Welcome to Re - our mission, our purpose and why we chose to do something different.
Hi there, I realised that we started this brand back in November last year, and we never took the time to introduce ourselves and our mission properly. There’s also a lot of new faces here and I wanted to introduce ourselves to people less familiar with our mission. I wanted to give you our personal reasons for starting these wellness breaks in nature and our wellness community. 
A little bit about ourselves.
My name is Monica, I’m 31 and I’m normally based in North London. This summer though, I sublet my flat and I took time for myself to travel and stay and spend time with family. Something that I don’t get to do enough of in my usual life - running two companies, all hours of the day and with few breaks. Luke and I founded Re, and we also run a design studio based in London. We split our lives between the city and the country (and no, we’re not a couple).
Luke & Monica - Co-Founders of Re
Why did I want to start this company? Truly, because I have faced and battled burnout and exhaustion from corporate jobs that left me feeling hopeless and alone. Eventually I had to quit my job because the anxiety of logging on each morning was too much. I understand how incredibly easy it is to get to that place, and how easily I sacrificed my own needs in order to climb the career ladder and prove my worth. I’ve listened to the con of hustle culture and I’ve fallen foul of its lies. It took a lot of soul searching for me to really start questioning whether this was the life I wanted anymore. There really was no magic solution and it took a lot of time - some of it conscious and some of it unconscious. My last relationship was also slowly breaking down over the same 12 month period that my burnout and recovery was taking place. We were unable to get on the same page about most things, struggling to understand each other and ultimately we stopped being a team. This also took place during and in the wake of Covid. My job role changed from managing teams across Europe, to having to let everyone go. The additional stress of the pandemic not only on us as a society but also in the way that we all felt it differently meant that many of us outside of intimate relationships struggled to connect with each other and to the selves that we were before the pandemic.
I remember during the pandemic, when we were allowed to staycation but not to travel abroad, that all I needed was an escape. I needed to disconnect from reality and to try and feel something different. But, I couldn’t. The availability of accommodation in the UK was scarce and expensive. I couldn’t find anything that fit my budget, but that also let me isolate myself away from potential covid spikes, give me access to nature that I was craving and within an accessible distance. I wondered to myself why it was so hard to find something. Obviously everyone wanted the same thing at the same time and there was a limit to how much was out there. But I also didn’t want to go to a caravan or cabin park where my privacy to either enjoy my time or to grieve some kind of loss wasn’t available.
And so, the idea of Re was born. Luke and I both felt driven to provide a beautiful space for people to connect to themselves, in nature. I believe that if I had had the chance to take a break like this during that time I would have overcome so many personal mental challenges much faster than I did. Every time that I visit our first cabin location in St Albans, I feel grounded and peaceful. The stress of the everyday melts off of my shoulders as soon as I step into the meadow. The healing power of nature is no joke. But our access to it is. There’s only one place in the UK that you can legally wild camp, as most land in the UK is now privately owned. Either by farmers, estate holders or private landowners.
We felt passionately about creating greater access to land - much of it sat unused and unappreciated. We wanted to work with landowners, rather than become landowners ourselves. We wanted to drive revenue to farm businesses and estates that are falling into disrepair. We wanted to build up these economies so that they could thrive, while also allowing our guests to. We only choose locations with ultimate privacy. What use is time and space in nature, if you don’t also have privacy? If you want to run around naked, you should be allowed to. If you want to do cartwheels and handstands and connect to your inner child without the judgemental eyes of other people, you should be allowed to. If you want to skinny dip and be present with the cool water on your skin, you should be able to. The only intrusions you might find will be from deer, kestrels, red kites, rabbits, pheasants and butterflies. Sounds idyllic right?
My stay in Norfolk
I then went and stayed in a cabin in Norfolk which is similar in size to our own design. It was a bit more rustic, but the benefits of being in nature outweighed any drawbacks of lack of luxury. However, I know that I might be in the minority of people who are prepared to sacrifice convenience and comfort for an outdoor experience. So, we wanted to give you an elevated experience at our cabins.
Where I stayed, it was a two hour walk to the nearest pub. And while boozing wasn’t on the agenda, I still wanted to explore what the area had to offer. It occurred to me that I had gotten incredibly lucky with the weather for February, and that normally it would have been chilly and wet - which would have deterred me from making a four hour round trip to visit the local pub. So, our locations needed to be remote, but not so remote that you might be forced to stay inside for lack of nearby options. It also occurred to me that if I had been rained in and unable to leave the cabin, that there might not have been enough inside to keep me occupied and not feel like the trip had been somewhat of a waste
While I can journal, read and cook - I at least wanted the option of something else to do. I actually brought with me on this trip the We Are Not Really Strangers card game. Me and my flatmate played it and even though we thought we knew each other pretty well, playing this game really deepened our connection and helped us better understand each other. I was resolute that our cabins needed to have the same thing. So, our cabins have every edition in them. Friendship, Dating, Couples, Family, Self-love, Self-Reflection, Anxiety and the Breakup edition. Whether you’re trying to explore your friends and lovers, or explore the deeper and often overlooked parts of yourself - there’s something there for everyone.
Being so far away from everything also meant that we had to bring a lot with us. Which meant we also hired a car. Trying to lug food on the train for hours didn’t feel like something I wanted to do. We even brought our own candles to try and create a lovely ambience. We wanted to make sure that all of these small, warm touches were already included in our cabins, and you didn’t need to bring more with you than you needed to feel cosy.
Our cabins are bigger than most, with additional space given to the kitchen so that you can enjoy making hearty meals in nature.
Outside of cabins, the two of us also run a sustainable interior design studio that works with the corporate real estate industry in London mostly. We advise clients on how they can responsibly reduce their carbon footprint through design. Sustainability is at the core of our design business, and it’s at the core of Re. And as designers we carefully and lovingly designed our cabins from experience and from aspiration. We wanted this space to be a design lovers dream. Every touch point in the cabin has been thoughtfully chosen for its sustainability credentials. From our Foresso worktops, to our cork floors, and our Therma Fleece sheep’s wool insulation. Not to mention that choosing a staycation, not far from home, is actually the most sustainable travel choice. No airports, no planes. You can rest and recharge in nature, knowing that you’re not contributing to its demise.
That said, we’re not holier than thou. We understand that life is a constant slue of compromises and priorities. But, if every now and again you decide not to get on a plane, you should be allowed to pat yourself on the back for that. We’re encouraging conscious travellers and wellness lovers to consider a different type of trip that connects them to nature, and to themselves - without compromising on its accessibility and its luxury.
In all honesty, our first idea was to redefine luxury glamping and to pitch the most beautiful yurts and huts up. But the more we explored this, the more we realised how much it actually lacked the luxury element. And it really lacked the ability to enjoy nature all year round. Relegating winter to an unlivable environment, lacking the comfort of home. But, cabins however. These are real structures, with insulation and appliances that give you all of the comfort and convenience of home, but in a totally different environment. It gave us and our guests the opportunity to witness the beauty of Winter as well as Spring and Summer. (And honestly, I’m a total winter convert - it’s actually stunning).
But here’s a long winded essay to tell you that we wanted to offer you wellness breaks that actually had a tangible impact on your mental health. With slow moments incorporated to help you feel present, and intimacy games included to help you feel connected. In areas of beauty that are easy to get to, that doesn’t take half a day to drive to, and doesn’t take half a day to find the nearest pub. And with luxury at the forefront of the experience, to make sure you don’t feel alone and uncomfortable in the middle of nowhere. Instead, wrapped up in quality bedding, in a toasty warm cabin with big windows to watch nature unfold in front of you, in a totally private space. To take lovely walks, and even better naps. To cook on the outdoor fire and soak in the Onsen bath tub. To give yourself a big dose of time, space and privacy. To use however you wish.
We can’t wait to welcome you to our cabins, and as always appreciate any feedback you have for us to make it better.
Written by Monica Innes - July 2024
