Ghent, Belgium
A weekend offline in a woodland cottage near Stekene
Just over the Belgian border near Stekene, we found a small woodland cottage where nature looks right inside. A weekend to simply do nothing at all.
10 September 2026 · Wayloha editorial
Arriving in the woods
You do not have to travel far to feel like you have completely escaped. Just over the border near Stekene, in the middle of the greenery, we found a small woodland cottage where peace and comfort meet. For a weekend we headed out with our family, away from our schedules and the daily hustle and bustle.
As soon as you step inside, you notice that nature is part of the stay here. Large windows let in plenty of light and from the living area you can look straight out into the garden. The cottage is small and modern, furnished with great attention to detail, with a compact kitchen, a seating area and a bathroom with both a bath and a shower. Outside you have your own terrace, and because the cottage sits on an enclosed plot, you mainly hear birds and rustling leaves.
Sometimes the best escape is not a long journey, but a small cottage in the middle of the greenery, where the world seems to stand still for a moment.Ghent, Belgium
Where inside and outside blend together
The living area feels open and airy, with natural materials and warm colours that provide instant calm. From the bath you can look straight into the garden, all the way to the edge of the woods. That is exactly what makes the cottage special: you do not have to leave the door to feel nature.
We stayed there with our daughter, who was not yet a year old at the time. A cot could be provided on request, so we could settle in easily as a young family too. During the day we walked through the forests around Stekene, and in the evenings we always loved returning to the cottage.
From forest to Belgian cosy charm
The nice thing about Stekene is that you are not just in the middle of nature, but also close to a few lovely excursions. Ghent is about a 35-minute drive away and is ideal for a day in the city: strolling through the historic centre, along the canals, and tasting a Belgian beer on a terrace.
For a shorter trip, it is just a fifteen-minute drive to Hulst, just over the Dutch border. Hulst is one of the best-preserved fortified towns in the Netherlands: around the centre lie 3.5 kilometres of green ramparts with canals and old city gates, with a walking path along the entire length. We spent about an hour there and finished with a drink on a terrace in the centre.
Art in the middle of nature
Near Stekene there is another surprising tip: the Verbeke Foundation in Kemzeke. It is not a traditional museum with only paintings on the wall, but a distinctive mix of contemporary art, nature and ecology, spread across 12 hectares of nature reserve and 20,000 square metres of covered space. Between the trees stand surprising pieces, from an old helicopter to an aircraft fuselage on stilts. A visit feels almost like a walk through a large art garden.
The Verbeke Foundation is open from Thursday to Sunday, from 11:00 to 18:00. Check the current opening times and programme on their website beforehand.
Getting away without going far
That is perhaps exactly what made this weekend so pleasant. At this cottage you are in the middle of the greenery and can step straight into nature, while by car you are within a short time in Ghent or Hulst, or at one of the nature reserves nearby.
After a day outside, we always returned to the same place: our little cottage in the woods. Doors open, a drink in hand, enjoying the last light among the trees. That is precisely what a good weekend escape is about: not doing as much as possible, but rather having nothing to do for a while. Our host Els gave us a warm and personal welcome, which rounded off the stay completely.
