Cedar Hollow @ The Oaks

Welcome to Cedar Hollow at The Oaks — a magical escape like no other, nestled within a private 12-acre estate near Oxford. The guesthouse includes a whimsical treehouse, a hidden cave, a cozy den, and a storybook cottage, each brimming with charm and enchantment. Every corner holds a touch of wonder and magic — handcrafted by the owner, a member of The Magic Circle, who designs spellbinding illusions throughout the guesthouse. At Cedar Hollow, the magic is real.

The woodlands is a beautiful Oak woodland and there are jacuzzis for each rental, a woodland sauna and various Narnia inspired carvings - Mr Tumnus, the Beavers den and more...

​We have a private tennis court and indoor swimming pool available that our volunteers are welcome to use when the guests are not using them.

There is also a private jacuzzi just for the volunteers!

The volunteer(s) are part of the family. We have weekly takeaway and game or movie nights where we play board games or watch a movie all together around pizza takeaway :-) These are completely optional for the volunteers but a great opportunity to feel like part of the family. On a day to day basis, the volunteers will work closely with the cleaning staff mostly - Joanna and Pauline - as well as Alex our handyman and resident artist/sculptor. We typically have 4-5 volunteers who join us from all over the world. We've had volunteers from Canada, from the US, from Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Guatemala, Columbia, Italy, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Netherlands, Lithuania, Australia - and counting :-) The volunteer will be given a rota at the beginning of each week. Expected working hours will be 25 hrs per week. Saturdays & Sundays tend to be work days. We try to be flexible with days off and each volunteer gets 3 days off per week. If the schedule accommodates, we try our best to make them consecutive.

Top Host
This host receives a lot of worldpackers and has a high average rating.

Reviews

5.0
(30 reviews)30

Staff & Host

5.0

Hours & Tasks

5.0

Hostel

5.0

Learning & Fun

5.0

United States

5

I highly recommend The Oaks for anyone seeking a unique and fulfilling volunteer experience. The people are warm and kind. Communication is easy. The volunteer accommodation is comfortable. The property itself is beautiful, surrounded by nature but close enough to public transport that traveling into Oxford’s city centre was never really hard. Above all, the work felt meaningful. Guests in the rentals come here for a magical escape, and it was really cool to be a part of making that happen. I think it’s a very special place and I’m so grateful for the time I got to spend here. ❤️🌳✨

11 days ago

United States

5

I loved my time at The Oaks and would absolutely do it again. The property is even more beautiful than the photos, and with so many amenities it felt like I was a guest sometimes instead of a volunteer. The agreed-upon hours were always respected, and Yaz was communicative, flexible, and genuinely welcoming.

The location is a bit of a walk from the city center, but there’s a bus stop about 15 mins away walking with a 25ish-min ride into town. Also, Yaz often invited us to share meals, which I really enjoyed. Be sure to ask him to show you a few of his magic tricks while you’re around!

23 days ago

Mexico

5

I couldn't be more grateful for this experience
Yaz and the team are amazing and make you feel welcome from day 1. The work is easy, the location is great because you can connect with nature, but the best part wasn't the work, or the house, or the facilities, but the people!
Yaz and his family create a very friendly atmosphere, spending time with us and making us feel like part of the family. I also had a personal situation and they were very supportive and I felt very backed up. Joanna and Pauline are really fun and teach us with kindness.Thank you Yaz and The Oaks team for this experience!<3

23 days ago

Italy

5

Volunteering at The Oaks in Oxford has been such a special experience! From the very first day, I felt welcomed and part of a real community and made friends for a lifetime!

Yaz and Noemi were wonderful throughout my stay - always kind, supportive, and making sure everything ran smoothly.

I’m really grateful for my time at The Oaks :)

4 months ago

Germany

5

My stay at The Oaks was a truly wonderful experience! Yaz and his family are incredibly generous and welcomed me with open arms. All the staff at The Oaks were super friendly and always willing to help. The volunteer house was fantastic, we were provided with everything we needed and more! The work itself was very varied and engaging. Besides cleaning, we got to interact with the guests, make chocolate or cook jam. I learned so much during my time here, I even had the chance to help extract honey from their very own beehives! Above all, I made truly meaningful friendships here. Thank you! ✨💛

4 months ago


Perfect for you if you're looking for

Contact with nature

Contact with animals

City & Town

Yoga / Meditation

Wilderness

Family