Roulotte Retreat

Always thought you had a bit of gypsy blood in you, or are you just a little caught up in the romance of drifting around the world in a traditional hand-carved wooden caravan? Well, Roulotte Retreat may just be for you. The same goes for yoga lovers and just plain lovers at this seriously sexy retreat in the Scottish Borders which offers yoga, eco hot tubs, wood-fired saunas, walking, nearby horse-riding, cycling, and is an ideal, mainly adults-only getaway for two, or for groups of friends, and also accepts dogs.

There are seven sumptuous roulottes (traditional French wooden caravans) to choose from, six of them sleeping two people and one for up to four persons, and one of them – Rosa Bella – welcomes dogs. Each roulotte has its own highly individual colour and decor scheme, and all are immaculately hand-finished and boast bags of character. There are just enough creature comforts, like a proper en-suite shower and toilet, but no TV, leaving you free to focus on relaxing in your cosy hideaway in a wildflower-strewn meadow. Three of the roulottes have their very own outdoor tubs – Devanna has an eco hot tub and Gitana and Zenaya have wood-fired copper baths. You and your beloved can soak under the stars – and you can see plenty of those in the dark skies in this part of the world – with a glass of bubbly in hand. Meanwhile, Maharani comes complete with a wood-fired eco sauna with panorama windows facing towards the sunset.

Roulotte Retreat is also home to a dog-friendly self-catering property, Horseshoe Cottage, which welcomes two well-behaved dogs and can sleep up to four people. It can be rented along with Ruby, a gaily painted bowtop Romany caravan that sleeps two in cosy comfort. Tucked away in their own wild woodland section of the garden, the cottage and caravan have lots of room: the cottage has a large sitting room and a double and twin bedroom and comes well equipped with a dishwasher and washing machine, wood-burning stove, TV and DVD, while Ruby is a wonderfully cosy option for two after a little more privacy. Children are also allowed to stay in the cottage but not Ruby. The cottage also has an eco sauna in the garden, boasting glorious countryside and sunset views.

The guys at Roulotte Retreat also host yoga and relaxation breaks and can arrange beauty treatments and massages as well as small intimate weddings for couples looking for something more unusual for their special day. Filled with light by day and cosily lit by night, their 1950s wooden studio is a perfect space for events, workshops and celebrations.

Finally, despite the remote, away-from-it-all feel, Roulotte Retreat is pretty easy to get, just three miles from the extremely pleasant Borders town of Melrose, with its quaint streets and ruined abbey. There are lots of good walks nearby, including the long-distance St Cuthbert’s Way and other routes into the surrounding Eildon Hills, along with all sorts of other outdoor activities.