Slipping Into the Dream: A Weekend at Soho Farmhouse

The other day, I snuck into At SLOANE — that delightfully quirky hotel in Chelsea with its whisper of cool and its wink of irreverence. But today, let me take you somewhere else entirely. Somewhere that doesn’t just flirt with beauty and comfort — it inhabits it. Welcome to Soho Farmhouse, a bucolic dreamscape nestled in the Oxfordshire countryside, and one of the crown jewels of the Soho House family.

Let’s be honest — turning a working farm into a luxurious retreat sounds like a contradiction. Mud and manicures? Wellies and wellness? But here’s the magic: they’ve made it work. They’ve made it sing.

 

From Creek Street to the Cotswolds: The Evolution of a Dream

Soho House started modestly enough — one townhouse on Creek Street in 1995, a social club above a restaurant for people who worked in the creative industries. Fast-forward thirty years and it’s become a global constellation of hideaways, each one echoing the same DNA: curated comfort, effortless cool, and spaces that feel like a cross between your most stylish friend’s home and a Wes Anderson set.

But Soho Farmhouse, opened in 2015, is special. It’s not a house. It’s a whole world.

Sprawled over more than 100 acres, this isn’t just a retreat. It’s a perfectly orchestrated ecosystem — part homestead, part fairytale.

 

You Had Me at Check-In… in a Porsche

Before we talk about textiles and tapware (and we will), let’s start with the experience. Because that’s what design is really about, isn’t it? Feeling.

Check-in happens in a timber-clad lodge, where rustic meets Ralph Lauren. But here’s the twist: once your booking is confirmed, you’re whisked away to your room in a vintage-inspired electric Porsche. Yes, a Porsche. On a farm. And that’s the genius — grounding the experience in charm, then elevating it with subtle luxury.

There are multiple types of lodgings, but the piglets are iconic. Once pigsties (yes, really), now reimagined as exquisite mini-suites. Think roll-top baths, deep jewel-toned velvets, wood-burning stoves, and buttery leather armchairs. It’s rustic, but not rough. Every corner whispers intentionality.

 

The Real Art of Design is in What You Don’t Notice

Here’s where my designer heart skips a beat.

Soho Farmhouse doesn’t just look good — it feels right. And that’s thanks to the microscopic attention to detail. The switches. The lighting. The materials. Every texture. Every finish. Even the placement of a mug feels thought out. Nothing is flashy, but everything is purposeful.

What elevates it isn’t just the signature Soho House aesthetic (those plaid throws, the brass fixtures, the soft matte finishes) — it’s the tension between raw and refined. A barn might have weathered beams, but those beams are paired with sleek linen curtains and modern art. The bathroom might have a concrete sink, but it’s stocked with Cowshed products, thick cotton robes, and brushed bronze taps that glow in candlelight.

Even the tech blends in: retro radios, discreet speakers, minimal thermostats that never interrupt the visual harmony. It’s design that breathes with you.

 

The Magic of Cohesion — and the Pig Who Tells You When Your Room is Ready

Every element at Farmhouse is part of the same story. The signage that indicates whether a room is available for cleaning or not? It’s a pig. Literally, a charmingly illustrated pig sign. Quirky, yes — but coherent. And that’s the key.

Even the bicycles (everyone cycles here) and the little electric buggies that putter between the spa and the restaurants are designed in the same palette, the same vibe. You’re in a rural wonderland — but one where even the hay bales might have a touch of Farrow & Ball.

 

Spaces That Embrace You

Let’s talk spa. Or as they call it here, The Hay Barn. Again — it’s all in the balance. Rustic architecture with polished experiences. You might be soaking in an outdoor hot tub beneath a weathered timber pergola, but you’ll be sipping a smoothie from a hand-thrown ceramic mug, wrapped in a robe so plush it feels like a hug.

Outside, even the chaos is curated. The wildflowers are wild, but planted. The gravel paths are uneven, but intentional. And the pool? A slice of serenity, with loungers and cushions so well-chosen they feel like part of the landscape.

It’s the kind of place where you go to exhale — and maybe also post six Instagram stories.

 

What I Took Away — And Why It Matters

Soho Farmhouse isn’t just a hotel. It’s a masterclass in immersive design. It teaches us that luxury doesn’t scream — it whispers. That elevation is often found in the contrast between the humble and the haute. And that to truly design well, you must first listen to a place.

So yes, transforming a pigsty into a suite is no small feat. But this is design that doesn’t just look pretty. It moves you.

And honestly? I left already planning my return.

 

Have you been? Would you want to go? Or do you have another place I simply must check out (even if it’s just through a screen)? Message me, comment, or send a pigeon. I read everything.

Thanks for passing by here,
Miriam

 

If want to watch this click HERE, Please note that this is in Spanish, but you can auto-translate the subtitles. 

 

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