A Working Farm, a Woodland Spa and Six Beautiful Cottages in the Heart of Suffolk

Most people looking for a countryside break in England head straight to the Cotswolds. It is a good choice, but it is rarely a quiet one. Northern Suffolk is different. It has the same green fields and old villages, but without the coach tours and the packed car parks. The coastline is close. The food scene is genuinely good. And sitting on the Suffolk-Norfolk border, on twelve acres of working farmland, is Restaries at Paradise Farm, one of the most thoughtfully put-together rural retreats in England right now.

The Story Behind the Farm

Gem and Thom Bon-Scherdel spent twenty years in London working across hospitality, fashion, events, PR and marketing. Gem had experience with brands like Topshop, Whistles and Soho House. Thom brought a strong business background. In 2024, they left the city, found a collection of 16th-century farm buildings in the village of Westhall near Halesworth, and turned them into what Restaries at Paradise Farm is today.

The farmstead has a long history before this. It was used for cider production and later for music distribution. That history sits comfortably in the fabric of the buildings, and it gives the place a character that feels earned rather than invented. Every product on site,  from the food to the wine to the artwork hanging on the walls, has been sourced from local makers and independent businesses in the surrounding area.

A Farm That Stays a Farm

What makes this a genuinely different kind of stay is that the farm was never prettied up into something it is not. Kunekune pigs, pygmy goats, alpacas, miniature donkeys, Valais Black Nose sheep and free-roaming chickens live on the land alongside guests. You can see them from the kitchen window. You can spend a morning with them in the field. The founders kept the animals, the land and the natural rhythm of farm life at the center of everything, because that is what guests actually come for. This is a luxury farm stay Suffolk visitors keep returning to, not because it looks like a magazine shoot, but because it feels like a real place.

The Cottages

Paradise Farm has six individually designed holiday properties spread across the grounds. Each one has been restored using original beams, handcrafted furniture, locally made artwork and warm interiors that feel nothing like a standard self-catering rental. All properties come with fully equipped kitchens including Gozney pizza ovens, outdoor fire setups and underfloor heating that runs year-round.

The Gate House is a one-bedroom cottage for two with a roll-top bath and a wood-burning hot tub that looks out over the alpaca paddock. The Cart Lodge sleeps four adults and two children and has a Japanese soaking bath beside a terrace right next to the heated pool. The Log Store and the Tack Room are both one-bedroom options, each with a Japanese soaking bath and a rainfall shower. For larger groups, the Farm House sleeps up to twelve guests across three floors, with an Aga in the kitchen, multiple log fires and outdoor dining tables that seat fifteen. The whole estate can be taken over together, sleeping up to 26 guests across all properties at once.

Food That Comes to You

There is no restaurant on site, and that is a deliberate decision. The stay is meant to feel like a home, not a hotel. Each morning, a breakfast hamper from Black Dog Deli arrives at the door, packed with locally sourced ingredients and freshly laid eggs from the farm's own Burford Brown hens. On arrival, a supper hamper can be waiting in your cottage with seasonal produce, salmon en croute and a bottle from Flint Vineyard.

For something more formal, a private chef can cook at your property or at another spot on the farm. The menu is built around your group and the occasion, from a casual pizza evening to a proper four-course dinner. A sommelier can help you choose wine in advance based on your preferences, and a full wine cellar is available to guests throughout the stay.

The Spa and Wellness Offerings

A lot of farm stays offer a comfortable bed and a nice view. What makes this a true farm holiday with spa is that Suffolk travelers will not easily find elsewhere: the woodland spa. It sits quietly in the trees with a sauna, a hot tub, and a cold plunge, and guests get exclusive afternoon use of the whole space. There are no other guests around. You move between hot and cold at your own pace, in a setting that is genuinely peaceful.

Private yoga classes are available through a local teacher who comes to the Events Barn and leads sessions at the level that suits your group. Setting up for a morning class beside the heated outdoor pool, with open fields in every direction, is one of those simple things that sounds ordinary and turns out to be a real highlight of the trip.

Massages, facials and reflexology sessions can all be booked in your cottage at any point during the stay. The team at Restaries arranges everything around your schedule so nothing feels rushed or out of place.

What Is Around the Farm 

Southwold and Aldeburgh are both about thirty minutes from the farm. Both towns have good independent restaurants, bookshops, beach huts and long stretches of sand that are never overwhelmingly busy. The Adnams Brewery in Southwold runs regular tours and is a good way to spend a morning. Framlingham Castle is about thirty minutes south and worth a visit. The Norfolk Broads are close enough for a day on the water, with boat trips, paddleboarding and kayaking available for all ages and abilities. The team at Restaries can arrange all of this in advance so there is nothing to organize on arrival.

For groups who want something more active, clay pigeon shooting can be set up either at a local venue or directly at the farm. Coastal horse riding and lessons are available for all experience levels and can be arranged to fit the group's schedule.

Who This Stay Is Right For

Families with young children settle in quickly here. The farm animals, the play area, the wide open space and the relaxed atmosphere make it easy for everyone to find their pace from the first afternoon. Couples who want a proper break will find the Gate House, a wood-burning hot tub and a woodland spa session to be more than enough. Groups celebrating something, whether a birthday, anniversary, engagement or reunion, will find that the estate takeover option gives them a level of privacy and flexibility that a hotel simply cannot.

Gem and Thom put personal effort into special occasion planning. Private picnics, drinks on the deck at sunset, chef-cooked dinners and custom arrangements can all be set up before arrival so the experience fits the moment rather than following a fixed template.

Restaries at Paradise Farm is located at Cox Common, Westhall, Halesworth, IP19 8RH. It is three hours from London by car. By train, the nearest stations are Halesworth and Brampton on the East Suffolk Line with direct connections into London Liverpool Street. Norwich International Airport is about forty minutes away by car.

For full itinerary options, accommodation details and availability, visit the Restaries at Paradise Farm travel guide on Exposha.