Review: Soho Farmhouse, Oxfordshire

Why book Soho Farmhouse?

To spend the weekend in an adults playground, slap bang in the Oxfordshire countryside.

Set the scene

They say it's the country retreat for people who would never otherwise go to the country. High octane at weekends particularly, it's possible they party harder here than they do at the club's city outposts. Any which way, it's fun, naughty, self-contained indulgence. Park up at the gatehouse to be driven by your farmhand – perhaps in a Range Rover, perhaps in a dinky old-fashioned milk float. Already it feels like an adventure, and then you glimpse ramshackle-cool cabins dotted about rolling countryside, a river running through them, and you’re suddenly knee-deep in a farm that might have been reimagined by Tom Ford, where the yard has fire pits and outdoor sofas rather than tractors and troughs. The cocktail truck offering ‘prinks’ (pre-dinner drinks) will mix the perfect Negroni as you get ready for the evening.

The backstory

This is the Cotswolds outpost of the phenomenally successful private members’ club-turned-hotel-group Soho House. Given it built its reputation on the same naughty antics at its city properties, a sedate traditional Oxfordshire village was perhaps not an obvious fit. But founder Nick Jones was seduced by the time warp sweetness of these 100 acres and their location, right on the doorstep of Chipping Norton, where some of London’s most influential movers and shakers have their weekend retreats. House rules actually ask you to dress down. It’s where Harry and Meghan came to escape prying eyes after their engagement was announced and where she held her hen party. And, um, they don’t need you. Non-members have to submit a reservations form, they’ll check you out before they accept your booking. They can afford to be fussy: the farmhouse runs at 98 per cent occupancy year-round.

The rooms

Cabins are designer distressed, paint-chipped clapperboard and corrugated iron, with picture-perfect Foffa bikes propped up by the steps. Inside it’s so Little House on the Prairie homespun you’ll wish you had freckles, a gingham pinafore, and a certificate in line-dancing. There are chicken-wire panels on the wardrobe and a hunker-down sofa in front of the fireplace. Through the floor-to-ceiling window you can look out to your deck, where a table and chairs are set over a wend in the river. There’s also a tin bath tub with a modesty curtain. The bed is beyond kingsize. There’s a row of 10 full-sized Cowshed bottles in your white-tiled shower room, while the minibar and supplies of bread and cheese are tucked away in a kitchenette that looks like grandma’s old dresser. Five have bunks for kids.

In 2022, Farm Huts were added – palatial pads with emperor-size beds, wood-burning stoves and a freestanding bath on the private deck. There are even freshly baked cookies and a Soho Skin discovery set to slather on during your stay and take home with you. A pint of milk is delivered to your door each morning. If you fall hard for the interiors (and trust us, you will), there’s a Soho Home showroom on site begging to take your money.

Food and drink

A one-night stay simply isn’t long enough to sample all the delights Farmhouse offers – there’s a spot for every mood and occasion. The Main Barn feels very much like the hub of the property – an impressive space with towering beamed ceilings where guests gather for long lunches of rotisserie chicken and towering cheeseburgers, Sunday roasts (we hear the best around) and at 8pm, the lights are turned down low, and the cocktail shakers come out.

Hay Barn is Farmhouse’s more casual option – get stuck into breakfasts out on the sun-drenched patio or tucked into a squashy sofa indoors in the colder months. The Japanese restaurant, Pen Yen is a special spot for indecently huge portions of sushi, followed by addictive black cod.

The Little Bell, a dimly-lit, rustic space run by the folk behind much-loved The Bell Inn in Langford, serves up hearty classics (think half pints of prawns dunked in mayo, whole roasted bream smothered in gremolata, and venison bourguignon and horseradish on dripping toast). Blake’s Kitchen is where to get some very good cinnamon buns, while the Mill Room is Farmhouse’s take on a cosy country pub.

The spa

There is an almost overwhelming amount of things to do at Farmhouse, but one activity that should absolutely be on your list is a trip to the spa.

Inside the stone building, you’ll find cosy mani-pedi booths and private rooms for massages and facials, where you can choose treatments using the new Soho Skin range and signature Cowshed treatments. Outside, there’s a sauna, hammam and hot tubs, with white and mint-striped loungers on the terrace facing out to the lake.

The latest addition is The Lazy Lake - a soothing, two-hour ritual where guests can unwind in nature, knowing that a Picante is only a phone call away. The outdoor bathing experience is inspired by the 16th-century Japanese concept of alternating between exposure to hot and cold environments to boost immunity, circulation and mood. Those brave enough can try the ice room, plus there’s a steam room and three infrared sauna cabins, but the four Onsen-style baths sunken into the lake steal the show. Here, you can bob around, sprinkling your choice of natural mineral salts into the warm water, sipping whatever you fancy as ducks swim by.

The neighbourhood

Soho Farmhouse is the neighbourhood. Guests clamber to get in, they certainly don’t want to get out.

For families

This is the ultimate family retreat, with popular kids' club Teeny Barn offering a huge range of activities, arts and crafts from 9am to 5pm daily. There are dedicated times for little ones to swim, and an animal petting area you’ll no doubt want to gatecrash.

Accessibility

A handful of rooms at Soho Farmhouse are fully adapted for disabled guests. Almost all of the main site is ground-floor level and a lift is provided at the Boathouse if guests would like to access the lower level. In communal areas there are adapted toilets, and anyone requiring a ramp can request one from the team. The car park has accessible bays, and some of the Farm’s famous milk floats have been adapted to transport passengers around the site.

Eco-effort

There’s no single-use plastic to be seen, with the usual impressive array of refillable Cowshed products in the bathroom you’d expect from any Soho House. This is undoubtedly a huge development slap bang in the middle of the countryside, which Soho House has worked hard to offset. In 2023, 3,000 plants consisting of 42 native species were replanted across 19,375 square feet of land to create a space that will help to support natural biodiversity, improve soil, air and water quality in the area, and absorb carbon, all while contributing to wider efforts to rewild land across the UK.

Anything else to mention?

The pool is very possibly the most spectacular in the UK. It’s 135 feet long, drifts from indoors to a bucolic outdoors, and is heated to a delicious 35˚C year-round.