Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Entertainment
Phoebe Jobling

'I stayed at a luxury glamping site and felt like I was in the Love Island villa’

If you are a huge Love Island fan like me - but will likely never get to step foot in the real Majorcan villa - then this luxury glamping site near Manchester is your next best option.

Despite being named The Secret Garden Glamping, it is safe to say it is possibly the worst kept secret ever, as the site is now known to be the 'most viewed, most booked and most followed' glamping site in the UK.

Nestled within four acres of woodland, the posh camping destination was built by dad-of-two Derry Green behind his home in Skelmersdale, Lancashire. What started out as a lockdown project for his kids in his back garden soon turned into the vast nine-unit site it is today - which is now a celebrity hotspot worth millions.

Try MEN Premium for FREE by clicking here for no ads, fun puzzles and brilliant new features.

Derry, 40, who is a Love Island fan, got the idea for his first luxury glamping pod after watching the hit ITV2 dating show. Each of his nine handcrafted units, which are all completely different, take inspiration from the famous villa and resemble features such as fire pits and outdoor kitchens.

One of the latest units to launch is The Oasis, which sold out for the entire year in just 47 minutes, and we were lucky enough to experience a stay here last week. If you are one of those who has an upcoming booking - then you are in for a treat.

The glamping site is just a 40 minute drive from the centre of Manchester (on a good day) and it is really easy to find. Once we arrived and parked up, there was a luggage trolley ready and waiting, which was a big hand as we were told The Oasis is the furthest unit away.

We then ventured down through the woodland, passing by some of the other sites including The Tree Tops which features its own slide.

The Oasis is hidden behind a mirrored exterior (MEN)

Walking up to The Oasis was truly like nothing I've ever seen before. The whole exterior is covered in mirrors which reflect the surrounding woodland and make it almost impossible to see.

"That idea came about by accident after I ordered a mirror for the gym and it was way too big," Derry told the Manchester Evening News.

"I had it resting on the side of the house and then I looked at it one day and I couldn't see it because it was reflecting all the trees and then I thought 'How cool does that look’? So I then covered that whole pod with mirrors."

It was then time to reveal what was hidden behind the door.

The beautiful main bedroom which sleeps four (MEN)

We all know there's nothing worse than arriving at a hotel or lodge and it looking nothing like the advertised pictures - but this retreat did not disappoint in the slightest.

You wouldn't think this was near Manchester, I truly felt like I was in the Love Island villa, the only thing that gave it away was the rain.

It would just be our luck that it had been glorious sunshine all week, and then as soon as we got there it began to shower - but luckily there was some shelter.

Whilst it was raining, we headed inside to take a look around. The Oasis sleeps up to six people, with two double beds in the main bedroom, and then a further bed in a separate indoor unit on the other side of the garden.

The stunning bathroom (MEN)

It was clear to see that no expense had been spared when it came to the lavish interior, from the plush green sofa and striking ceiling lights to all the gorgeous gold fixtures and fittings.

The bathroom was undoubtedly my favourite part, fitted with his and hers sinks, stylish wood panelling, a leafy wall and a stunning shower.

On arrival we were given some little chocolates and cakes, which is always a favourable touch, and also some marshmallows for toasting on the firepit.

Inside the bedroom there were tea and coffee facilities, robes, towels, a smart TV, and it was also kitted out with underfloor heating - not like we needed it in the humid 30-degree heat.

Our welcome gifts (MEN)

As the rain stopped we then headed back outside, incredibly eager to uncover the outdoor cinema.

The impressive feature is hidden behind a mirrored unit, but at the push of a button it opens automatically to reveal the 'biggest outdoor cinema' ever done in glamping.

It was very easy to work, and we quickly put some music on YouTube to play in the background whilst we explored the rest of the features.

As someone who likes to be fully prepared, I had already read the handy welcome book which was emailed to me a week before our stay.

The outdoor kitchen has everything you'd need (MEN)

This was a godsend as it provided everything you'd ever need to know, from the check-in process and where things are kept, right down to the best takeaway spots nearby.

Prior to arriving we had taken a trip to Asda, which is just five minutes away from the site, to get some snacks and light bites to keep us going before ordering a takeaway in the evening.

If you don't want to do that though, the unit has an outdoor kitchen complete with facilities including a grill and pizza oven, fridge, bar, sink and an ice machine.

Just next to the kitchen is the second stand-out feature, the outdoor six-person hot tub, which is powered by wood. This was already hot and bubbling for us prior to our arrival, which is an extra service you can pay £15 for.

The egg chair, hot tub and outdoor TV (MEN)

If not you will be provided with wood, kindling and lighters to heat it up yourself, with all instructions given in the welcome book.

We did however have to light the fire pit ourselves - something I have admittedly never done before. A kit, which included wood, fire lighters and a lighter were provided, which you can get for an extra £10. Luckily my friend took the reins on this part as she had more of an idea than me.

There are two outdoor sofas to sit on, one beside the hot tub and one in front of the cinema screen, as well as a hanging pink egg chair which was a personal favourite.

As well as the cinema screen, there is a smart TV on the wall next to the hot tub which provides the ultimate relaxation zone, and there is high speed Wi-Fi throughout the unit too.

You can watch TV or a film whilst in the hot tub (MEN)

After spending time in the hot tub, which was the perfect temperature, we chose to order food.

The welcome book contained recommendations of the top five local takeaways. I wanted a Chinese, but sadly it was closed, so we settled on an Indian.

Despite the hour wait, which passed by pretty quickly considering we were preoccupied, it was possibly one of the best Chicken Tikka Masala's I have ever had.

As the night drew in, the place looked even more spectacular with its variety of outdoor lighting.

The place was lit up beautifully in the evening (MEN)

We grabbed our marshmallows and sticks, which had been provided for us but you can purchase for £5, and toasted them over the fire.

It was then getting a bit cooler outside, so we reached for some blankets, made hot chocolates and cosied up in front of the cinema screen.

My one and only disappointment came when we tried to catch up on the latest episode of Love Island on the big screen - as it was of course the idyllic setting to do so - but unfortunately the system didn't have ITVX.

Instead we settled for the new comedy drama Glamorous on Netflix.

It all looked even better at night (MEN)

I personally love being outdoors, so being able to enjoy a film under the night's sky surrounded by such a gorgeous setting was truly special.

We then headed off to bed and I can honestly say I slept like a baby, the mattress was like sleeping on a bed of feathers.

Fast forward to the morning and check out was at 10am, so after a quick tidy up we packed, checked out and headed home.

All in all, I would say The Oasis is most perfect place for a girly getaway, romantic date night or even a relaxing retreat for families who are wanting to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

My only regret is that I wish we could have stayed longer!

On Friday (June 30), The Secret Garden launched their newest units - The Wilderness Spa and The Lookout - which are now available for pre bookings with the sites due to open from September.

Read our 'Where I Live' series every week by signing up to MEN Premium (MEN)

Try MEN Premium for FREE by clicking here for no ads, fun puzzles and brilliant new features.

Want to feature your home in our Where I Live series? If so, please email your details to phoebe.jobling@reachplc.com.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.