One of my favourite places I stayed last year was in our very own log cabin at Glen Oaks, by the Big Sur river in California. It was the perfect rural retreat: peaceful, romantic and idyllic, and we have to go back...
After our friend's wedding and a long weekend in Santa Monica, we hired a car and drove up the coast to Big Sur for a couple of days en route to San Francisco. My parents took me and my brother on a long road trip around California when we were kids so I had visited Big Sur before, but it had long been on my list to revisit as an adult with my walking boots and camera and it lived up to my expectations.
Built in the 1950s as a motor lodge alongside the famous Highway 1, Glen Oaks has 10 cabins and cottages dotted around a private redwood grove. The hotel was refurbished ten years ago by the current owners and the cabins are the perfect mix of rustic yet modern style, with mid-century furniture, simple design and luxurious touches.
We stayed in the Big Sur Cabin, a free-standing one bedroom property surrounded by greenery, tall redwood trees and the gurgling river. The cosy living room features a cast iron stove, antler chandelier and natural fabrics in warm, rich colours and the bathroom features a large walk-in shower finished with polished chrome and underfloor heating to warm up after the sun sets.
The outdoor terrace has not one but two wood burning fire pits - one secluded in a private courtyard off the bedroom and the other by the front porch overlooking the river. We piled on some knitwear, grabbed some logs and got the fire going, snuggled under blankets to toast the marshmallows which came in our room and made some delicious local coffee before setting off for a hike along the beautiful coastline.
The hotel has green credentials, using eco-friendly materials from recycled stone walls to reclaimed wood, quality woollen blankets, organic cotton bed linen and feather duvets for a natural environment. Before we left, we grabbed doughnuts and coffee at The Big Sur Roadhouse and head out on our way, vowing to return one day to soak up more of the peace and quiet amongst the redwoods.
Glen Oaks Big Sur, 47080 Highway 1, Big Sur, CA 93920
