I’m not usually one to quote Victorian literature, but when one visits Dorset, it’s easy to see why Thomas Hardy once referred to Southwest England as “partly real, partly dream country”. The dramatic limestone cliffs of Dorset and ancient rock formations of the Jurassic Coast served as the backdrop for Hardy’s novels and poems, rich with strife and romance. But even today, the land still holds the same magic that he went on about. And a stay at Louma, Dorset’s newest countryside getaway, only made me realise how true it is even today: this land really is part real, part dream.

A gentle cruise along the Jurassic Coast and a winding drive through Marshwood Vale brought my mother and me to Louma, a farm retreat that opened its doors late last year. Fun fact: The farm is owned by Louis and Emma Steyn, and the word Louma comes from a combination of both their names. Originally bought as a family home, the Steyns soon realised that the 100-acre land “needed to be shared far and wide” – and I personally couldn’t agree more. Today, in the first summer since its opening, Louma is already something special, and it’s not too soon to declare that this is quickly becoming one of the UK’s hottest getaways.

First impressions

On the drive to Louma, you might get the impression that you’ve gotten lost – but fear not, just when you feel like the winding roads are taking you to the middle of nowhere, you’ll see horses grazing in the field. The first thing that will greet you when you enter Louma is the stables – and for me, that’s a 10/10 first impression. There are tractors clunking around, sheep and lambs amble about and stone-walled barns with wellies hanging outside lend the impression that this could be just an ordinary working farm. But look a little deeper, and you’ll find elegantly designed spaces that promise all the luxuries of a 5-star hotel with the comfort of a homely farmstay.

What sets it apart

With incredible farm-to-table dining, luxurious but cosy rooms, a roster of all-year activities, a swanky wellness barn and warm, friendly service that immediately makes you feel welcome, Louma is something special. And as pampered as you may feel here, there are always friendly reminders around you that, as much as everything feels luxe and other-worldly, you are still on a farm – and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

All the luxuries of a 5-star hotel with the comfort of a homely farmstay.

The rooms

There are a total of 17 rooms at Louma, which have been built within the original footprint of the farm to minimise damage to the land. We stayed at the Main House in a beautiful room called Eventide with vistas of the sea in the distance. With soothing earthy shades of green, brown and beige, a king-size bed and windows that allow light to stream in, the room immediately feels cosy and inviting. Everything is designed to blend in with the natural surroundings, and the decor is minimal, elegant and looks straight out of the Pinterest board of my dream farmhouse.

The air-conditioned room is equipped with all the basics, including a television, sound system, kettle, Nespresso machine, mini-fridge, and hair dryer, and the bathroom is fitted with some gorgeous Wildsmith products. Cosy nooks in the room make for dreamy spots to read or sip on a glass of chilled Louma wine, and it all gives seriously chic cottagecore vibes – bring your breezy sundresses but also be prepared to slip into wellies and get your hands dirty.

Bring your breezy sundresses but also be prepared to slip into wellies.

Other accommodation includes traditional Stone Barns with sea views, Timber Stables (with private terraces and wood-burning hot tubs), Shepherd Huts (perfect for one or two people) or 2-bedroom log cabins. The largest accommodation available is The Furrow, a 2-bedroom self-contained modular cabin with repurposed timber interiors that has an open-plan living with a kitchen and dining area, plus floor-to-ceiling windows.

Studio Stellen, the team behind the interiors, worked from the outset to ensure the interiors blended the owner’s personalities and background, drawing from Emma’s British country upbringing and Louis’ South African heritage. The Main Barn became the ideal canvas to showcase oversized African artwork, and in the sitting room, local fossils and hand-coloured antique maps add some adventure to the space with a gorgeous bespoke Ferreira de Sá rug pulling it all together.

Food & drink

Every meal was an adventure at Louma, and my only regret is that I wish I had had room to eat more. For guests of the Main House, meals are served in the restaurant downstairs that extends to a wrap-around terrace, perfect for alfresco breakfasts on sunny days. Farm-to-fork dining is a serious business here, with ingredients sourced locally from the fields, gardens and woods. and dishes are deliciously dependent on what the cooks picked from the garden that day.

Fresh crunchy lettuce arrives straight from the vegetable patch, canapés are served with a delicately placed flower petal on top, and your dessert can largely depend on whether the strawberries or raspberries were riper that day. It’s perfect. Meal times here always go on longer than you’d expect them to because when you’ve walked the fields where your lunch has come from, every bite seems so much more special. (So special in fact that my mother wanted to take some lettuce back home with her – I had the unpleasant job of letting her know that the lettuce might not survive the journey to India). We relished it during every meal, though.

Breakfast always includes a buffet of cold food (an assortment of fresh fruit, cheese, cured meats, pastries and croissants), as well as a hot food menu. I’d highly recommend the full English with fluffy, perfectly cooked scrambled eggs, and my mum had the eggs Benedict with salmon that we enjoyed on the lovely sun-soaked terrace.

Lunch is decided based on what’s fresh and seasonal.

Lunch is decided based on what’s fresh and seasonal. There was always a soup with sourdough and homemade butter, and we were also treated to a creamy brie with candied nuts to dip our bread into. Some of our favourites for lunch were the hearty beef burgers, buttermilk fried chicken tacos and an incredibly flavoursome pork char sui fried rice.

Dinner is another grand affair. To start, the cider braised pig cheeks are fabulous, and come in a small, neat portion, served with hash brown, apple caramel, parma ham and celeriac puree. Mains can take you from Cornish line caught cod (served with roast fennel, garden nettles and burnt lemon gel) to Ridge farm duck with white asparagus, poached plum and hazelnuts. But my favourite has to be the Louma farm lamb – crispy lamb belly, sheep’s curd, asparagus, crispy kalettes and pomme anna.

One might think that after all that food, you might want to skip dessert, but that is not advisable here – save the low-cal diet for after your stay. The strawberry tart is so good that I ordered it on both nights.

We went straight for the Louma Pinot Noir, made, of course, from the best fruit available at the Louma vineyard.

Go for the homegrown Louma wine, which pairs beautifully with the food.

There’s also a selection of wines that can take you from South Africa to Spain, but we went straight for the Louma Pinot Noir, made, of course, from the best fruit available at the Louma vineyard. I’m not a big red wine drinker, but this one was fabulous and paired beautifully with the lamb.

Things to do

The Wellness Barn & Spa

The Wellness Barn & Spa is a stunning space that inconspicuously blends in with the rest of the farm on the outside, but step inside, and you find yourself in a space that instantly feels calming. There’s something about a perfectly symmetrical design that makes everything feel right with the world (even if it’s just for the duration of a twenty-minute swim). There’s an indoor pool, sauna and a very impressive gym that I promised myself to use and then predictably forgot all about it.

One of my favourite parts of the property is the Cow Barn, where we had a yoga and pilates session. The classes are relaxed and feel almost otherworldly as you breathe in the scent of peppermint oil and look out beyond the barn into the vast wilderness of the Dorset countryside.

If you listen carefully, in between the downward dogs and shavasana, you can hear the sound of lambs bleating below you and the cows mooing in agreement.

There’s nothing quite like yoga with a soundtrack of lambs and cows.

I am not particularly regular with massages and facials, but the treatments here have made me long to go back for more. There is no extensive list of massages to choose from; I simply chatted through what I was looking for with Bjorn, a professional dancer turned wellness manager, who possibly has actual magic in his hands. My facial was equally fabulous, and I’m still thinking about the advice offered to me during the treatment – “Go to the coast and scream, the sea loves it.” (On my list…)

Woodland walks, horses and vineyards

In the two days that we spent at Louma, we experienced torrential downpours as well as bright sunshine, but no matter what the weather conditions, the countryside never lost its charm. The place inspires long walks that take you from carefully maintained vineyards to forests of sycamore, beech and hazel trees, some of which are over 120 years old. The wildflowers this time of the year are especially beautiful – pockets of daisies, purple foxglove and English mace pop up at regular intervals, painting beautiful backdrops for photo-ops. There’s also a wine tour you can book to learn more about Louma’s homegrown wines and explore the 30-acre vineyard.

For some, the outdoors is best explored on foot. For me, there’s nothing more special than woodland walks on horseback. Sandford Stables is a lovely family-run riding school located at Louma that’s home to some of the most relaxed, happy horses I’ve ever seen.

There’s nothing more special than woodland walks on horseback.

Since I hadn’t been in the saddle for a while, I started with a paddock session with Lee Sandford, and the next day I had a one-hour-long trail ride where we trotted along forested pathways, jumped over logs and cantered along stretches of open fields. Again, perfect. Full marks to my trusty steed, Buffalo, for taking such good care of me.

The verdict

The best part about Louma is that it’s a place where you can enjoy the wilderness, but still feel like you’re in a luxury hotel. This dreamy stay feels like the next big thing in the UK, and I’m selfishly hoping that too many people won’t find out about it – but this is one secret that’s too good to keep to myself. Almost like it’s part real, part dream.

This dreamy countryside stay feels like the next big thing in the UK.

How to get there

The nearest train station is Axminster, Devon, which is connected by hourly trains from Waterloo, Clapham Junction and Exeter St Davids. The train from London to Axminster takes 2.5 hours, and the farm can organise a pickup for you from Axminster for an extra charge. The drive from the station is only about 15 minutes. If you’re driving directly from Central London, it should take you 3.5 hours.

How to book

To make your bookings, email Louma at hello@loumafarmandretreat.co.uk or head to the website. Room rates start from £530 for a Single Shepherd’s Hut, inclusive of breakfast, lunch and dinner for 2 guests, and the minimum stay is 2 nights.

Hot Hotels, Hotel Reviews, Travel, Travel Reviews, UK, Weekend Breaks

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