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Barn stays: how to choose a converted barn for your next countryside escape

There is something about walking into a converted barn for the first time. The door opens and the room keeps going up: exposed beams overhead, a wall of glass where the old cart doors used to be, and a long table big enough for everyone you came with. Barns were built to hold hay, grain, animals and machinery, so they are generous by nature. Turned into holiday homes, that generosity becomes space to cook together, spread out, and slow down in the countryside.

This page gathers barn stays from around the world. Below you will find the main barn traditions, the practical side of staying in a big open building, and what to check before booking.

One word, many buildings

A barn in one country can look nothing like a barn in another, and that variety is part of the fun of choosing one.

• North America is famous for the red barn standing alone in a field. You will also find bank barns, built into a slope so that wagons could drive into the upper floor while animals lived below, and heavy timber-frame barns joined with wooden pegs. Many now sit on working farms, vineyards or orchards that welcome guests.
• The UK and Ireland have stone and brick threshing barns, cow byres and, in the south east of England, oast houses once used for drying hops. Conversions often keep the original stonework, slate roofs and small windows on the outside while opening up the inside.
• Continental Europe offers everything from timber hay barns in the Alps to stone farm buildings in rural France, Italy and Spain, and large brick farmhouses in the Low Countries where people and livestock once shared one roof.
• Scandinavia has its own red timber barns, painted in the traditional deep red that you see across the Swedish and Norwegian countryside, often converted into simple, light-filled summer homes.
• Australia and New Zealand have woolsheds, the shearing sheds found on sheep stations, along with other farm buildings that now host guests. Farm stays are a long tradition there, and many include a chance to see daily farm life up close.
• South America has the estancias of Argentina and Uruguay, large cattle ranches where old stables and outbuildings sometimes become guest quarters, with horses and wide open grassland all around.

Alongside these genuine conversions you will find newly built barn-style homes. They borrow the shape, the timber and the high ceilings, but come with modern insulation and plumbing from day one.

Living in a big open space

The open plan is the main attraction of most barns, and it shapes how a stay feels. Cooking, eating and relaxing usually happen in one large room, which is wonderful for groups and families who want to be together. It also means sound travels. If someone in your party goes to bed early or gets up at dawn, think about where the bedrooms are compared to the main living area.

Heating deserves real attention. A tall room holds a lot of air, and warm air rises straight to the rafters. Good conversions solve this with underfloor heating, well-insulated walls and roofs, or a large wood burner. Older or simpler barns can feel chilly on cold evenings, especially in the shoulder seasons. If you are travelling in winter, ask how the building is heated, whether firewood is included, and how long it takes to warm up after arrival.

In summer the opposite can happen. Big glass walls facing the sun can turn a barn into a greenhouse, so ask about blinds, shade and whether windows open for a through breeze.

Mezzanines, ladders and stairs

Many barns use their height for a mezzanine or a hayloft bedroom reached by an open staircase or even a ladder. These spaces are full of character, but they are not for everyone. Open edges and steep steps need care with toddlers, older guests, or anyone unsteady on their feet. Check whether there is at least one bedroom and bathroom on the ground floor, whether railings are enclosed, and whether the loft bedroom has a door or is fully open to the room below.

Getting there and getting around

Barns sit where farms are, which is rarely next to a train station. Expect country lanes, gravel tracks and gates to open and close behind you. In some regions the last stretch may be unpaved and muddy after rain, or snowy in winter. Most guests will need a car. Ask for clear directions, since satellite navigation is not always reliable on farm roads, and find out where the nearest shop is so you can stock up on the way in.

Life on a working farm

Some barns stand on their own, but many are still part of an active farm. That can be the highlight of the trip: collecting eggs, meeting lambs in spring, or watching the harvest. It also comes with realities. Farms start early, tractors and machinery pass by, and there may be smells and sounds that city visitors are not used to. Children love it, but they need to know the rules: close every gate, stay away from machinery and slurry areas, and never enter a field with livestock without asking. On estancias and sheep stations, ask whether you can join activities like riding or mustering, and whether they are included or arranged separately.

Groups, celebrations and events

Because they are large, barns are popular for family reunions, milestone birthdays, retreats and even small weddings. If you have something like this in mind, be upfront with the owner. Many barns allow gatherings but set limits on guest numbers, music and finishing times, and some do not allow events at all. Ask about extra parking, whether outside caterers are welcome, whether there is a separate charge for day guests, and what the rules are for amplified music and fireworks, especially near livestock.

Bringing the dog

A countryside barn sounds like dog heaven, and often it is. Still, check before you pack the lead. Some owners welcome dogs; others do not, or allow them only on hard floors downstairs. On farms with sheep, cattle or poultry, dogs usually need to stay on a lead whenever they are outside the garden. Ask whether the garden is fully fenced.

Questions to ask before you book

• Is this an original farm building, or a new home built in a barn style?
• How is the barn heated, and is firewood included?
• Are there bedrooms and a bathroom on the ground floor?
• Is the mezzanine or loft reached by stairs or a ladder, and are its edges fully railed?
• Is it part of a working farm, and can guests see or join farm activities?
• What is the road like for the last few kilometres, and is it passable in all seasons?
• Are dogs allowed, and is the garden securely fenced?
• Are parties, events or extra day guests permitted, and are there noise limits?
• How reliable are phone signal and internet at the property?

Choosing your season

Every season suits a barn in a different way. Spring brings lambs and calves and green fields, summer means long evenings outside and doors thrown open, autumn brings harvest, and winter is the time for fires and thick walls. Keep in mind that seasons are reversed in the Southern Hemisphere, so a Christmas stay in New Zealand, Australia or Argentina falls in early summer, while a July trip there means cool, short days.

Finding your barn on this page

The barns on this page are grouped by continent, country and region, so you can go straight to the countryside you have in mind. Each link leads to the owner's own website, where you can check availability and book directly with the people who look after the place. If you own or manage a barn stay, you can add your link for free with the button above and let travellers find you.