It started with a family holiday. Three generations, two dogs, slower mornings and the kind of conversations you only seem to have when life finally gives you room. We stayed in a dog-friendly cottage in Cornwall, and somewhere between the morning walks and the evenings in, a thought settled quietly.
“Imagine if we could create a place like this one day.”
We bought a notebook, filled it with ideas, and tucked it away. But the thought never really left.
Years later, a small advert in the local paper stopped us mid-scroll. A neglected stone stable and hayloft on the edge of the Forest of Dean. Damp, dark and almost forgotten.
We drove over, crawled through what eventually became the front door, and stood in the old hayloft listening to the floorboards creak. It was in a state. But standing there, we could already see what it could be. Bedrooms looking out over the Severn. A living room where the old tethering rings still clung to the walls. A barn door opening onto the terrace.
That building became Woodland Barn, our first cottage, and the beginning of Willow Forest Stays. Today, Willow Forest Stays is a family-run collection of four holiday cottages. From that first conversion, we have grown, but the spirit remains the same, a place where every stay is a chance to pause, connect, and feel at home in the Forest of Dean.
Restoring Woodland Barn taught us something that has shaped everything since. A holiday cottage isn’t just a place to sleep. It’s a place where the routine softens, where people connect, where memories settle in quietly without being forced.
That understanding has guided every decision as we’ve slowly grown from one cottage to four. Nothing was rushed, and nothing was added for its own sake; each property had something worth preserving.
Woodland Barn, a 200-year-old stone stable and hayloft, has been carefully restored into a warm and characterful space for four. The terrace looks out across the Severn Valley, and on a clear morning, the views stretch further than you’d believe. Sunrises here are worth getting up for. The private hot tub sits within the terrace, open to the sky, with those same wide views. After a day in the forest, there is nowhere better to end up.
Woodland Barn – Willow Forest Stays
Casita Lodge is calm and light-filled. A retreat for two where the whole point is to slow down. Mornings with nowhere to be. The courtyard garden catches the afternoon sun. The log burner lit as the evening settles in. The large private hot tub is available whenever the mood takes you. There is a whole world outside the gate to explore, but sometimes enjoying one another’s company and being somewhere quiet is everything.
Casita Lodge – Willow Forest Stays
24 at St John’s is a 200-year-old miners’ cottage that came to us as a family home. We refreshed the decor and added a downstairs shower room, but wanted to keep its welcoming soul intact. Local artist Sian helped us do that. Her hand-painted mural sits in the original fireplace, her paintings hang on the walls, and her cushion covers are on the beds and sofas.
24 at St. John’s – Willow Forest Stays
Wyldwood Cottage has its own rhythm, and once you find it, you won’t want to leave. The layout is upside down. Cool, quiet bedrooms downstairs for peaceful sleeps. A large open-plan living space upstairs where the electric log burner glows and the Juliet balcony looks out over the nature trail and woodland. Watching the sun drop below the forest is one of those moments that stays with you. And when the sky darkens, the private hot tub is waiting.
We’ve learned that guests don’t mainly remember the thread count or the number of rooms. They remember how the stay felt. Whether things worked. Whether someone was easy to reach. Whether the small details had been thought about. So that is what we focus on.
Every cottage is clean and properly prepared before you arrive. The hot tub is already heated. Complimentary refreshments are waiting in the kitchen. Communication is clear, direct and personal. And we’re always available if something comes up, without hovering.
The extras are small but intentional. A personalised note on the welcome board, a handwritten card and banner for celebrations, a welcome treat on arrival, and complimentary logs for the fire. Nothing dramatic. Every detail is carefully thought out, so that from the moment you arrive, you feel at ease, welcomed, and truly looked after.
We keep it small so we can be fully present. From your first booking to our final goodbye, every detail is chosen with care. The dog welcome pack, the handwritten anniversary card, the hot tub waiting for you. These are the things we love, and that’s why guests come back.
Between them, our holiday cottages sleep two to six guests. One is a private retreat for couples, another an family home for get-togethers, one boasts sweeping Severn Valley views and one has a cosy upside-down layout that guests adore. Casita Lodge and 24 at St. John’s sit side by side, sleeping up to eight when booked together, ideal for multi-generational stays. All have private hot tubs, are dog-friendly (except for Casita Lodge) and are just a few minutes from the best the Forest of Dean has to offer.
Willow Forest Stays is run by a small family team. Dedicated to making every guest feel at home.
Married and building this together. Zoe runs the day-to-day, handling everything from guest communications and bookings to social media, the website, writing blogs and keeping the interactive map updated. James looks after the finances and keeps the cottages in good order. Together, we bring our care for the Forest of Dean and attention to detail into every stay.
Honestly, we couldn’t run Willow Forest Stays without her. Sarah is here for every changeover, making sure each cottage is spotless and properly prepared before the next guests arrive. The standard you notice when you walk through the door is down to her. Sarah’s care and attention ensure every detail is just right, so you can truly relax from the moment you arrive.
Zoe and James’s eldest son, joining us when he’s not at university. Josh gets stuck in whenever he’s needed, from changeovers and cleaning to hot tub maintenance and general upkeep. He is very much part of the family operations.
Four people. Four cottages. One shared aim. To make sure your stay is exactly as it should be.
We believe the forest is better with your dog by your side, so we’ve designed every detail to help both of you feel right at home.
Wyldwood Cottage, Woodland Barn and 24 at St. John’s welcome up to two dogs of any size with no pet fee. Dogs stay free. It’s really that simple.
To help dogs settle in comfortably, we include a few simple extras in every dog friendly stay:
• Snuggly fleece blankets
• Towels
• Dog bowls
• Poo bags
• A small “I am on holiday” ID tag
• A tug toy handmade by Zoe
Settle in. The walks are waiting.
We just ask one thing. Please don’t leave your dogs alone in the cottage until they’ve had a chance to settle in. After that, a few hours is fine when you need to.
We know there might be the odd place that doesn’t welcome dogs, but the Forest of Dean is one of the most dog-friendly areas in the county. In most cases, they can come with you.
After a long walk, there’s plenty of room to stretch out and settle in. And if you’d like suggestions for the best dog-friendly trails, pubs or viewpoints nearby, just ask. We know this forest well and we love sharing it.
We also share our interactive Forest of Dean map exclusively with every guest. All dog-friendly places are marked with a paw emoji, so finding a welcoming pub, a favourite walking route or somewhere to spend the afternoon together is easy. You’ll find the map on our Local Attractions page, and our blogs are full of dog-friendly ideas to help you plan your days.
Everything in one place, so you can spend less time searching and more time enjoying.
We have dogs of our own. We know what it means to want them to feel as settled and happy on holiday as you do. The welcome pack, no fees, the paw emoji on the map, the cold water hose outside for muddy paws. None of it is an afterthought. It’s just what we’d want if we were the guests.
Bring them. The forest is waiting.
The forest is our home. We walk in it every day, and looking after it feels like the most natural thing in the world.
We think carefully about the products we use across the cottages, because the small things add up.
Naked Paper supplies our kitchen and toilet paper. They hold a King’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development, are B Corp certified, and donate to Just A Drop to help fund clean water and sanitation projects around the world. It feels good to use something that does more than its job.
For cleaning, we use Ocean Saver, whose proceeds support the Blue Marine Foundation and Ocean Wise, and Method, a gold-tier partner of The Hygiene Bank. Quietly good companies doing more than most people realise.
Everyday choices add up: from Naked Paper in the kitchen to Ocean Saver and Method cleaning products, we choose brands that do more,
Woodland Barn and Wyldwood Cottage are heated by air-source heat pumps, and so are all of our hot tubs. Cleaner, quieter, and far more efficient.
In 2025, we added solar panels and backup batteries at Woodland Barn and 24 at St. John’s. Our own renewable energy is running quietly in the background.
The forest gives us so much. The calm walks, clean air, and the feeling of space that our guests come here for. These choices are our way of giving something back.
Looking after our environment is part of how we live at Willow Forest Stays.
Every hot tub is fully drained, cleaned, and refilled with fresh water and a new filter every stay, without exception. No matter how long the previous booking was, the water is always fresh when you arrive.
During your stay, we regularly check the hot tub to keep everything safe and comfortable for bathing. It’s one of those things that happens quietly in the background, so you never need to think about it.
It takes a little extra time on our part, but knowing you can step in, relax, and enjoy it without a second tought makes it worthwhile.
A simple promise, kept every single time.
Willow Forest Stays is a family-run collection of four holiday cottages in the Forest of Dean. Take a look at our properties and find the one that feels right for your stay.
Not quite ready to book? The Inside Track is a gentle way to stay in touch. One newsletter and one blog a month. That’s it, we promise. No spam, no sales pressure, just a seasonal map of the Forest of Dean to help you start planning, plus a few small perks that are worth having when you do decide to book.
We’d love to welcome you and help you find your perfect break.
