I’ve just returned from a Devon Road trip which has been one of my many recent UK Staycations! I based myself at Royal Oak Farm in Devon staying in one of their stargazing cabins for 3 nights with nothing but the rolling countryside and the sound of birds and sheep around me!
I had 3 outdoor baths, 2 of which were during sunset, I made myself a BBQ dinner each night using the fire pit, read my book on the decking, looked at the stars from my bed, and I saw a huge amount of Dorset and Devon when I wasn’t relaxing at my cabin!
Glamping in the UK has become really popular recently, and although these cabins in Devon are not exactly glamping, the Shepherds hut design does give them a luxury glamping feel, and a lot of glamping these days is very fancy!
I can’t recommend Royal Oak Farm enough! I left feeling relaxed and refreshed and I would love for you to feel the same so here are reasons to stay at Royal Oak Farm in Devon and how to book a stargazing cabin in Devon!
Royal Oak Farm Stargazing Cabins in Devon Review
How to book at the Royal Oak Farm Devon:
To find out even more information, you can visit their website here! Currently, the best way to book is via Cool Stays!
Here on Cool Stays you can check availability for all 3 cabins and send a request to Poppy and Paul to book on the dates you have seen that are free and they will get back to you asap to confirm!
1. It’s a Small Family Business
By staying here you really are supporting a small business and family business. Royal Oak Farm is run by Poppy and Paul who have 2 children!
Poppy grew up in Devon, they moved to the farm in 2019 and started the build on 2 star gazing cabins (which they built themselves!) as it had been a dream of theirs to run a rural retreat!
They were ready to open just as the pandemic hit which was incredibly unfortunate, however as soon as they could start hosting guests in 2020 they did and now they have hosted 100’s of people in their cabins!
Poppy and Paul are the hosts, they will be on hand to help give you ideas for places to visit nearby and for other things like help on how to start a fire for the BBQ!
Personal and friendly hosts is what travel is all about, especially UK Staycations and this is what you get by staying in a small family run business like this!
2. There Are Only 3 Cabins Available
At the time of my visit there were 2 cabins up and running and the third was being finished and will be hosting guests from August 2021.
I’ve had negative experiences recently when searching for glamping pods in the UK on the likes of Airbnb and Booking .com, only to realise a few photos in, or after looking at a map, that there are actually quite a few pods and cabins onsite and they are incredibly close together, almost like a caravan site.
Personally, when I want to go on a break and stay in unique accommodation in nature, I don’t want to be right next to someone else or have lots of people walking around, and Royal Oak Farm definitely doesn’t offer this!
3. The Cabins Offer Total Privacy
On the note of having people around, all 3 cabins offer a huge amount of privacy and although 2 of the cabins may look close together, they really aren’t at all. I had 2 people in the cabin next to me during my stay and I barely heard them and never saw them!
This makes them a great place to stay as a couple looking for a romantic break in Devon and perfect for a relaxing solo stay as I had.
4. Peace and Tranquility is All Around
As well as the cabins being far apart and there only being 3 of them, another reason they are peaceful is that they are for adults only!
The cabins are a good size inside with plenty of room outside but to be honest, they are too small for additional children anyway but if you are on a romantic break away or a solo stay, knowing you won’t hear children screaming is a positive in my opinion!
So what can you hear around you? Honestly, not much! When I tuned in I could hear the sounds of the sheep and the chirping of the birds, especially at sunset but in the afternoons and mornings and it was pretty much silent!
5. The Uniqueness – Like an Outdoor Bath
The reason glamping pods, cabins, tiny houses etc have become so popular to stay in in the UK and abroad is definitely because of their uniqueness and these cabins offer that!
They are called stargazing cabins and there are plenty of opportunities to watch the stars – from the decking, from a hot bath on the decking, or from bed as there is a big window above the bed (which also had blinds incase you want it shut)! It’s not all the time that you get to see the stars so clearly and so easily.
The other big unique selling point about Royal Oak Farm is the outdoor bath! Poppy and Paul said this has gone down a treat with guests and I can see why! I had 3 baths in 3 days which I haven’t had since I was a child!
The bath has really hot water coming from it so it can be enjoyed on a cold day and my personal preference – as the sun is setting, but one hot afternoon I did run myself a cooler bath to enjoy. People even sit in the bath when it’s raining!
Another thing that set these cabins aside is the outdoor fire pit, whether you want to cook dinner on here or just warm yourself by the fire one evening, or both, you can do this!
6. Luxury Facilities Are Still On Offer
Despite the outside bath and outside cooking area, the cabins are luxurious! They have a beautiful inside bathroom with an incredible waterfall shower. There is a kitchenette with hobs, a kettle, fridge and utensils so you can cook many meals inside.
If you don’t want to cook at all, Poppy and Paul offer some lovely hampers and meals which they’ll tell you about in their welcome email.
There is a wood burner inside for when it gets colder outside so you can stay warm and although there are no plugs there is a USB charger for your phone.
The only thing that may not seem luxurious to some people, but is totally fine when you get used to it, is the compost toilet. This means it doesn’t flush but there are instructions in the bathroom on how to use it and how it keep it clean and smelling fresh, don’t worry!
The double bed was incredibly comfy and I loved the 2 comfy seats inside the cabin, the 2 seats at a small dining table inside the cabin, and the additional chairs and table outside for plenty of seating options. Even though you’re booking 1 room as the kitchen, bedroom, lounge and dining area, it doesn’t feel this way at all!
7. It’s an Eco-Friendly Stay
Poppy and Paul are focused on making this a rural retreat that is eco-friendly. They offer full recycling and encourage it too. The products used to make the cabins have even carefully thought about and I’m sure they will be happy to share more about this if you’re interested!
They grow fruit on the farm so in the right season, guests will be able to berry pick from their berry bushes!
8. You can Stay All Year Round
As you can see from my photos, I stayed in summer and was lucky to have beautiful blue sky and warm days which was perfect for this nature setting, however you don’t have to have summer weather to enjoy these cabins and the outdoor space!
Inside the cabins are wood burners to keep you toasty all day and night, you can sit by the fire outside if you wish with the extra blankets that are provided, and of course, there’s also a hot bath to be had outside!
9. The Sunsets Are Incredible
If rolling countryside wasn’t an amazing enough view, the sunsets in front of the cabins and all 3 sunsets I witnessed were magical.
10. Amazing Location in Devon, & Dorset
Lastly, Royal Oak Farm is in the perfect location to explore not only Devon but Dorset too since they are located on the border of Devon & Dorset.
I visited Cheddar Gorge in Somerset on my way to Devon which is located 1 hour away just off the M5.
I spent one day in Dorset visiting Lyme Regis, the Golden Cap Viewpoint and West Bay.
The following day I spent in Devon visiting Sidmouth Beach and Donkey Sanctuary, Branscombe, Beer and Seaton, and on my way home I went via the Dartmoor National Park in Devon doing Hound Tor Walk.
Ready to Book?? How to book at the Royal Oak Farm Devon:
To find out even more information, you can visit their website here! Currently, the best way to book is via Cool Stays!
Here on Cool Stays you can check availability for all 3 cabins and send a request to Poppy and Paul to book on the dates you have seen that are free and they will get back to you asap to confirm!
I hope you book a Devon Staycation at Royal Oak Farm Devon!
- For more of my posts to help you plan your trip see:
- How To Visit Cheddar Gorge. Things To Do, Cheddar Gorge Walks & Parking!
- 15 Hidden Gems in Cornwall To Visit To Escape The Crowds in!