Packing for a weekend away can feel like a task. The outfit for every weather and eventuality, always a rain coat just in case, the book you’ll definitely finish, the yoga mat you’ll definitely unroll, a bag of snacks in case the nearest shop is shut, and all the food so you don’t have to get back in the car if you don’t feel like it until you leave again. What about wood for the fire? And you love your robe at home so surely you should bring it with…

We’ve built our cabins around luxury, ease, and giving your brain a break. The whole point is to have less to organise, so the best packing list is a short one, and there’s options to make it even shorter. Here’s what we suggest you bring, along with everything you can safely leave at home.

What to pack for a cabin weekend in the countryside

What to leave at home

This is where we’ve made it easier for you. Most of what you’d normally pack “just in case” is already there, because we’ve been to cabins and we know luxury, so for us the “nice-to-haves” are actually the essentials.

Robes, slippers and towels.

Each cabin has a set of robes and slippers for moving between the outdoor bath, the sauna and the sofa, along with towels and a bath stocked with natural-ingredient toiletries.

Yoga mats and meditation cushions.

The environment encourages rest, so you may find yourself wanting a slow stretch on the floor before breakfast, or ten quiet minutes with a cup of tea. The mats and cushions are under the ottoman bed for you.

Books and games.

There are books to browse, games to play by the fire and music to put on in the background (radio and bluetooth), so the days and evenings are taken care of.

Blankets and firewood.

You’ve got a selection of blankets rolled and ready, and the log burner comes with firewood provided.

A kitchen with everything in it.

The kitchens are fully equipped and stocked beyond the basics, including oil, vinegar, butter and a delicious spice mix, so there’s no need to think of everything you’d usually just have to hand.

We’ve even got a spare phone charger in each cabin in case you forget yours.

What about food

Food is where packing usually turns from one bag to three and you end forgetting at least one thing you meant to pick up. We’d rather you didn’t have to think about it.

When you arrive there’s a welcome basket waiting, with Perello olives among the contents (if you know, you know), and a drink of your choosing. For everything else, there’s A Little More, our menu of extras you can add to your stay. That covers a farm shop breakfast for a slow morning, suppers built around local produce, a pizza night to go with the wood-fired oven and fire pit, private Haze sauna sessions, and an early arrival or slow departure if you’d like a little longer in the cabin.

This autumn and winter it also brings the Seasonal Edit. Après is Gruyère and Comté fondue by the fire with sourdough, cured meats and pickles, or a warm chocolate one for afters. Offline is a kit with a film camera, a lockable phone box and a Roberts radio, for anyone ready to put the phone away for the weekend.

Much of the produce comes from the farm shop at Peterley Manor Farm [link], and our Pie & Pinot from Oxmoor when the seasons turn. Both are close by and most of what’s on the shelves is grown or reared within a few miles. It’s arranged in advance and ready when you arrive, so you can go straight from the car to the bath.

You’re of course welcome to bring anything you want to, but if you just want to turn up and get started with your holiday straight away, we’ve got you covered.

In a nutshell

Pack the layers, the boots and any essentials. Leave the robes, the games and the shopping list. Arrive with the mental space to plan your itinerary around time in the bath instead of trips to the shop.

And if you’re still a chronic over-packer, we’ve got trolleys ready for you to roll everything to your cabin, and space under the bed to keep out the way what you don’t end up using (but it was definitely worth bringing just in case).