Oaklea Retreat

02/02/2026

The Observatory is round the corner from us and it's a brilliant day out no matter how old you are or what the weather's like :)

02/02/2026

Did you know most platforms charge booking fees that can be as much as 20%? Houfy don't charge a booking fee at all, you pay a small amount (about a fiver) for damage cover (up to 5K - win win) and you have the option to add cancellation insurance that covers you for lots of reasons if you need to change your plans, in which case they refund you, not us (win win). So if you'd like a very relaxing rural hot tub stay with fabulous views a lot cheaper than it is elsewhere, click this link (links to our other accommodation in the comments):

You’ll love my place because of the wonderful views across open countryside, the hot tub, the spiral staircase and the tree growing through the balcony. It's as close as you can get to a treehouse with all the comforts of home. You can even book a massage onsite :) My place is good for couples, so...

28/01/2026

Valentine's Sparkling Stars
We've partnered with Henners Vineyard to create an amazing Valentine's event - combining local wine, a unique planetarium experience and stargazing through our historic telescopes. Head to our website to book your tickets! 🥂
https://bit.ly/3OboJD6

02/01/2026

Wishing you all a wonderful 2026! Who do you know that really needs a break? Warm your winter cockles in our blissful bubbling hot tubs... book a massage or Reiki onsite, now available to book direct and save on platform fees :)

You’ll love my place because of the wonderful views across open countryside, the hot tub, the spiral staircase and the tree growing through the balcony. It's as close as you can get to a treehouse with all the comforts of home. You can even book a massage onsite :) My place is good for couples, so...

15/05/2025

Like a swan on a lake looking graceful; gliding, effortlessly, (possibly inactive) above the surface and pedalling hard under the water - NEW WEBSITE COMING SOON! Been very busy! Massive learning curve but hopefully it'll save guests money for booking fees, which have gone up so much I'm ready to learn to make a website. Needs to cover me and the guest for all eventualities - will be a lot less fees for a lot more cover for everyone, though, so worth the effort. So many people want to book direct. It's a lot more complicated than I thought but a lot cheaper so watch this space... anybody who messaged about direct bookings, I heard you! It's gonna take a few more days to set up. Meantime have ridiculously reduced prices for the season (and wonderful weather) here:

Meadowsweet, hot tub, Wi-Fi, smart TV, fab views.

22/04/2025

The Observatory Science Centre is brilliant and round the corner from here - this event looks really good :)

Let's get planning... join our 21st Astronomy Festival at The Observatory Science Centre, Herstmonceux...
Dates : Friday. 29th August
Saturday 30th August
Sunday 31st August
You can spend a day, evening or all weekend submerging yourself into all things astronomy. With guest speakers, trade stands, amateur astronomy groups, telescope tours, planetariums shows, science shows, evening stargazing and so much more.
Discover more and join in this hugely successful annual event.
https://bit.ly/4cIpUCn

20/04/2025

All our accommodations have fabulous views, but the view from Meadowsweet's hot tub is the best in the house :) www.airbnb.com/h/meadowsweethut

18/05/2024

This is our lovely local pub, The Brewers Arms in Herstmonceux. It used to be a smugglers' pub back in the day (loads of smuggling history in this area, often with tunnels to the beach - there used to be a tunnel from the Brewers' to the castle). It's got a nice beer garden and has been tastefully done up inside and they often light the fire. It's about 15 minutes walk from here, so if you come to stay in our treehouse or our Shepherd huts it's a great option for lunch or dinner without the car. They do really good food Wednesdays to Sundays - nothing is frozen or microwaved and they have pizza nights with a proper wood fired pizza oven. They do a special offer of two rump steaks, chips and salad for £22 on a Thursday evening and their Sunday Roast is delicious and excellent value :)

02/05/2024

Heartsease is an extra large Shepherds hut with a private hot tub in Herstmonceux, near Eastbourne (the sunniest place in England). It's an idyllic place for couples to come and chill and relax, with lots of lovely walks and nice pubs and restaurants locally. Set in the heart of 1066 country in the South Downs National Park Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty, it's also a great base for visiting Battle, Hastings, Rye, Bexhill, Alfriston, Cuckmere, Lewes, Brighton, Ashdown Forest and Tunbridge Wells. There's a wealth of local attractions, beaches, castles, places of historical interest, theatres, golf courses, stables, vineyards, sports such as paddle boarding, canoeing, sailing and windsurfing, several escape rooms and you can even see live opera at Glynde.

13/09/2021

www.airbnb.com/h/heartseasehut

Entire home/flat in Herstmonceux, United Kingdom. Heartsease is one of two extra-large (6m x 2.4m) Shepherds huts retreats at the bottom of the owner's beautiful rural garden, overlooking miles of ...

13/09/2021

www.airbnb.com/h/meadowsweethut

Entire home/flat in Herstmonceux, United Kingdom. Meadowsweet is one of two extra-large, luxury Shepherds huts nestled into the bottom of the owner's beautiful country garden, overlooking miles of ...