With “doomscrolling” and social media addiction on the rise, Phoebe Tatham checked into Louma Country Hotel for a digital detox.
Social media has the capacity to bring people together, foster global interaction, and act as a source of entertainment. But there’s a murky underside that’s becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. From misinformation and addiction to ‘doomscrolling’, multiple platforms and apps have been shown to negatively impact our mental health and wellbeing.
Ofcom’s 2025 Online Nation report showed that adults spend an average of four and half hours online a day - up by ten minutes on 2024. The report also found that women spend 26 minutes a day longer online than men, with a daily average of 4hrs 43 mins.
Musing on social media’s effect on our nervous system, Nancy Trueman, Sound Practitioner at True North Studio, tells us: “We are living in a constant state of input due to ongoing scrolling, reading, and learning. This 24/7 cycle offers little downtime, leaving the nervous system rarely able to rest. Consequently, we often feel simultaneously ‘wired’ and depleted.”
A Coastal Haven
In a bid to tackle this phenomenon, digital detoxes have emerged as a popular tonic. These retreats have been designed to encourage human connection, enhance our relationship with the outside world, and ultimately reduce our dependence on technology.
Tucked away on Dorset’s Jurassic Coast, Louma Country Hotel provided the perfect backdrop for my very own tech-free break. From the moment I arrived, it was clear that nature and wildlife would take centre stage, forming the backbone of the Louma experience. A working farm, Louma is perched on 100 acres, with more than 30 acres dedicated to vineyards. Rolling hills frame the farmhouse, clusters of sheep gather around vines, and keen equestrians take to the menage for a saunter in the sunshine.
With the coast beckoning beyond the hills, Charmouth beach is a 40-minute walk from the hotel. Here, guests can marvel at the dramatic cliffs before retracing the steps of trailblazing fossil hunters such as Mary Anning, who famously discovered the first complete Plesiosaur skeleton. Fossil hunters continue to glean the pebbled beach to this day, rock pick in hand, hoping to crack open a slice of archeological wonder. In the absence of technology, it’s this shifting natural landscape that does well to instil a sense of calm and ignite the imagination.
Blissful Suites
Nature’s palette has been woven into the hotel’s interiors with great panache. Suites are swathed in coral pinks, limestone, and sage green. Fern prints adorn the walls, while log burners and free-standing bathtubs create a cosy, intimate feel.
Elsewhere, the bathrooms are modern and sophisticated, complete with marble accents, rainfall showers and botanical Wildsmith Skin products infused with chamomile and cedarwood. It’s country chic without feeling passé.
Farmhouse suites aside, Louma also boasts a collection of original farm stables, deluxe studio apartments, shepherd’s huts, as well as a two-bedroom lodge with its own private garden. The beauty of this hotel is that shared spaces are made to feel lived-in, to the point where Louma almost doesn’t feel like a hotel at all. Restaurants are relaxed and rustic, while the farmhouse living spaces are drenched in warm, earthy tones and filled with natural light. Elsewhere, a snug library invites tranquil moments, and a paved patio area transforms into a blissful suntrap.
Seasonal Plates
Food forms an integral part of the Louma experience. Seasonal produce reigns supreme alongside Louma’s homegrown fruit and vegetables including heritage apples, plums, and black cherry tomatoes.
Breakfasts are relaxed affairs featuring an assortment of fresh pastries and hot dishes such as eggs royale and impossibly fluffy pancakes. Buffet-style lunches follow suit, with dishes such as parma ham and blood orange salad jostling for attention next to plates of juicy tomatoes with creamy burrata and sirloin steak drizzled with salsa verde.
Dinners, meanwhile, offer something more refined, with a choice of three options for starters, mains and desserts. Expect to feast on dishes such as crispy duck egg with smoked hollandaise and pancetta, Louma farm lamb with sheep’s curd, and sticky toffee pudding topped with caramel pears, bay leaf ice cream, and moreish salted toffee sauce. On weekends, meanwhile, braais bring a theatrical element to the culinary experience. Feast on chubby tiger prawns, hot honey halloumi, ribeye chimichurri, baby beetroot salad, roasted vegetables, and tabbouleh.
A Cocoon of Wellbeing
On the wellness front, everything at Louma has been considered to the nth degree. Its dedicated Wellness Barn is a sanctuary of calm where guests can hunker down with a book before dipping into the indoor and outdoor pools and the beautifully air-conditioned gym. For a dose of contrast therapy, the Barn also boasts a snug sauna room and a cold water bucket shower.
Elsewhere, shepherd’s huts have been transformed into bijou treatment rooms for indulgent pampering. My bespoke massage began with a consultation followed by 60 minutes of Swedish and deep tissue strokes targeting the neck, back and shoulders. Adding an extra dimension was Wildsmith’s Stillness Body Oil infused with calming notes of lavender, rose, geranium, and chamomile - a gentle concoction that’s been designed to work in tandem with the body’s circadian rhythm.
Tension evaporated, the remainder of my evening unfurled slowly with a languid dinner, reading, and a meticulous skincare routine to restore hydration. It was the perfect environment to practice what Trueman preaches. When it comes to sleep hygiene, she recommends switching off devices a few hours before bed and leaving them outside the bedroom. To aid sleep, she also recommends introducing soft lighting and relaxing scents, followed by a few minutes of intentional stillness or sound. “The body responds well to routine and repetition, and over time, these small rituals become powerful cues for deep rest,” she adds.
With its bucolic setting, personalised service and inherent focus on slow living, Louma makes for the ultimate countryside retreat. It’s naturally all the better when you ditch the devices and let the timeless charm of Dorset take over.
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