I stayed in a 161-square-foot off-grid tiny cabin for the first time. As someone who thrives in cities, here are 11 things that surprised me.
Maria Noyen
![I stayed in a 161-square-foot off-grid tiny cabin for the first time. As someone who thrives in cities, here are 11 things that surprised me.](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstaticbiassets.in%2Fthumb%2Fmsid-103643603%2Cwidth-700%2Cheight-525%2Cimgsize-212034%2Fi-stayed-in-a-161-square-foot-off-grid-tiny-cabin-for-the-first-time-as-someone-who-thrives-in-cities-here-are-11-things-that-surprised-me-.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
- I recently booked a two-night stay at an off-grid tiny cabin in the British countryside.
- While I've written about tiny homes for years, this was my first time ever staying in one myself.
I recently booked a two-night-stay at an off-grid tiny cabin in the British countryside that promises visitors a peaceful escape from the "anxiety" of modern life.
![I recently booked a two-night-stay at an off-grid tiny cabin in the British countryside that promises visitors a peaceful escape from the "anxiety" of modern life.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-103643758,width-700,height-525,imgsize-535068/i-recently-booked-a-two-night-stay-at-an-off-grid-tiny-cabin-in-the-british-countryside-that-promises-visitors-a-peaceful-escape-from-the-quotanxietyquot-of-modern-life-.jpg)
Months ago, I came across an advertisement on my Instagram feed for a tiny off-grid cabin stay run by a company called Unyoked, founded six years ago by Australian twin brothers Cameron and Chris Grant.
As most of us do when we come across a new social media ad, I was skeptical at first. But in the end, I decided to take a leap and click on it.
Fast-forward to September, I found myself nearly two hours outside of London staying at Josef, one of the over 100 quaint cabins run by Unyoked in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand.
Located on the green rolling hills of the UK's South Downs National Park, the cabin promised an escape from the "busyness" and "anxiety" of modern life for roughly $192 per night.
As someone who's always been drawn to cities, I was curious to see how I'd fare with an off-grid lifestyle.
![As someone who](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-103643754,width-700,height-525,imgsize-196880/as-someone-whoaposs-always-been-drawn-to-cities-i-was-curious-to-see-how-iaposd-fare-with-an-off-grid-lifestyle-.jpg)
I grew up just outside of London and have previously lived in Boston. In October, I'm moving back across the Atlantic to New York City, which is as wonderfully hectic as city life gets.
But the hustle and bustle of city life is something I've grown accustomed to over the years – I'd go so far as to say that I thrive on it. As stressful as it can be, I've always been drawn to the colorful chaos of cities and the electric energy of the people who live in them.
So as intrigued as I was about the idea of unplugging with an off-grid stay, I wasn't too sure how I'd handle being so far removed from the buzz of London.
Another big aspect I was curious about was how I'd handle the diminutive size of the cabin. Despite having written about tiny living spaces for years, I'd never tried out the lifestyle myself.
After my two-day stay in the cabin, it's safe to say a number of things surprised me – take a look.
Josef, the cabin I stayed in, is roughly 161 square feet and built from sustainably-sourced materials.
![Josef, the cabin I stayed in, is roughly 161 square feet and built from sustainably-sourced materials.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-103643752,width-700,height-525,imgsize-1199868/josef-the-cabin-i-stayed-in-is-roughly-161-square-feet-and-built-from-sustainably-sourced-materials-.jpg)
According to an Unyoked representative, the cabin is approximately 6 by 2.5 meters, making it roughly 161 square feet.
In keeping with the company's sustainable ethos, the materials used to build the cabin – thermopine external cladding, plywood, bespoke oak joinery, and copper tapware – are mostly sourced locally.
But what surprised me off the bat when I saw it for the first time was how sleek and luxurious the tiny home looked from the outside – the polar opposite of the image often associated with a cabin in the woods.
I was shocked at how the location of the cabin made me feel like I'd been transported to a tropical country.
![I was shocked at how the location of the cabin made me feel like I](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-103643750,width-700,height-525,imgsize-1697912/i-was-shocked-at-how-the-location-of-the-cabin-made-me-feel-like-iaposd-been-transported-to-a-tropical-country-.jpg)
Although the cabin was located just 164 feet from where I parked my car, it made me feel like I'd somehow been transported from England to a tropical paradise.
Nestled into the side of a rolling hill, the tiny home featured a small wooden porch surrounded by lush green plants, trees, and vines.
In the mornings, when a light mist covered the horizon and birds chirped away, I could almost trick myself into believing I was in the middle of a rainforest rather than the British countryside.
I was surprised by how spacious the cabin was inside.
![I was surprised by how spacious the cabin was inside.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-103643748,width-700,height-525,imgsize-716782/i-was-surprised-by-how-spacious-the-cabin-was-inside-.jpg)
As a lifestyle reporter, I've read and spoken to people who live in tiny homes that have developed nifty ways of creating a sense of spaciousness, such as a Knoxville dad who raised his daughter in a tiny home featuring collapsible furniture and storage space beneath stairs.
That said, my biggest hesitation about tiny living has always been whether homes feel cramped and suffocating.
With that in mind, I was surprised I felt the opposite while staying in the cabin. Despite the kitchen, dining area, and bed being located all in one room, the space felt open and roomy, so much so that I could picture myself returning at some point with a friend or family member.
One of the important ways the cabin created that sense of space is with the number of windows. All in all, the main living space had five, including a door that doubled as a window.
The light and connection to the outdoors, facilitated by the windows, helped make the space feel more expansive than it actually was.
Even though the kitchen was steps away from the bed, the smell of the meals I cooked didn't linger at night.
![Even though the kitchen was steps away from the bed, the smell of the meals I cooked didn](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-103643745,width-700,height-525,imgsize-511818/even-though-the-kitchen-was-steps-away-from-the-bed-the-smell-of-the-meals-i-cooked-didnapost-linger-at-night-.jpg)
I made two proper meals during my stay at Josef – pesto pasta, and sausages, potatoes, and green beans, which I partially cooked outside using a cast iron pan over a fire.
Nevertheless, the smell of the seasoning and cooked ingredients didn't linger in the cabin or bother me at night when I was trying to go sleep, which surprised me given the kitchen was steps away from the bed.
The kitchen didn't come with a dishwasher, and I was surprised I didn't miss the appliance at all.
![The kitchen didn](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-103643743,width-700,height-525,imgsize-633162/the-kitchen-didnapost-come-with-a-dishwasher-and-i-was-surprised-i-didnapost-miss-the-appliance-at-all-.jpg)
The cabin kitchen featured a sink, a gas stove, and a drying rack. An appliance I quickly realized it did not come with was a dishwasher.
When I noticed the lack of a dishwasher, it took me back to the frustration I felt during my senior year of college living in an apartment with three other people that did not come with a dishwasher. I remember nights when my roommates and I would bicker about who was doing the dishes and long for a dishwasher that would take care of the problem for us.
That said, as I was staying solo at the cabin, I realized I didn't actually miss having a dishwasher at all. After making each meal, it only took me a few minutes to wash up and the process of cleaning was actually kind of relaxing.
As someone who is currently apartment hunting in NYC, as much as I'd love to have a dishwasher, this experience surprised me by leaving me open to the possibility of living without one.
The bathroom, concealed behind a pocket door, looked surprisingly luxurious despite being rather basic.
![The bathroom, concealed behind a pocket door, looked surprisingly luxurious despite being rather basic.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-103643741,width-700,height-525,imgsize-588978/the-bathroom-concealed-behind-a-pocket-door-looked-surprisingly-luxurious-despite-being-rather-basic-.jpg)
The copper plating of the shower and darker tones gave the allure of luxury when in reality, the finishes were relatively basic. These design features are things I'd definitely keep in mind if I ever go through the process of remodeling a home in the future.
For the stay, Unyoked provided fresh towels, plenty of toilet paper, shower gel, hand soap, and a scent spray for the toilet.
Speaking of the toilet, I was surprised at the lack of smell despite the fact it wasn't built with running water.
![Speaking of the toilet, I was surprised at the lack of smell despite the fact it wasn](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-103643736,width-700,height-525,imgsize-98134/speaking-of-the-toilet-i-was-surprised-at-the-lack-of-smell-despite-the-fact-it-wasnapost-built-with-running-water-.jpg)
In keeping with Unyoked's sustainable ethos, the cabin came with a composting toilet, the first I'd ever seen.
Thankfully, the team at Unyoked provided a toilet guide in the bathroom to inform guests how it works.
From the outside, the toilet looks normal but when you open the lid, you see no running water but rather a deep hole covered with wood chips.
As a composting toilet, any waste that goes in gets turned into compost. After each trip to the bathroom, the guide says to sprinkle a ladle of wood chips to "speed up the compost process."
Without running water, I was skeptical as to whether the cabin would start to smell, but was relieved to find it didn't at all.
I was surprised that one of my favorite features of the cabin was the radio, which I rarely tune into in my day-to-day life.
![I was surprised that one of my favorite features of the cabin was the radio, which I rarely tune into in my day-to-day life.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-103643731,width-700,height-525,imgsize-116184/i-was-surprised-that-one-of-my-favorite-features-of-the-cabin-was-the-radio-which-i-rarely-tune-into-in-my-day-to-day-life-.jpg)
The only times I ever listen to the radio nowadays is if I'm driving a car and have forgotten to bring a cable with me to plug my phone into the built-in speakers – when I do have a cable, I tend to alternate between listening to music I've downloaded or podcasts.
But I was surprised at how much I loved listening to the radio provided at the cabin. Being out there by myself, hearing the voices of radio presenters was a nice way to feel connected to the world.
I also liked the feeling of not knowing which songs would play next, something I don't really get when I listen to my own music, even in shuffle mode.
Don't get me wrong, there were bugs at the cabin, but not nearly as many as I expected.
![Don](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-103643727,width-700,height-525,imgsize-348148/donapost-get-me-wrong-there-were-bugs-at-the-cabin-but-not-nearly-as-many-as-i-expected-.jpg)
During the day, I hardly noticed bugs in and around the cabin. I ate my meals outside, which attracted one or two flies, but no more than I would regularly encounter eating food outdoors in a city.
The only times when I felt there were noticeably more bugs was at night because they were attracted to the reading light by the bed. But as soon as the lights were off, the bugs were gone too.
At night, the cabin was incredibly hot but it was perfectly breezy during the day.
![At night, the cabin was incredibly hot but it was perfectly breezy during the day.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-103643726,width-700,height-525,imgsize-731926/at-night-the-cabin-was-incredibly-hot-but-it-was-perfectly-breezy-during-the-day-.jpg)
I made the rookie mistake of booking my Unyoked stay during an unseasonably warm week in September in the UK.
With temperatures hitting 86 degrees Fahrenheit, it's safe to say it got pretty hot in the cabin, designed with materials that keep it nice and toasty in cooler weather.
But as hot as it got during the night, I was surprised at how breezy the days felt when the temperatures were much higher. During the day, I kept the windows swung open to help air circulate whenever I was reading outside or off on a walk, which helped it to be cooler when I returned.
As ready as I was to get back to the city, I was surprised at how I could see myself returning for another tiny cabin stay in the future.
![As ready as I was to get back to the city, I was surprised at how I could see myself returning for another tiny cabin stay in the future.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-103643722,width-700,height-525,imgsize-1017592/as-ready-as-i-was-to-get-back-to-the-city-i-was-surprised-at-how-i-could-see-myself-returning-for-another-tiny-cabin-stay-in-the-future-.jpg)
When it was time to check out, I was pretty ready to get back to the city.
As comfortable as the Unyoked team made the tiny cabin, I missed the familiarity of London, my home, family, and friends.
That said, I was surprised at how I could definitely see myself choosing to book a tiny cabin stay for a mini break from the city instead of an Airbnb or hotel in the future.
I loved the sustainable aspect of the trip how independent and creative I left feeling, and how even though it was incredibly minimalistic, I didn't feel the cabin was lacking anything crucial.
The only thing I'd keep in mind next time is to book when temperatures were less insufferably hot, so I'd be able to appreciate the coziness of the cabin to the fullest.
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