Features

Our Favourite ‘News Detox’ Retreats for World-Weary Souls

29 May 2025

How can we avoid the news? It’s delivered straight to us, 24 hours a day, by a growing multitude of media outlets – each one heavily invested in keeping us glued to our screens.

And so we are. ‘Doomscrolling’ (where people spend excessive amounts of time reading negative news stories online) has increased since 2020, causing insomnia, anxiety, and an intense fear of missing out.

In other words, the news doesn’t sleep and neither do we. But before we get too despondent, a solution is waiting. It’s called a ‘news detox’.

News detox tips involve everything from imposing specific time slots for updates, to taking a complete break. But however you choose to detox, creating the right environment is important. After all, it’s hard to keep away from the news when you’re just sitting around at home!

That’s why each and every retreat you’ll find here isn’t just delightfully unusual. You’ll also find it naturally primed for news-detoxing.

We’ve included historic bunkers, secret shelters, enchanting cave-houses, whimsical bubbles, and off-grid havens set in the idyllic midst of nature. Dotted all around the globe, these are places where scrolling through your phone just feels… totally wrong.

(Choose your favourite, then sit back, relax, and breathe. The rest of the world can wait).

Author: Nina Jervis-Green
Main image: Cocondo | Netherlands

Cocondo

Hoek van Holland, South Holland, Netherlands
A historic World War Two telephone bunker, transformed into a sustainable and design-led family retreat with captivating stories to tell, secluded beneath the coastal dunes in Hook of Holland.
Bedrooms: 2
Sleeps: 2 (+2)
From
£139 /nt

Get Away Hide Away

Dereham, Norfolk , England
A peacefully secluded, entirely off-grid haven in rural Norfolk, with welcoming hosts, lovingly hand-crafted vintage horsebox retreats, and abundant wildlife.
Bedrooms: 1 per lorry
Sleeps: 4
From
£75/ night

Secret Shelters

Barcombe, East Sussex, England
Surrounded by a meadow teeming with wildlife and biodiversity, the three Secret Shelters at The Secret Campsite are one of Sussex’s true hidden gems.
Bedrooms: 1
Sleeps: up to 5
From
£150 /night

Macaronesian Eco Suites Caves

San Cristobal de la Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
Live in harmony with the natural world in a Tenerife cave suite steeped in rustic luxury and just a short drive from the beach.
Bedrooms: 2
Sleeps: 4
From
£145 / night

The Grape Escape

Wissett, Suffolk, England
A gorgeously off-grid, dog-friendly cabin for two, nestled amongst an eight-acre vineyard in a soothingly beautiful corner of rural Suffolk.
Bedrooms: 1
Sleeps: 2
From
£100 / night

The Transmitter Bunker

Ringstead, Dorset, England
A pet-friendly, Grade II-listed hideaway from World War Two, rich in quirky character and secluded in a Dorset AONB with incredible sea views.
Bedrooms: 2
Sleeps: 4
From
£733 / week

Sal Salis

Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia
Explore the outback in an exclusive beachside safari camp, remotely set within the dunes of Australia's Cape Range National Park.
Bedrooms: Open plan
Sleeps: Up to 3 per tent
From
£982/night

The Underwater Room

Pemba, Zanzibar, Tanzania
Relax and watch rare fish swim by, from the extreme comfort and beauty of a shimmering Zanzibar underwater idyll.
Bedrooms: 1
Sleeps: 2
From
£1,689 (3nt)

Rewarewa PurePod

Helensville, Auckland, New Zealand
Enter a serene, gleaming glass retreat surrounded by ancient native trees. Overlooking lush land that thrives with bird life on New Zealand’s mesmerising North Island.
Bedrooms: 1
Sleeps: 2
From
£331 / night

Cabanes des Grands Reflets

Joncherey, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France
A breathtaking eco-resort, set in the soothing heart of French forest land that's also close to Switzerland and Germany.
Bedrooms: Varies
Sleeps: 2-6 per cabin
From
£155 / night

A Little Bit of Rough

Nr Uppingham, Rutland, England
Luxury, eco-friendly camping experience set in 20 acres of private woodland in a secret location in Rutland.
Bedrooms: 2
Sleeps: 6 per lodge
From
£164/nt

4x4 Mountain Cabin

Capel Curig, County Conwy, Wales
A handcrafted off-grid timber cabin, ingeniously mounted on a Mitsubishi 4 x 4 for the ultimate in freedom and comfort as you explore breath-taking Wild Wales in your own unique way.
Bedrooms: 1
Sleeps: 2
From
£95/nt

Tiny Home Borders

Hawick, Scottish Borders, Scotland
Cosy, off-grid hillside retreats with magnificent views of the Border Hills, complete with wood-fired outdoor baths and a cedar sauna, neighbouring red deer, and your very own lochan.
Bedrooms: 1
Sleeps: 2
From
£185 / night

Yeworthy Eco Treehouse

Eworthy, Devon, England
An off-grid, dog-friendly hideaway that's privately secluded amongst the treetops, above a sparkling lake in a sleepy Devon hamlet.
Bedrooms: 1
Sleeps: 2
From
£126 /night

Eco Fisherman's Cottage

Arrieta, Lanzarote, Spain
A quaint and historic off-grid retreat, featuring soothing sea views and an authentic slice of rustic village life in Lanzarote.
Bedrooms: 1
Sleeps:
From
£110 / night

Inverlonan

Glenlonan, Argyll and Bute, Scotland
Three off-grid, architect-designed bothies, rich in fine Scottish style and luxurious sensory experiences, hidden amongst ancient oaks in an idyllic setting that overlooks Loch Nell.
Bedrooms: 1 per bothy
Sleeps: 2 per bothy
From
£200 / night

Glamping Corsica

Ospedale Forest, Corsica, France
Relax in your very own eco-bubble with spectacular clifftop views from the heart of Corsica's refreshing Ospedale Forest.
Bedrooms: 1 per bubble
Sleeps: 2 per bubble
From
£160 / night

Hideaway Huts and The Watch House

Duloe, Cornwall, England
Two cosy farm shepherd’s huts and a blissfully remote, off-grid clifftop cottage, pet-friendly and perfectly positioned for a relaxing break in picture-perfect Cornwall.
Bedrooms: Open plan
Sleeps: 2 (+2) or 5
From
£110 / night

Refugio Marnes

Benissa, Alicante, Spain
Indulge in a luxurious Bedouin tent fit for royalty, found within the refreshing rural retreat of Refugio Marnes, on Spain's breathtaking Costa Blanca.
Bedrooms: 1
Sleeps: 2
From
110€ / night

Kagga Kamma

Cederberg, Western Cape, South Africa
Escape the din of city life, in a culture-rich South African nature reserve and spa, surrounded by unspoilt wilderness under pristine, star-filled skies
Bedrooms: Open plan
Sleeps: Up to 2 (+2)
From
£93 / night sharing

Ekopod

Launceston, Cornwall, England
Luxury glamping pods set under the starry skies of Bodmin Moor, with a wild spa on site and the scenic backdrop of Cornwall's ‘Peaceful Valley' to keep you company.
Bedrooms: Varies
Sleeps: 2/4/8 per unit
From
£110 / night

Ash Tree Howf

Dunblane, Perthshire, Scotland
Surrounding an ancient ash tree, this expertly crafted treehouse is completely secluded with views out to the Ochils, an area of natural beauty in Perthshire.
Bedrooms: 1
Sleeps: 2
From
£215 /night

Crane Hotel Faralda

Amsterdam, Netherlands
View the beauty of Amsterdam from a unique position - a stylish and award-winning hotel at the top of a former crane!
Bedrooms: 1 per suite
Sleeps: 2 per suite
From
£934 / night

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