboldt, and Venn – stylish treehouses with killer balconies, and outdoor baths. An ultra-unique stay in Goji, a deep red treehouse-pod with 360-degree views, and a snug little wood burner named for its tiny berry counterpart. There’s Oriana, a pioneer-style cabin sheltered in the trees, with plenty of space to luxuriate in, and a roll top bath at the foot of the bed. Lastly, there’s the behemoth, Journeyman Treehouse. Sleeping eight, this treehouse is bustling with activities, from a pool table to a sand box, to the tyre swings – never mind the outdoor rain shower or double bath.

There is no such thing as free time at Brook House Woods, because you’ll have allotted all of it to something incredible to do within minutes of arriving. But one thing all these spaces have in common, is the outdoor cinema on site. Pitched between the trees, under a canopy (obviously our favourite location), and wrapped in festoon lights – it’s extremely hard not to picture late summer nights watching classics, listening to wood pigeons usher in sunset.

What to watch: Bowfinger (1999). It might be 24 years old, but Eddie Murphy and Steve Martin are timeless. Settle in with just a touch of nostalgia, and a great deal of cry-laughing.

You can BBQ on the deck and be entertained by the starlit skies, soak in the hot tub after a day out exploring. On the inside, Ragnarr makes the most of every inch of space. The well-equipped kitchen is at one end and has everything you need if you don’t fancy cooking outdoors, and night will see you sharing a glass of something by the log burner.

Precious few get to say, ‘shall we retire to the cinema shed?’, and you could be one of them. At Ragnarr, evenings can be spent watching your favourite films in the heated shed – and if you’re lucky, you might even get a spot of rain to pitter-patter on the roof, and challenge staying awake for the end.

What to watch: Practical Magic (1998) – IYKYK.

Perfectionism gets a bad rap, and we’re willing to bet you’ll change your thoughts on it when you see the level of design, style and comfort at this mind-boggling cabin. The woods around it were once a cider orchard and are now a beautiful arboretum. You’ll find the Weber BBQ and space to sit on deck and you can soak up views of the Somerset levels as you cook, just outside the perfectly designed cabin confines.

Just across the deck is where you’ll find the striking circular bathroom and the massive stone tub inside, easily big enough for two. You could have any sort of bathroom experience here. Silent meditation, invigorating musical refreshment, an early morning sunlit jumpstart – or best of all – sharing a bath whilst you watch a film. It probably doesn’t get better than this.

What to watch: Her (2013), stay hydrated guys, despite only being a disembodied voice, Scarlett Johansson matches Joaquin Phoenix pound for pound in talent in this epic weep-worthy romance set in the near future.

Most people, when they have ideas in pubs, end up discovering that those ideas are pretty questionable in the cold light of sobriety. When the owners at The Rookery Woods decided to buy this land, and build upon it three unbelievable spaces, after a pub session one night – well. They set new standards for pub ideas. Aside from the outdoor wood burner, the electric hot tub, freestanding bath, downstairs there’s a pretty amazing outdoor cinema under the treehouse. It’s sheltered, with a big screen, and the option to watch from the sofa OR the hot tub. Need we say more?

What to watch: With the wind rustling through the trees, the sturdy-spined amongst you might try and take on The Silence of the Lambs (1991), and for those wanting a decent night’s sleep, hit up the mega-classic, The Devil Wears Prada (2006). Because don’t be ridiculous, everyone wants this.

Put simply, you’ve not been to a Geodome like this. Shiny copper rain showers, ghost chairs, and cashmere blankets, mezzanine floors and log burners – on site indoor heated pool – the list goes on. You might be crossing Devon’s moors, or strolling its coastline by day, but after dinner, you’ll be settling in to watch movies on the projector.

What to watch: Given that there’s a massive glass window to star-spot, we kind of have to ironically suggest: Don’t Look Up (2021) – if anything moving quickly catches your eye – do let us know.

If we handed out awards for windows, these guys would be on the podium. Enjoy breakfast out on the deck, spend the afternoon whiling away the hours in the hammock or reading next to the wood burner. If you’re really feeling energetic, then the River Wye is nearby for all the wild swimming, canoeing or kayaking you fancy, but it’s hard to contend with the cinema room after you’ve loosened up in the wood fired hot tub.

What to watch: Parasite (2019) Exhilarating, beautifully made, and quite moving, the hardest part of this film is how nice the house is that it’s set in. So why not watch it somewhere equally beautiful?