Adding value by enhancing your outdoor space

If you’re building a new space, you should be thinking about the outdoor areas from the outset, not as an afterthought. Consider lines of sight and sound, the privacy, the feel of the space, the aesthetic appeal. You might even need to start planting before you’ve laid a single timber.  

If you’re adding to an existing site, then you’ll already know what you have to work with in terms of setting, but the principles are the same. As a Canopy & Stars owner you have access to a range of discounts on hot tubs, pizza ovens and more, but there’s also plenty you can do with minimal outlay. 

Here are some of our tips, divided into four sections - Outdoor Spas, Outdoor Cooking and Eating, Relaxing in Nature and Playing in Nature – to show how you can craft your outdoor space so that it draws guests in and delights them while they’re with you.

Outdoor spa facilities are a great way to enhance your offering, being an instant visual prompt that helps communicate the relaxing nature of a break. 

The general area 

It’s important to consider the aesthetic of the area as a whole, rather than just the facilities you provide. Make it both a beautiful and useful space, with seating, screening, lighting and functional details like hooks for hanging towels or tables and shelving for drinks, snacks and books. Picture it during the day, when the plants and screening could give it a feeling of seclusion and spa-like indulgence, and at night, when strings of fairy lights might make it look magical. Deciding what to add to your spa is the next step.  

Hot tubs  

These are the big hitters when it comes to attracting guests, with the hot tub filter on our site used over four times more than any other. They’re iconic, having long been synonymous with the laid-back lifestyle our places promote, so will always be a good option. Find out more about them here. 

Outdoor baths  

A good alternative, offering some of the same cachet and ambience with lower usage of water and wood. This is the second most used collection on our site, so while it lags some way behind hot tubs, it’s still a powerful addition.  

Saunas  

Increasingly popular and can help with year-round bookings, convincing guests who might not want to bathe outside in the winter that they will still get a wild spa experience. They also give you a chance to get creative with cold plunges or bucket showers, which can be a fun addition. Read more here. 

Outdoor showers  

A simple but effective feature, either as a standalone option to wash in the wild or alongside any of the above. Once again, you’ll need to think carefully about privacy, views, protecting against the elements and the more functional aspects like towel hook and soap/shampoo/conditioner dispensers or shelving. 

Some super spas for inspiration: 

Cleave Treehouse – a wood-fired sauna with decked seating area and plunge pool. 

Hay Barn – double outdoor tubs on a wooden deck under trees, positioned with views across the valley and surrounded with candles on tree stumps to create a romantic ambience.

Cooking in the outdoors is a great way for people to connect with nature, as well as a unique experience that many won’t have access to at home. Especially for smaller accommodation, a beautiful outdoor kitchen can give guests a greater sense of freedom and space and be far more than a practical solution to having minimal cooking facilities indoors.  

The general area  

When designing an outdoor cooking area, think about how the space will be used and where it needs to be sited. Do you imagine guests bringing prepped food a few steps to a BBQ or pizza oven immediately outside, or prepping everything in a self-contained kitchen area with workspaces and tables?  

As well as the practicalities, consider the feel of the space. Can you do something more fun than a picnic bench? Are you using sustainable, weatherproof materials that will keep their looks over time? Is it a visually inviting place to cook and eat? A lovely setting in which to cook and eat in can be a great addition to your experience and your photo gallery. 

Lastly, if you have the space (and climate) you could create a herb garden or veg patch from which guests can use produce, further enhancing their feel of harmony with nature. 

Top tip: Cook in it yourself! Before you hand it over to guests, cook several meals in your outdoor kitchen, to see how it flows and pick up on anything you might have missed. 

Firepits 

Firepit cooking, with a BBQ rack or tripod over a fire, is the wildest, most back-to-basics option. It can be a little intimidating to some guests, but also the most rewarding. Make sure you have specific cooking equipment, implements and instructions (even recipes) available to guests. At the very least, provide marshmallows and sticks! For many, that’s all they need to feel a little wilder. 

Barbecues 

A more familiar option for many but still a great way to get people cooking al fresco. Provide coals/gas and easy instructions for use. You could also offer packages or hampers, with ingredients from local butchers, growers and farmers, or your own produce. BBQ huts are a great option for encouraging year-round stays, as they offer a bit more certainty of a cosy place to cook. 

Pizza ovens  

Pizza Ovens are still something of a novelty to many and require minimal installation and setup. Make sure you provide the right equipment such as paddles, a temperature gauge and clear instructions. You could even offer complimentary dough, which is a simple thing to provide and the trickiest part for guests to get right on their own.  

Cool wild kitchens 

Camelot – A covered hangout area with outdoor table, pizza oven, fridge and BBQ 

Nancy Blackett – a campfire area situated playfully on a small island on the property

Simply being out in nature is a huge part of what our spaces offer, so providing guests with things that allow them to enjoy the space is crucial. Comfort is key but, as ever, there’s a chance to add a dash of magic too. 

During the day 

For daytime enjoyment of the outside space, think lounge chairs, daybeds and - hammocks, anything where people can lounge and laze. Putting these in different parts of your site, clearings in copses, down by the river etc, can add to the sense of immersion, by taking guests away from any sense of being indoors. Perhaps there’s a special spot with a spectacular view, or a place where you could position something for sunset or sunrise. As well as simple seating, consider something more adventurous, like a giant swing, or tree platform, something which will surprise and delight your guests.  

At night 

Encouraging guests to get outside in the evening can be simple. A firepit for telling stories, a telescope for stargazing or some gentle lighting can draw people out to enjoy the night. Think about how to soften and individualise areas through landscaping or even simple planting. Lighting isn’t just about safety and ease of use, it can give some metaphorical shine as well. Think gentle, warm lighting over bright white or coloured lights, with strings of festoon lights or covered lanterns being great for adding atmosphere.  

Superb and simple: 

Basket Weavers Retreat – a hanging chair overlooking the lake 

Tiny Home Two – comfy outdoor lounge chairs and netting suspended over the swimming lake

When they aren’t simply soaking up the peace of your space, guests want activities that help them explore and enjoy the land around them. These can be an extremely simple and cost-effective way to enhance what you offer.  

Natural attractions  

Guests don’t know your land like you do, so clear signposting or maps are important if you want to help them explore. You might have lovely walks, woodland sculpture trails, stunning viewpoints and wild swimming spots, but “go down to the river and jump in” can be a bit too vague for some guests to try. Mowing paths into the grass is a good low-impact way to help people navigate but consider other, more permanent forms of trail marking for year-round use. Practical things like foraging guides and picnic baskets are also good for encouraging engagement with your land, while simple things like den building, scavenger hunts and fairy doors are a brilliant distraction for families.  

Guided activities 

As well as helping guests enjoy nature on their own, curated and guided experiences make attractive optional extras. Forest bathing, meditation, yoga sessions or massage treatments can be a way for guests to truly immerse themselves in their surroundings. Highlight any you offer in your guest handbook or any pre-stay communication, so that people can plan and book anything they’re interested in.  

Outdoor games & entertainment 

Giving your guests things to do that draw them into the outdoors really helps them round out their stay and secures you good feedback. Simple options include boules or croquet or other outdoor games that can be left in the space, or binoculars and bird books for wildlife spotting. More involved but also more impactful ideas are a covered games area for table tennis, or an outdoor cinema, which has proven a very popular addition at several of our spaces. 

Playing it well:  

Lofftwen Longhouse – private footpaths around a rewilding site, for guests to explore and do some nature spotting 

The Rook’s Tower: Outdoor cinema where guests can watch films whilst in the hot tub 

 If you take one thing away... 

Remember that your outdoor areas are not an afterthought, but a key component in the guest experience you are looking to offer. They also represent the easiest way to update and elevate your offering, remain competitive and make you stand out from the crowd.  

If you’d like any advice on enhancing your outdoor space, you can always reach out to us at owners@canopyandstars.co.uk if you are an existing owner or ideas@canopyandstars.co.uk if you are thinking of joining the collection.