The best holiday homes to rent in the UK
All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Home-grown takeovers have evolved in recent decades from cutesy cottages with lots of pine to remote shepherd’s huts and converted windmills. Now, they are even sharper and smarter with more design swagger.
England's South West has been leading the way with stylish new UK holiday homes to rent. While some of these take the form of shiny new abodes with glass frontages and sweeping sea views, others are passion projects from second- or third-generation owners, given a new lease of life to attract half-term broods and their floppy-eared friends. With the area's food scene catapulting back into the limelight in recent years, many travel this way to combine a sub-tropical climate with seafood feasts – best walked off along stretches of unspoilt coastline.
Further north, Norfolk is never a bad idea. Commit to an autumn escape, and you know what you're in for: cosy cottages with fireplaces and open-plan spaces perfect for convivial dining once the inevitable drizzle gets too much. Further up still, Scotland awaits with wild landscapes and deer spotting opportunities through the windows of chocolate-box village stays.
Whether it's wintertime wildlife spotting, midsummer beach sessions or just a family reunion that requires little more than a stroll to the nearby countryside pub, these are the best holiday homes to rent in the UK.
Take a look at more places to stay in the UK:
- Best holiday cottages in the UK
- Best holiday cottages in Cornwall
- Best holiday cottages in the Lake District
- Best cottages to rent in the Cotswolds
This gallery has been updated with new recommendations since its original publish date.
Lucy CooperBlackwood, Norfolk
I’m a big believer in enjoying all the UK has to offer. Sure, I enjoy Greece as much as the next person, but I love exploring the corners near and far of our green and grey isle. It makes me feel connected to my new(ish) home, furthering my understanding of it in a more tangible (and intangible) way. I’d never been to Norfolk, let alone North Norfolk, and had an inkling I’d fall in love with this part of the country, so I hunted for a home to build a family holiday around.
Enter Blackwood, a family-owned homestay that evokes visions of a Scandinavian summer house. Daniel and Sarah Morton completely reimagined the house, specifically Sarah, who created a home out of a two-story garage block. And boy, oh, boy, did they succeed. Blackwood is snuggled in the heart of the woodland that meanders down to the North Norfolk Coast. We pull up to a surprisingly dainty metal ‘Blackwood’ sign, letting us know we’ve arrived in the right place. I feel like I’ve entered a fairy glen – the house sits among a clearing dotted with snowdrops. I walk down the gravel path, excited to find myself in the warmth that Blackwood emits. I reach the door, admiring the beautiful texture that the Japanese treatment – shou sugi ban – imparts to the wooden exterior before being welcomed by the oasis that is the interior of Blackwood.
Considered is the word that comes to mind when I think of Blackwood. There is a clear homage to California-style, or better yet, a chic adobe home set in Joshua Tree. Earthy tones and layered textures create a true sense of homeliness, and thoughtfully chosen woven artworks perfectly complement the warm woods, while curved corners soften the micro cement flooring. There are three bedrooms; one sits on the first floor, while the larger two are on the first floor with en-suite bathrooms. Each room’s windows frame the natural surroundings, creating a seamless indoor and outdoor connection. Jute and patterned rugs line the floors, while sumptuous linen bedding creates a soft contrast as light pours through the many windows. We gravitated towards the living room, where a plush couch can comfortably seat at least four people, making it the perfect place for winding conversations with a glass of wine.
North Norfolk spoils you with its natural beauty. It’s not called big sky country for nothing – the blue skies and starry nights are unwavering on a clear day. You can easily explore the National Trust woodland and heath from West Runton Beach, not to mention a mere 30-minute drive from the famed higgledy-piggledy seaside town of Wells Next The Sea. Book yourself for dinner at The Gunton Arms – perfect after a long day of discovering Norfolk, before heading back to Blackwood to stargaze while sitting next to the fire pit. Amber Port
Sleeps: 6 + 1 cot
Address: Camp Ln, West Runton, Cromer NR27 9ND
Price: From £425 per night
St Clements, Hastings
If Hastings isn’t on your radar then now’s the time to add it to the UK staycation list. Just an hour and a half’s drive from London on the coast of East Sussex, it holds all the charm of a seaside spot (think hot chips wrapped in paper, quirky independent boutiques, artisan coffee shops and the flashing lights of a retro arcade on the seafront). Just up the hill from the shore is Kip Hideaways' property St Clements. The red-brick building sleeps up to 12 + 2 cots across 6 rooms, two of which are in the lower ground floor apartment – a separate space with its own entrance and kitchenette that still feels connected to the main house.
If you’re bringing kids, the set-up is ideal. Two of the rooms can be made into twins and in one, a full bookshelf, toys and a role-play kitchen will keep tinies entertained. Upstairs a plush orange sofa, wrought iron window frames and an integrated stone-coloured kitchen feel modern and easy. There’s enough open space that games and activities can happen in plain sight of adults, who can – if they’re anything like us – stay in earshot while enjoying a home-shaken cocktail by the breakfast bar. If you're up for a party, switch on the disco ball and make the most of the wealth of tech-savvy equipment after dark. location is a real draw here, and by day, dashing back from the sea is doable, warming chippy tea in hand.
Our tip? Definitely pack wellies, and pre-book parking. There's none on site. Sarah Leigh Bannerman
Sleeps: 12 + 2 cots
Address: St Clements, Hastings, TN34 3HJ
Price: From £407 per night
Davy PittoorsLandgate House, Rye
As the self-elected holiday planner in my family, the task to find suitable spots for weekends away often falls to me. With my dad’s 70th birthday on the horizon, I set about choosing somewhere special that could meet a long list of demands.
We needed somewhere that was child and dog-friendly, with plenty of communal space for meals indoors but within walking distance of a town or village packed with pubs and great restaurants for when we wanted to venture out. Not too far from London was an important factor, and aesthetically pleasing enough to fulfil my own Instagram-worthy criteria was a bonus. Landgate House ticked every box and more. Slap bang in the middle of historic Rye, steps from Landgate Arch (an impressive medieval gateway that leads to the town), owners Emily and Michael have worked tirelessly to transform a 700-year-old Grade II townhouse into a warm and welcoming home-from-home.
Carefully selected antiques, art and beautiful soft furnishings cover every part of this charming house, with wonky doors, low beamed ceilings and a winding wooden staircase connecting each floor. There are five bedrooms in total; three sit on the first floor (with two bathrooms), while two more rooms on the top floor connected via a third bathroom.
Although the living room on the first floor is a cosy spot (with squashy sofas covered in cushions, higgledy-piggledy pictures all over the walls and sash windows framing views of the Arch outside), the kitchen is the heart of the home. On our first evening, we gathered around the enormous wooden table to tuck into fish and chips from nearby Marino’s Fish Bar; at breakfast time the following morning, we rustled up scrambled eggs and bacon on the cooker with the sun streaming in from the garden.
When you can drag yourself away from this little sanctuary, there’s plenty to see (and eat!) in Rye. Grab a hot chocolate from Knoops and spend an afternoon pottering around the shops and meandering through the quaint alleys before settling in for a pint at one of the many pubs. For a special meal out, The Fig and The George take some beating. Sarah Allard
Sleeps: up to 9
Address: 1 Landgate, Rye TN31 7LH
Price: from £1,700 per week (weekend / shorter breaks also available)
@acalmwalkÖÖD Mirror House, Scotland
OÖD Hotel’s mirror houses bring new meaning to the term ‘quiet reflection’. So arresting are these mirror-clad cabins that you might spend more time admiring their exteriors than relaxing inside them. But if you can tear yourself away from that moving canvas of trees and clouds (and your own lovely face), the interiors are equally cool. Their floor-to-ceiling windows allow unobtrusive views of Lunan Bay and Scotland’s rugged east coast.
Comfort and immersion in nature shouldn’t be mutually exclusive concepts, say OÖD’s founders, Jaak and Andreas Tiik. Having grown up holidaying in low-lit rural cabins, the Estonian brothers decided to build big-windowed structures that bring the outside in without occupants needing to reach for their metaphorical figleaves. OÖD has selected the grounds of the Arbikie Distillery, two hours north of Edinburgh, to erect its four newest cabins, each of which contains a lounge area, shower and WC, super-comfy beds, yoga mat, and a kitchenette with just the right amenities. One house has a hot tub; the other three come with a private sauna in an adjacent unit across a wooden deck terrace where guests swaddled in bathrobes chew the fat and stare at the sea between steam sessions. It’s all intensely wholesome and relaxing.
At the back, you can wander to the field for meditative gazes at the resident highland cows. They’re not visual props – this is the Stirling family’s working farm where whisky and vodka have also been distilled from crops and wonky veg since 1794. Guests can join Arbikie’s distillery tours and enjoy tastings of their award-winning whisky, plus vodka cocktails.
There’s much to explore in the wider region, too, from the sands of beautiful Lunan Beach to Carnoustie golf course, Glamis Castle (childhood home of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother) or family-run Gordon’s Restaurant in Arbroath, which lies on an excellent Michelin Guide tasting menu by chef extraordinaire, Garry Watson. But wherever you choose to roam, you’ll have that cockle-warming assurance that comes day’s end, a bed awaits, with 180-degree views of sunsets and starry Scottish skies, accompanied by a wee dram. Noo Saro-Wiwa
Sleeps: two
Prices: from £250
The Carthouse
Penzance has long been a popular pilgrimage point for those looking for the ultimate Cornish escape – its wild landscapes, pristine beaches, harbour town and endless walking routes mean that it has everything you need for a perfect staycation. But the perfect staycation needs the perfect base – a place with a roaring fire, cosy living spaces and just the right amount of charm. Just outside the quaint town of St Buryan, take a left down a well-trodden mud path to arrive at what could possibly be Cornwall’s chicest cottage.
The Carthouse balances the rough-and-ready rustic nature of a countryside house with elegant design. Originally a barn from the 18th century, it is now converted into a two-bedroom home with pretty interiors and refined touches. The kitchen is a vast, sprawling space, with a giant marble island, thick oak beams criss-crossing the ceiling and floor-to-ceiling windows with views across the vast fields beyond. To the left, a glass-cased log burner provides a focal point for the room, signalling a shift from the bright, airy kitchen to the snuggly living room, with its low-lighting, plump cushions and fluttering linen curtains. Rattan touches and roughly hewn wood offset sleek marble design, adding to the countryside aesthetic.
The bedrooms are equally as delightful. In the main room, soothing cream-coloured walls, woven rugs and a ginormous copper bathtub create a cosy feel, while the second bedroom is all frills and pink, with a bamboo-laden four-poster bed framed by sheer pastel-hued drapes and a pop of fuschia as a sofa. The pink theme continues in the bathroom, where tiles of salmon, coral and peach create a pretty corner of the house.
Outside, a wood-fired hot tub is where you’ll warm up after a wet walk – pop open a bottle of something nice as the sun goes down, and settle in for a show as the stars come out to sparkle overhead. There’s a third bedroom inside a summer house in the garden, with its own kitchenette and shower room. Olivia Morelli
Sleeps: up to six
Price: from £890 per week
Artur TixiliskiCoombeshead Farm
For those who prioritise excellent food as much as an excellent home, this is the spot to book. Coombeshead Farm is a working farm, restaurant and guesthouse, surrounded by more than 66 acres, and home to one of the region’s best restaurants. There are rooms available to rent, but the courtyard cottage is a great option for those wanting a secluded, self-catered escape, while still having access to the farm’s bakery, shop, restaurant and communal living areas.
The house itself is pared-back cottagecore at its finest. The colour scheme is all serene creams, butters and sand – its upside-down layout means the living room and kitchen is upstairs, complete with rickety wooden tables, rocking chairs, comfy corners. There’s a third bedroom and a main bathroom with a free-standing bathtub with a skylight for stargazing. Downstairs, you’ll find the master bedroom and second bedroom, both with ensuites. Spend days strolling through the vast grounds nearby, stomping through woodland, across meadows and along the stream.
There is everything you need for a self-catered stay, but if you’d like to take an evening off, book into the farm-to-table restaurant. The restaurant’s reputation is renowned across the UK both for its carefully curated menu (featuring ingredients grown, reared and sourced onsite) and its sustainable practices. Plus, there’s a cute shop to buy homemade jams, butter and condiments, meat from the farm and other locally made treats. Olivia Morelli
Sleeps: up to six
Price: From £290 per night
David Curran for Unique HomestaysFjall, Dorset
We make our way down Dorset’s winding country roads when Fjall reveals a sliver of itself – its pink exterior contrasting against spring’s greens. We tucked our car into the small parking spot and took in the sweeping view of Charmouth and the Jurassic Coast before heading down the stairs.
We are greeted by double-height ceilings that create a vast sense of space and movement, guiding us towards the living area. The owners obviously took great pride in the design choices of this home, resulting in a comforting yet chic space for guests. Plaster pink walls and micro cement floors complement the mix of furniture ranging from antique Indian to mid-century modern. A rustic dining table and Smeg-equipped kitchen also live in the heart of this house – creating a vibrant multipurpose space perfect for hosting and enjoying a sunset dinner or curling up for a movie. And the woodburner undoubtedly lures guests to cosy up on those cooler evenings.
The pink continues into the master bedroom but with a panelled wall of forest green tucked behind the sumptuous bed. I experienced a deep sense of calm watching the sunrise from my cocoon of soft colours and sheets. The ensuite rainfall shower is delightful, while the free-standing egg bathtub is perfect for long evenings with a great book and a glass of wine. Light pours into this space from the skylight, bringing the outside in as you peek at the tree tops from the tub.
The lower level is on the other side of the house, providing a real sense of privacy. A room with bunk beds is perfect for young children, and built-in storage is filled with books and personal wall lights. The final room houses a double bed, with sliding doors onto the balcony to enjoy those endless views. The shared bathroom is also on this floor, with a rainfall shower and a window that looks out into the dense trees.
The house is a mere 15-minute drive from Lyme Regis and enjoys easy access to the Dorset and East Devon National Landscape. The Forde Abbey gardens are a must-visit, as is a jaunt on Lyme Regis Fossil Beach. Fjall is an excellent getaway for friends or a small family, whether for a winter escape or a summer staycation. Amber Port
Sleeps: up to 6 guests
Price: from £1,995 per week
Wilderness Reserve, Suffolk
Set on a sprawling 8000-acre estate in the Suffolk countryside, Wilderness Reserve has become a favourite for celebrities and the Instagram elite looking for a break from the city.
After arriving at the gatehouse we were directed along a winding road through the estate in our swanky electric BMW – the cars are a nice perk for all guests to get around the grounds and surrounding areas during your stay. We eventually rounded a corner to find our charming, terracotta thatched cottage peeping into view. One of a collection of brand new cottages to be developed on the land, you would never guess that this rustic building hadn’t been standing sentry here for many years (although the brand new subterranean hot tub on the terrace may have been a slight giveaway).
Perched on its own private lake, Yelm cottage feels totally secluded from any other properties. Marketed as a “spa cottage”, guests can also enjoy use of their own private sauna and steam rooms, perfect for warming up post-dip in the natural swimming lake – if you’re brave. With its glass-panelled frontage in the open plan kitchen and living room, Yelm manages to nail that seamless flow of indoor-outdoor living. As some early spring rays blessed us for our stay, we were able to fling open the bi-folding glass doors and bask on the wooden lakeside terrace.
As the sun began to wane, we retreated back into the living room where a huge spiralling brick fireplace takes centre stage to curl up on the sofas and warm our bones. Out of sheer, blissful holiday laziness, we opted for one of Wilderness’ private dining experiences for our evening meal. Not only were the staff charming, but the food was exceptional and whipped up without fuss in a flash of delicious smells that evoke home-cooked comfort at its best. With locally-sourced produce from Suffolk’s rich country larder, we were treated to the likes of a melt-in-the-mouth pig cheek starter, monkfish tails and a death-by-chocolate torte that had us practically licking the plates clean.
If food is not number one on your agenda, the range of experiences available for your stay have virtually every other base covered too. From clay pigeon shooting to archery, lake swimming to spa treatments and even murder mystery nights if you’re staying in a larger group.
In the morning, I drew back the thick curtains of the downstairs master bedroom to the most peaceful view over the water, the private rowing boat bobbing away in the wind. Having nestled back into bed with a fresh coffee to enjoy the sights, I’m left ruminating that if anywhere is to make the case for the great British staycation, this might just be it. Lucy Bruton
Sleeps: 4
Price: Yelm Cottage starts from £796 per night
Matt HeritagePacket House, Falmouth
The anticipation upon arriving in Falmouth is palpable. The promise of spring is on the horizon, and we’re antsy to celebrate the shift in temperature and mood with a holiday in Cornwall. We make our way up the pedestrian path, and Packet House comes into view as we near the end of a row of homes. Verdant greens and pink camellias pop next to the white exterior, welcoming us inside to start our stay.
The house is set over four floors, with three ensuite bedrooms, two sitting rooms and an incredible kitchen-dining room. Packet House is an 1820s masterpiece, built for Captain Clotworthy, master of one of the famous Packet ships sailing out of Falmouth harbour. The owners renovated the home impeccably, preserving the original features while ensuring every modern comfort for guests.
The space is perfect for families and friends or for a special occasion for couples. It’s clear that every detail was chosen with the utmost care and attention (think country-house chic), creating a warm and comfortable atmosphere. The downstairs area is the heart of the home and ideal for gathering with friends and family. Two adjoined sitting rooms offer views of the sea and garden, sumptuous couches and a fireplace for cosy winter evenings. The kitchen is what dreams are made of, equipped with a Lacanche range cooker, zinc worktops and a garden view. We gathered there nightly to cook delicious meals shared around the six-person dining table. My favourite feature had to be the original oven, a beautiful period piece that acts as the focal point for the dining area.
The two upper levels consist of three stunning bedrooms. The master bedroom is on the first floor – a luxurious super king bed, wooden flooring, and Georgian-painted panelling framing panoramic views of the harbour. The ensuite is generous with a vintage roll-top bath and a separate shower. I spent several evenings reading my book while soaking in the tub. The second bedroom is on the top floor, boasting even better sea views and another fabulous free-standing bath. The final bedroom is a charming room overlooking the abundant garden and summer house. Guests can also choose a zip-and-link double bed or twin bed, adding extra flexibility for families.
The house is only a short walk from town, so you can enjoy the independent shops, restaurants and cheerful pubs. I’d recommend Restaurant MINE for a delicious meal and a drink at The Oddfellow Arms for a proper pub vibe. Packet House is undoubtedly the best way to welcome the change of season and is the perfect stay for every season, for that matter. Amber Port
Sleeps: 6 + cot
Price: From £1,450 for a long weekend or mid-week break
Blakemore Farm, The Cotswolds
It’s easy to miss Blakemore Farm, as we found out first-hand. A sharp left off of a broad country lane onto a tighter, winding stretch, the imposing country home comes into view among rolling hills and farmland that stretches beyond the horizon. The grounds are gargantuan, and excitement builds on the slow rumble along the gravel road towards the stately property’s entrance. Inside, eyes dart towards the grand piano nestled below the staircase – more specifically, the framed pictures perched on it. This is not just a beautiful house, it’s an impeccably kept home. Jill, au pair and house warden, explains the family in the frames are in more tropical climes. Over the weekend, signs of life appear in the form of personal touches; utensil draws in the kitchen evoke treasured memories of baking on drizzly autumn afternoons with grandparents.
Blakemore Farm isn’t for rowdy groups or minimalist devotees but is perfect for families partnering up for long walks and cosy nights, feet up beside the roaring fire. The property is managed by Luxury Cotswolds Rentals, a group that taps into the region’s most tasteful and opulent properties. Booking confirmations come with access to an app highlighting local attractions, property specs and local deals, plus the expertise of Nigel, Maria and their team. Blakemore sleeps 14 across seven bedrooms – some rooms are out of bounds, but there’s more than enough space to go around. Even the child’s room, decked in Ralph Lauren wallpaper, houses a king-size bed. The master bedroom’s main draw is the bathroom – rolltop bath standing proudly by the window, a marbled oasis scented by Aesop toiletries.
As beautiful as the rooms are, this home is designed for valuable time in communal areas. The lounge to the right of the front door could be a private members’ lounge in Mayfair; bulky curtains, Alexander McQueen coffee table books, plush cushion-littered sofas in mustard, scarlet, and vibrant blue. There’s a game room stocked with board games and consoles, leaving adults free to bake, barbeque, and binge-watch TV shows while swirling tipples of choice between the open-plan kitchen and living room. Come summer, Blakemore Farm provides the indoor-outdoor living arrangements many can only dream of, French doors pulled back to reveal the swimming pool, pool house, outdoor dining area and tennis courts beyond. Connor Sturges
Sleeps: 14
Price: From £15,000 per week
Holly FarrierStone Cottage, Stow-on-the-Wold
As we drive the two hours from London to Stow-on-the-Wold one November weekend, I have two things on my agenda: finding a spot that’s both quiet enough to spend Bonfire Night with our nervous dog and relaxing enough to feel like we’ve had a proper break away from the city in just 48 hours. Bonus if it happens to look like it’s straight from The Holiday. I scroll through the photos on my phone again: exposed brick and beamed ceilings: check. Squashy sofas covered in pillows and throws facing a log burner: check. Country-style kitchen complete with aga and smooth flagstone floors: check. There’s even a shrubbery-filled archway leading through a swinging wooden gate to the sage-green front door.
The ground floor is warm and welcoming – all neutral, earthy tones with pops of terracotta and dusty pinks. Upstairs there are two light and airy bedrooms – both with cloud-like beds and plenty of space to store your clothes for the weekend – and between them, a more than adequate bathroom complete with tub. In the summer, the courtyard at the front of the cottage would make the perfect sun trap to sit and eat breakfast while you plan your day of pottering around Stow.
Don’t expect your standard hamper of milk and eggs on arrival – a bag full of goodies awaits us from nearby Daylesford Farm complete with milk, crusty sourdough and salty, deep yellow butter. We’re slap bang in the middle of quaint Stow-on-the-Wold, so when the provisions run out, it’s only a five-minute meander around the corner to restock. Except you’d be forgiven for quickly forgetting you were only out to get the necessities – we return with trinkets from Sam Wilson Studio, homemade fudge from Roly’s and, perhaps the jewel in Stow’s crown, dinner from D'Ambrosi. If you can prise yourself away from the sofa, there’s plenty to explore further afield, too – a walk through the country lanes surrounding the nearby village of Broadwell before lunch at The Fox Inn is a very good way to spend a Sunday. The dog is bright-eyed and bushy-tailed after his weekend of R&R at Stone Cottage, and so are we. Sarah Allard
Sleeps: 4
Price: £630 for a three-night stay
Studio FuseThe Water Shed, West Sussex
A handsome three-level, pitch-roofed house, clad in knapped flint and silvery Siberian larch, flows via a glass bridge into a single-storey kitchen where rattan basket lampshades sway above a polished concrete floor that melts into a natural, iris-fringed swimming pond. This could be coastal California rather than rural West Sussex. However, it wasn’t always so scenic. A leap of faith seven years ago led architect Dan Rowland and his interiors whizz wife Nina, who together head up sustainable, biodiversity-focused design practice Studio Fuse, to trade Notting Hill for one-and-a-half swampy acres in Bosham. Their four-year journey was documented on Grand Designs – the dream was a built-from-scratch five-bedroom home where nature and human connection could thrive. While the shimmering, turquoise pond takes centre stage, with its concrete stepping stones and lily pads for dancing dragonflies and swooping swallows, there is so much more. “The slower you go, the more you see,” is one of Dan’s favourite expressions.
A Venetian plaster-wrapped staircase reminiscent of a split DNA strand leads to two floors with floating balconies. Seashell-like Devol porcelain lighting and sheepskin rugs bring a grown-up Scandinavian allure to the bedrooms, and a whimsical treehouse bed, trampoline and tennis court wow the children. There’s a triple-height central space, oriented to maximise passive heating and cooling, and ground source heat pumps and solar energy ensure that this nearly net-zero hideaway is just about as good for the environment as it is for the soul. West Wittering’s sands are a short drive away, but there’s a magnetic pull to stay at home, with the prospect of wood-fired hot tubs and feasting by the wisteria-framed fire pit at sundown, when the house glows apricot. Ianthe Butt
Sleeps: 10
Price: Two-night weekend stays from £3,600, weeks from £8,000
Unique HomestaysOrpheus, Suffolk
Orpheus was already a classic Georgian gem blessed with soaring sashes and cool flagstone floors when owners Steven and Evin Hancock – the latter an interior designer – got their hands on it. From the listed beauty of the house, gently sloping lawns segue into meadows ensconced in northeast Suffolk’s Sotterley Estate. Over these past two and a half years, the couple’s meticulous restoration has embellished the warren of rooms with decorative plasterwork, plush velvet curtains and 18th-century wall hangings. There are crystal chandeliers sourced from Sotheby’s and bespoke designs from wallpaper supremo Adam Ellis, including a sweeping pastoral complete with swooping birds of prey that graces the curving walls of the main hall. The overall effect is of grand opulence, with cool Georgian meeting frothy Rococo.
All of this is combined with state-of-the-art tech so that the entire house can seemingly be run from an iPad. On the top floor, there’s a deeply cosseting cinema with a Dolby Atmos sound system, as well as a gym and spa with a sauna, steam room and loungers that offer far-reaching vistas of the rolling Suffolk landscape. The seven bedrooms include a sumptuous master with double-aspect views; the exquisite four-poster one has an in-room bath. From here, it’s only 15 minutes to the heritage coast at Southwold or Covehithe, with its sandy beaches, but it’s tempting to hunker down and survey the estate from a palatial Catchpole & Rye roll-top bath to the distant bleating of the local flock. Clare Coulson
Sleeps: 14
Price: Short breaks from £11,250, weeks from £14,995
The September ChroniclesArc Painswick, Gloucestershire
At first glance, the south Cotswolds village of Painswick doesn’t look like the sort of place in which Kpop number ones are written. None of that Tin Pan Alley clatter or Laurel Canyon haze; rather, alpacas chewing cud in a meadow and the distinctive throng of busby shaped yew trees in the churchyard, some conjoined over the centuries (there are 99 in all – legend has it that if a 100th joins them, the devil will appear). But Tom Leahy founded the architectled Arc in 2022 with the intention of creating large social spaces for sharing ideas, and his Cotswolds debut – once a wool merchant’s house – is proving a hit with singersongwriters. It was previously a B&B, and Leahy took out all the bricolage and stud walls, creating an internal courtyard around which the many spaces and bedrooms revolve.
One steel counter runs the entire length of the kitchen; a single oak was used to create much of the furniture, including Pawson-inspired sofas, and there’s a pleasingly stripped-back sense of raw woodiness throughout. “As architects, we’re more interested than others in honesty,” says Leahy. “Showing what’s old and what’s new.” The space doubles as a gallery – during my stay, displaying woven wall hangings – and a concierge service draws in local talent, from a Japanese supper club to pottery workshops (I’d like to think that the Arctic Monkeys, who stayed recently, took advantage of the alpaca afternoon tea). A second Arc opened near Padstow; others are set to follow over the next couple of years in the Lake District and Suffolk. Rick Jordan
Sleeps: 24
Price: From £850 per night (minimum three-night stay)
Kristin PeresKin House, Wiltshire
Back in the Edwardian era, if you wanted to zhuzh up your manor house so that bright young things would park their Bentleys outside, you’d give Edwin Lutyens a call. His designs – notably Munstead Wood for formidable horticulturist Gertrude Jekyll – were architectural sonnets of classical and Arts and Crafts elegance, so he’d doubtless approve of this whimsical reboot of a Grade IIlisted farmhouse amid the Wiltshire wolds. There’s barely a modernist bone in its body; instead, design team Barlow & Barlow had fun riffing on the scalloped stone shell above the entrance (along with the pineapple, a favour ite Georgian motif), covering bathtubs in Fermoie’s Shell Grotto fabric, sourcing vintage seaside prints and inviting decorative artist Mel Campion to conjure a shell grotto: a pinky pearly haze of mantle scallop and abalone shells.
Other points of interest include the oak leaf chandelier in the double height dining room, the tortoiseshell finish on the cocktail bar and the octagonal wooden frame repurposed as a cloaked changing room (not to mention the barber’s den in the eaves and a boudoirish hair salon). But the main achievement has been drawing out the house’s character after decades of neglect, showcasing original panels, crumbling fireplaces, higgledy-piggledy staircases and that beautiful Cotswold stone. Conceived as a hotel-like private property, complete with concierge and staff, this is a house party extraordinaire – just the place for wandering across the lawn in your best harlequin outfit. Rick Jordan
Sleeps: 24
Price: From £10,000 per night dry hire
Lower Well Farmhouse, Sandridge Barton, Devon
It takes a few moments after turning off the narrow country road and into the sprawling Sandridge Barton estate – fields seemingly stretching for miles – before Lower Well Farmhouse comes into view, washed in the softest of pinks with ivy perfectly framing the windows and door. With the heavy scent of lavender and gentle buzz of some very busy bees filling the air it’s hard not to feel instantly relaxed (and that’s before you’ve sampled the jewel in this spot’s crown… Lower Well Farmhouse just so happens to be slap bang in the middle of an award-winning winery, with orchards and vineyard a stone’s throw away).
Resident wine buffs Laura and Tom have taken the traditional farmhouse and created a comfortable and spacious four-bedroom holiday home, with fresh, modern decor (think sage greens and inky blues) and rustic touches throughout. The living spaces downstairs are ideal for big groups – the stone-floored kitchen boasts a ginormous wooden dining table perfect for gathering around at breakfast time, while the adjoining living room is a cosy spot complete with squashy sofas and a wood burner. If the weather is kind, an evening spent out back in the south-facing courtyard – sipping wine as the BBQ smoke swirls in the corner – is well worth planning.
Upstairs, huge beds, the kind of carpet your feet really sink into and, if you’re lucky enough to nab the master bedroom, a deep freestanding bathtub creates the levels of comfort that make it hard to venture too far. Not that you need to, with the winery, shop and Circa – the estate’s farm-to-table restaurant – right next door. Circa is a real highlight of our stay – we tuck into small plates of wild sea bass ceviche with gooseberry and mint, tender beef shin croquettes with black garlic and chicken cooked in a delicate lemon verbena broth, with buttery new potatoes and chewy sourdough on the side.
For any leg-stretching needs, there are acres of vineyards to wander with four-legged folk in tow (well-behaved dogs are welcome here!), while exploring nearby Stoke Gabriel’s pubs and River Shack restaurant is a very lovely way to spend an afternoon. Sarah Allard
Sleeps: 8
Price: from £278 per night
HaarkonSpinks Nest Cottage, Norfolk
The term spink is East Anglian vernacular for the common chaffinch. In the sleepy village of Hunworth, a historic spot deep in the Glaven Valley that’s listed in the Domesday Book, is a completely charming, bird-size hideout named after that rusty-red species. Owners Ana Perez and Alan Flett have transformed this one-bedroom dwelling into a bold space inspired by the marshes of nearby Cley next the Sea and Blakeney. Layers of original flint were revealed during the restoration process and are now celebrated inside and out; the glossy tobacco browns and electric fern greens of the paintwork and furniture are not too dissimilar to the mallards found beside the chalk stream that runs through town. A retro zinc countertop keeps it cool in the kitchen, where still-warm sourdough from nearby Siding bakery appears in the mornings among the enamel teapots and earthenware. Vintage fabrics feature strongly, with gorgeous Morris & Co curtains in the living room and thick tweed-covered chairs beside the log burner, while the bathroom with its sunken micro-cement bath is the most contemporary part of the place. Collectables and fine details add layers of interest everywhere: look out for the salvaged-elm shelves, delftware by artist Paul Bommer and delicate leaves etched into the locally made floor tiles. This tiny nook has just enough room for an out-of-town couple (plus dog) to hunker down, and plenty of quirkiness to make it really stand out under North Norfolk’s vast skies. By Katharine Sohn
Address: Spinks Nest Cottage, King St, Hunworth, Melton Constable NR24 2EH
Price: from £220 a night (sleeps two)
Old Rectory, Northamptonshire
Best for: a regal English stay
Owner Sarah gave us the most friendly, vivacious and detailed tour we’ve ever experienced from any host or indeed hotel manager, making us feel incredibly welcome and a little extra excited about our stay – there was a hamper and bouquet upon arrival to boot. Unlike many anonymous rentals, here the walls are proudly teeming with family photos, artefacts and unusual keepsakes (note the crocodile in the downstairs loo and other actual taxidermy), making it feel more like a warm, loving home, packed with personality.
That said, it’s always been a very sociable, open-door-policy kind of home, with a grand dining room made for indulgent supper parties, complementing the relaxed dining space next to the working Aga in the notably well-stocked classic countryside kitchen. There ’s also an outdoor pool available in the warmer months and a large al-fresco dining area, as well as a self-contained external games room ideal for those all-night pitch and putts or table tennis matches to the death. The decor is classically English and elegant, almost regal, especially in the flagship drawing-room, with plenty of patterns upon patterns, open fireplaces and deep, lush carpets. The linens and towels deserve special mention for being wonderfully high quality, and several of our party noted that the house’s main shower was the best they’d ever experienced ‘in their lives’, while the bath in the master’s ensuite was the fastest-filling we’d ever witnessed. Game-changing stuff.
The attractive Georgian renovated rectory is set on 10 acres of land with roaming bantam chickens and what was described as a ‘pond’ by the owner in a rather major understatement and is actually a lake, plus a lawn flat enough for croquet come summer, wooded areas and manicured shrubbery – and a very sweet den within a tree perfect for excitable children (or adults) to discover. Should you wish to explore further, you’re 10 minutes from Silverstone or 20 from the stately home and gardens of Canons Abbey, can charter a local canal boat with Stoke Bruerne Canal Boats, or wander beyond the little village of Maidford itself to traditional pubs The Old Red Lion or Bartholomew Arms, both a two-mile stomp away. By Becky Lucas
Sleeps: 12
Price: from £1,791 per night
Abbie MelleCotswold Farm Hideaway
The antiques honeypot of Tetbury is a 20-minute drive away, but the Swiss owners of these three quirky cottages have gone for a more eclectic look. The restrained edit of contemporary and vintage furniture would look more at home in a tall Islington townhouse along with its sustainable lime plaster walls and tourmaline-green tiles. The main farmhouse and its accompanying outbuildings, previously owned by an artist, are huddled together down a private lane in the cusp of the valley where llamas roam. It’s cut-off and quiet. North Country sheep speckle the hills. The biggest cottage, Whitehall, has a pitched roof and original details. This is a farm, so a large boot room makes a no-stress entrance for muddy wellies. Piles of logs and kindling already laid in the inglenook fireplace keep things toasty. Just-laid duck eggs, freshly baked bread and a bowl of lemons are left as a welcome.
Take Whitehall together with Willow, the smallest, which, with its mezzanine bedroom and baby football table, is good for the overflow; together, they sleep eight. And high-ceilinged Winterspring, previously the artist’s studio, sleeps four. A well-written little booklet about where to go and what to do is also included. The footpaths of the Cotswold Way run past the cottages, but it’s rare to pass even a dog walker. Ever so slightly off the beaten track, this feels like a thrillingly forgotten corner of the Cotswolds. By Emma Hiley
Address: Cotswold Farm Hideaway, Gloucestershire, England, United Kingdom
Price: from £580 per night for all three cottages (minimum stay two nights), excluding cleaning fee (sleeps up to 12)
Simon BrownNorth Farm, County Durham
The stirring sister of Yorkshire, this north-east county is far less genteel yet still poetic with its lumpen fields, Jurassic waterfalls and distinctive castles. And the moment you cross the threshold of the muscular farmhouse, 15 minutes from Darlington, it’s like entering a world where a NyLon sensibility meets an understanding of true Englishness.
Owner Rita Konig is a transatlantically renowned interior designer whose childhood holidays in Scotland, years living in Manhattan and patrician London upbringing (she is Nina Campbell’s daughter) all come into play in this reimagined space. Konig artfully delivers a new-but-been-here-for-generations feel. The star of the show is the apple-green drawing room with tapestry-style rugs, ornate carved side tables and heavy, double-lined curtains.
There is surprisingly varied art (large Japanese chrysanthemum prints; fin-de-siècle oil paintings; vintage film posters) and a hearteningly American attitude to hot water – Konig wanted each guest to be able to bathe if not simultaneously, then consecutively. And there are plenty of bathrooms but no en-suites, as she believes firmly in corridor life which is indeed rather jolly – particularly since North Farm’s hallways are covered in charming, faintly old-fashioned wallpaper. The kitchen is dominated by a large scrubbed table and looks out across fields and fruit trees. It is a real take on how to live: gather around the table while the clanking of the washing up happens in the pantry, and be unbridled in getting wet and muddy knowing that there’s a gleaming boot room in which to wash off the mess, then sink into those fabulous sofas and headboard-backed beds with their scalloped linen. Amid the rugged landscape, this is an example of country life that’s utterly effortless. By Annabel Rivkin
Address: North Farm, Walworth, Darlington, DL2 2LY
Price: From £2,500 per week (sleeps 14)
ELLIOTT WHITEThree Mile Beach, Cornwall
One thing that’s immediately clear here are the global influences of owner Craig Burkinshaw, better known as head of Audley Travel, who started off his tour-operator business specialising in Central and South America. What he’s transplanted to the heather-covered dunes just behind a staggering stretch of buttery Cornish sand is the colourful exuberance of Brazil, Mexico and Costa Rica against a backdrop that would feel perfectly at home in the Hamptons. The 15 wood-clad beach houses – rainbow-hued on the outside, whitewashed on the inside – are packed with all the toys that a serial traveller might set their standards by. On the terrace, backed by rustling grasses, are a sunken hot tub and barrel sauna, and, if you wave and ask for one, a pizza oven and boxes of dough and ingredients to whip up your own. Call in the private chef Rob Michael for a hands-off feast, or be more 2021 and go seaweed foraging in the rock pools of Gwithian with local author Rachel Lambert.
Very little hasn’t been thought of, from the wetsuits and boogie boards to the better-than-at-home kitchen kit, the food truck at the top of the hill and the extensive welcome book outlining everything you need to know about the area, the best tables to book, trails to follow and surf schools to check into. The weather in this exposed spot is wild and changeable, but with St Ives’ Tate and the Barbara Hepworth studio just around the corner there’s plenty to keep busy with. Or light the Swedish log burner and grab a copy of The Salt Path from the bookshelf to remind yourself that you’re right on the South West Coast walking route but thankfully not having to sleep in a tent to experience its wonder. By Issy Von Simson
Address: Three Mile Beach, Gwithian Towans, Gwithian, Hayle TR27 5GE
Price: from £1,150 for seven nights (sleeps seven)
Westcombe, Salcombe
A short walk from the bustle of Salcombe in South Devon, set in the tranquillity of Batson Creek, is this jewel of a property. The house has been in the Eardley Morris family since the 1930s when Captain Raymond Eardley Morris and Grace Edith Thallon, acquired it. In 2021, their great-great-grandchildren took on the house and conducted an extensive restoration of the property, its gardens and boathouse. And few properties in Salcombe tick quite as many boxes as Westcombe. Its style is contemporary, classic, open and inviting. Its position, in our opinion, is the best that Salcombe has to offer; never missing out on all the fun and frivolity of the town, but without the noise and chaos that can bring. There are no sleepless nights at Westcombe.
During your stay here, the water rests right below your window as you slowly rise from your slumber, and the wild landscape unfurls around you, teaming with birds, insects, and farm life. The Boathouse is the epicentre of the entire property. It draws you in; yes, because of its position, right on top of Salcombe Estuary, but also its snug and cosy feel. There's a private boat mooring immediately outside, access to water sports downstairs from the boat storeroom, and a fully equipped bar and games room.
The seamless indoor/outdoor flow to the house is striking, and there is ample space to get lost in – sleeping up to 10, across five marble-finish ensuite bedrooms. There is a large open plan kitchen and dining for up to 10 people where light pours into the space, as well as a lounge area leading onto the south terrace, with bifold doors opening up into glorious sunshine and views across the entire estuary that can be adored all year round.
Plus, there's the small matter of the beautifully appointed 15-metre swimming pool, hot tub of dreams (strategically placed to soak up the best of the views), a fully equipped gym, and a cinema room, for those days when the weather is not up to much. Put simply; there is nothing in Salcombe quite like Westcombe. Matt Buck
Sleeps: 10
Price: Week-long stays from £5,150
Sue Vaughton PhotographyBittescombe Lodge, Somerset
During the pandemic, when the rest of us were perfecting our banana-bread recipes or organising quizzes on Zoom, Samantha Campbell-Breedon was learning how to make mirrors – painstakingly painting gold leaf onto vintage glass – and how to embroider, sewing initials onto pillowcases and hot-water bottles. The results of these newly acquired skills can be seen during a stay at another of her little lockdown projects. Along with her husband Richard, she transformed a dairy farm near Taunton into the quite remarkable Bittescombe Lodge, folded into a Somerset estate where the red deer and sheep roam. Samantha – often to be seen striding around in mustard-coloured vintage Hunters – has a background that took her from Portugal to a Chantilly hunting lodge and then to Hong Kong. It’s a narrative partly reflected in the interior design, which draws on Grand Siècle rustic scenes, heraldic crosses and family keepsakes such as an iron fireback dated 1660, but there’s also a ski-lodge cosiness, a nod to the couple’s other house in the mountains of Lech, with timber-clad walls, cushioned nooks and huggable fabrics.
Mixed in with all this is an unabashed sense of fun – Pop Art meets Louis XIV – evident in X-ray artworks of Superman and a VW van by Nick Veasey and the Jive Bunny album sleeve placed reverently on a sideboard. Two secret doors (one inside a bookcase) lead to the 10 bedrooms, each an individual design statement, ranging from a chapel-like room with high windows to one patterned in honeycomb with a terrace overlooking the ha-ha – the sort of rooms you’ll dash around trying to bagsy your favourite. In the main area, a well-stocked bar leads to a large entertaining space with a grand piano, snooker table, log fire, and wellies for everyone. Of course, the estate is there to be explored, with streams to jump and deer to stalk (for fun), while the team will rustle up clay-pigeon shooting and rifle shooting using a metal stag as a target. Later that day, under the vaulted ceiling of the former cattle stalls – now the dining room – venison, mushrooms and other produce from the farm are beautifully plated up, along with oysters from Porlock Bay. There’s a proper swimming pool, sauna and spa, and a whole barn full of activities, including the fast-growing sport of padel, a tennis-squash hybrid you’ll pick up very easily thanks to the in-house instructor. Though you may have to coax a pheasant or two off the court first.
Bittescombe is a rare UK entry in the newly launched Mandarin Oriental Exclusive Homes collection, in partnership with Stay One, the former of which advised the Campbell-Breedons throughout the design process and made sure the service is fully rounded while cheerfully personable – that man expertly mixing the pre-dinner Martinis might also be a dab hand on the polo field, while our driver gave us the inside track on village life. (“Nice to talk to people from other walks of life,” he remarked. “Makes a change from hearing about the price of sheep and fertiliser down the pub.”) This is a super-smart den on a fabulous scale, fully rooted in a surprisingly rugged Somerset landscape. Rick Jordan
Sleeps: 20
Price: from £10,440 per night (minimum two-night stay)
Viola, Glastonbury
Just a short drive from the characterful boutiques of Glastonbury, this palatial, six-bedroom house in the middle of bucolic Butleigh seems, once within, as though it could belong to another world entirely – offering those lucky enough to stay a halcyon holiday experience in utmost luxury. Ethereal in its very nature, balmier days here invite early morning laps of the heated outdoor pool, or a sunrise yoga session, followed by breakfast on one of the terraces (with a spread provided, in large part, by the generous welcome hamper, painstakingly sourced by estate manager and the property's friendly face, Sharon). Lethargic rotations of the private lake follow (storybook-style row boat provided) and sunset soaks in the sunken hot tub, complete with pea-light lit pool house, open fire and sun-kissing views back across the Mendip Hills. And though summer might envelope the house and its 11 acres of undulating gardens (complete with tennis court, ornamental fountains and greenhouse) in a golden glow, the space is meticulously well-prepped for colder climes too. Separate from the house, a converted barn houses a full bar, ping-pong table, fully-equipped gym and, the piste de resistance; two F1 racing simulators sit, encased by screens, ready to offer an exhilaratingly realistic driving experience. While inside, a crackling fire is ready-to-go within the sumptuous confines of the TV snug (though ‘snug’ perhaps undermines its larger proportions, a continual theme throughout), peppered with curiosities and a show-stopping sofa for the entire clan to curl up on.
The rest of the house too, which unfurls outward from the grand, double-height hallway, matches the same generous proportions, meaning that those staying have space to spread out not just between rooms but within rooms too. The kitchen for example, with views across all angles of the whimsical gardens, gives way to an intimate dining space, merging into a sitting area and then a light-filled orangery, the latter of which takes on a golden glow come twilight – and all without a wall between them.
Upstairs, toss a coin for the duck-egg blue master suite with its separate dressing room and giant, raised bath, each corner enjoying lofty views down over the swimming pool, lake and gardens. While distinctly-designed subsequent bedrooms are worthy in their own right too, playing with quirky wallpapers and their own unique features, from an in-room, freestanding tub to pops of pastel under varnished and vaulted oak beams.
A short meander up the tree-clad lane leads you to a tiny, unmanned farm shop, or more-aptly shed-shop, where freshly-baked baked goods, local cheeses and all manner of local chutneys, spreads and store cupboard essentials can be paid for via an honesty box in the corner. While slightly further afield, the Gothic peaks of Wells Cathedral, heady heights of Glastonbury Tor - a popular hill among walkers, topped by the roofless St Michael's Tower, a Grade I listed building - and historic market towns of Frome and Somerton, with its 17th-century architecture, can be found just a short drive away.
How a house manages to feel so elegant and graceful yet welcoming and liveable is not for us to question, ours is just to congregate round one of the (many) fire pits and wonder at how we got so lucky. Anya Meyerowitz
Sleeps: 12
Price: From £7,495 per short break
Chalet Saunton, Devon
Although Devon’s Chalet Saunton was rebuilt by owner Tim Fleming five years ago, the property he has transformed has been in his family since 1946. Not that his relatives would recognise it. Today it features six three-bedroomed apartments plus a two-bedroom penthouse and is as stark and stylishly contemporary as a New York loft or a Mayfair pied-à-terre. Inside, minimalist design meets state-of-the-art mod cons with subtle designer flourishes: the heating is underfloor, the bathrooms marble, the king-size beds are covered in white Egyptian cotton linen.
Outside, the building sits on landscaped grounds and offers guests direct access to the vast three-and-a-half-mile stretch of golden sand and the wild majesty of the Atlantic coastline below. For swimmers and surfers (whether two-legged or four, because pets are welcome), there is also an outside shower. And if you think the beach looks strangely familiar, you must be a music fan. Back in July 1987, English graphic designer Storm Thorgerson set up 700 wrought iron beds on Saunton Sands to create the artwork for Pink Floyd’s album, A Momentary Lapse Of Reason.
Also worth exploring is the nearby Braunton Burrows. Flanking the beach inland, it is one of the largest sand dune systems in the UK and a UNESCO-designated biosphere reserve. Privately owned, it covers more than 1,000 hectares and features a wide variety of animals and plant life. To explore it, take the South West Coast Path that runs directly past Chalet Saunton, walk through the nearby golf course (currently one of the top 100 18-hole courses in the country) and enjoy what is officially titled a North Devon Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Paul Henderson
Address: The Chalet, Saunton Road, Braunton EX33 1LG
Price: Apartments at Chalet Saunton start from £500 a night
Alexander CollinsAtlanta Trevone, Cornwall
Turning down an unsuspecting pass where a wooden bus stop shelters day-trippers on their way to nearby Padstow – of Rick Stein fame – guests of Atlanta Trevone are soon greeted with sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean and glimpses of silky sand once the winding slope of a road is carefully navigated.
Presided over by husband and wife duo Ash and Jessica, Atlanta Trevone is the latest collection of high-spec holiday rentals to pop up along the Cornish coast. Neatly arranged at the sea’s edge, these houses undoubtedly claim the village’s most coveted spot – and have done so since they were built in 1899 by previous generations of Jessica’s family.
This is a passion project for the couple, and it shows. Homes are exactly that, homely, with small touches designed to make that inevitable check-out all the harder. Welcome baskets are stocked with goodies including clotted cream shortbread, cake doused in an oat and maple syrup mix, and a bottle of fizz from the local Knightor Winery. While the lure of Cornwall's excellent restaurants is magnetic, nights in front of the crashing waves below (and Sky TV, should you wish) are just as magical. From the small but well-equipped kitchen, rustle up dinner and sit around the dining table before making use of the board games stacked high on the coffee table. A vintage copy of Nancy Mitford’s The Pursuit of Love was among the novellas perched on the master bedroom’s window sill in Atlanta View – the cherry on the cake for bookworms when the drizzly days postpone adventure.
If something comes to mind, look to the extensive property guide. Travelling masseuses, private chefs and babysitters all come recommended, while hours can be spent ticking off the charming shell-spotting guide during ambles along the surrounding coastal routes.
Atlanta View is perfectly spacious enough for groups of five, although the jewel in the crown is Atlanta Penthouse. Enter the second floor apartment to be greeted with uninterrupted views of the deep blue beyond the stately dining table and open-plan living space. Summer evenings can fly by on the inset balcony, while there’s no better place for some me-time than the bathroom to the left-hand side of the property; head down the stairs to find a cavernous bath, with a taps-to-ceiling window making the most of the setting. Connor Sturges
Address: Atlantic Terrace, Trevone Bay PL28 8RB
Price: From £1,200 per week (sleeps 5); short breaks from £600
Russell Hogg / ABOYNE PhotographicsThe Queen's Hut at Dunecht Estates, Aberdeenshire
If you sat a clever child down with paper and pencils and asked him or her to draw an old-fashioned log cabin beside a Scottish loch, surrounded by pines and rhododendrons, the result would almost certainly look just like the Queen’s Hut on Birsemore Loch. There is a beautiful simplicity and elemental grandeur about it, together with a hint of fairytale magic, that make it something more than the sum of its uncomplicated parts. Annie Pearson, Viscountess Cowdray, built it in the 1920s for Queen Mary, consort of King George V, halfway between Annie’s house at Dunecht and Mary’s castle at Balmoral. The two friends would meet at the hut and take tea.
The Dunecht Estate, on which it is located, is still owned by the Cowdray family today. It is best known for Dunnottar Castle, a moody clifftop ruin, and for its superb salmon beats on the River Dee. To come here for a week and do nothing but visit the castle, fish the Dee and wander around the grounds would be a perfect antidote to daily life. Within the hut’s rustic wooden walls are a well-equipped kitchen, a neat little living and dining room, a bathroom and two bedrooms, one better suited to children, the other to parents, with its deep freestanding copper bathtub by a window and transcendent views of water and trees and sky. Though thoughtfully decorated, this is not a design sensation in the manner of the nearby Fife Arms. Yet with its quirky history and magnificent setting it is not only unique but also – in some mysterious way that is difficult to articulate but easy to appreciate when you are here – enchanted. Steve King
Address: The Queen's Hut, Aboyne, AB34 5ER, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Price: from £250 a night (sleeps four)
Gemma Lewis/Wattle & DaubLittle Whispers, West Sussex
With forget-me-not-fringed lanes, weathered stone cottages and a community-run larder stocking Goodwood Dairy milk and fat asparagus spears, the village allure of go-slow Lodsworth is hard to beat. Having completed renovations on their home here, Rachel and Barney Rowe turned their attention to the adjoining two-bedroom brick-and tile-clad annex. The project resulted in Little Whispers, where Ralph Lauren rugs, oak flooring and Farrow & Ball’s Inchyra Blue and Sulking Room Pink are balanced with rustic nods of wildflower – and pheasant-feather-filled vases and antique furniture. Rachel, who formerly worked for Japan Airlines, masterminded the interiors, while Barney undertook painting and landscaping. Thoughtful touches riff on their own travel highlights – zingy welcome lemonade made to a Ballymaloe recipe, French background music and lavender sprigs conjuring a Provençal guesthouse, a Shaker kitchen packed with vintage ceramics – but there are also local connections such as a bright print of nearby stately home Petworth House. Everything is highly styled but the intent is very much for guests to settle in, thumb through the cookbooks, get the log burner going and make the most of the garden. Breakfasts on the terrace with eggs from the chicken coop are as delightful as barbecues overlooking the khaki-bronze patchwork of the South Downs. The treehouse will have kids whooping, as will tossing a ball for Tilly, the Rowes’ tail-wagging dog. Rachel and Barney are intuitive hosts who may drop round a surprise ginger cake and offer brilliant tips. As this part of West Sussex gets ever more attention, with The Pig due to open in Arundel in September, here is a natty little secret address to have to hand. By Ianthe Butt
Address: Little Whispers, Lodsworth, Petworth, West Sussex
Price: from £400 for two nights (sleeps four)
Alun Callender/Olive Chandelier by Cox LondonChapel Barn, Suffolk
Bought by the former owner of Foxtons estate agent Jon Hunt, the land at Wilderness Reserve’s Sibton Park has been steadily repurposed over the past few years. Beyond the gatehouse, and its Fifties-style glass-jar-sweet shop, there are now a number of incredibly pretty houses to rent. But the latest addition, opened in 2020, is nearby Chapel Barn Estate, at the centre of which lies this staggering sound-proofed party pad. Set on the site of a 15th-century barn, it has restored beamed ceilings and a stained-glass window commissioned to refract light along a banquet table. A quadrant of stables houses the bedrooms and three are given a floor each in a corrugated grain silo. Downstairs, off the cinema and games room, there’s a swimming pool inspired by the gold-tiled number at Hôtel de Crillon in Paris, as well as a sauna and steam room, and serious therapists on call – try the 111Skin facial for instant, impressive results. The grounds are made up of woods and lakes (lots of wild swimming and paddle-boarding), slotting neatly into the arable farmland – 100,000 new trees per year will be planted over the next decade – and on-site ecologists monitor bird and wildlife populations. Telltale signs of Hunt’s obsession with cars (remember the Foxtons Minis?) are visible as staff whizz around in Morris Minors, though guests are encouraged to hop aboard Pashley cycles to explore. The kitchen is stocked with Suffolk apple juice, Pump Street chocolate and homemade Victoria sponge, and while there’s no pub or restaurant, campfire feasts can be set up in the forest. Despite being close to the coast and delightful Aldeburgh, you’ll find little reason to leave. By Tabitha Joyce
Address: Chapel Barn, Halesworth Road, Suffolk, IP19 0EJ
Price: from £4,181 a night (sleeps up to 38)
Fran MartThe Lodge at Dun Aluinn, Perthshire
‘Aberfeldy is the centre of the universe,’ jokes Infinite Scotland guide Tim Willis halfway up nearby Kenmore Hill as the morning mist rolls away, revealing Schiehallion and Ben Lawers on the other side of Loch Tay. And he has a point: it is at the heart of Scotland, meaning almost everywhere else, from the Cairngorms National Park to Oban, the gateway to the isles off the west coast, is within a couple of hours’ striking distance. On the edge of town, Dun Aluinn is a grand Victorian house, refreshingly filled with design finds, including a zingy orange Patricia Urquiola sofa and a sleek Italian Art Deco drinks cabinet, rather than the usual tartan and hunting trophies. Now The Lodge has been added, a minimalist four-bedroom cedar-clad cabin tucked away in its own wildflower-filled garden. It takes a similarly light-handed Scandi-Scot approach, with muted earthy textiles set against colour-pop sinks and simple leather sling chairs draped in sheepskin throws, all framed by huge picture windows. A decked terrace is cleverly covered so that the Tay Valley panorama can be enjoyed whatever the season – there’s a rattan swing chair, picked up by owner John Burke and his architect wife Susie Whyte in Ibiza, and thick Johnstons of Elgin blankets are piled up by the back door just in case. But the real specialness here is in the deep connections that John and always-on-hand butler Alister Reid have in these parts, fixing anything from a kids’ canoeing expedition with Wee Adventures to a time-travelling Iron Age evening at the Scottish Crannog Centre. Afterwards, head back for a sensational supper whipped up by chef Chris Rowley from nearby foodie mini-empire Ballintaggart Farm as dusk casts its magic light over the scene. By Fiona Kerr
Address: The Lodge at Dun Aluinn, Alma Ave, Aberfeldy PH15 2BW
Price: from £3,500 for three nights (sleeps eight)
Helen CathcartHoneybridge Estate, West Sussex
It always makes such a difference when you stay in a house that’s been lived in and loved by the owners – there are napkins in the Welsh dresser, tea towels in abundance, board games in towering piles and, in this case, rather staggering art on the walls. Honeybridge has been a family home for more than 40 years and was recently reimagined into a fresh contemporary hideout by its owners, who are passionate collectors – guests can marvel at contemporary pieces in all mediums, offset with classic oils in the drawing room. That’s not to say this is like staying in a museum. It’s a solid, elegant, interesting place. The Edwardian building was remodelled by an enthusiast of Georgian architecture, resulting in lovely sash windows, floorboards reclaimed from the wooden ceiling of St Pancras station, alongside sculptures from Japan and Mexico, and a pool better than you’d find at most hotels. It’s a set-up that shouts out for a multi-generational gathering, with a cricket pitch, tennis court and zip wire, plus a treehouse and mini lake. There are provisions made for younger guests with high chairs and cots and a generous sense of do-make-yourself-at-home. Stash extra friends in the cottage and the barn for a full-throttle knees-up. There is an embarrassment of space, but it’s barely more than an hour out of London; the beach, the South Downs, Petworth, Cowdray and Goodwood are all an easy drive away. The views of Chanctonbury Ring from the satisfyingly square hallway are what sold it to the owners – it’s not hard to fall under the same spell. IVS
Address: Honeybridge Estate, Ashurst, West Sussex
Price: from £4,500 for three nights at the house (sleeps 12 adults and four children)
Sophie KnightThe Gallery, Suffolk
It’s a classic arrival – a winding driveway leading to a grand Regency pile deep in the English countryside, but that is not the whole story. Tucked to the side, connected by a contemporary solid-oak door, is the converted and extended outhouse, stable and barn, now reimagined as a light-flooded weekend hangout. The two-bedroom space doubles as a studio for fashion and lifestyle shoots – it’s hardly surprising that photographer Julia Bostock and Ben Burdett, owner of London’s Atlas Gallery, should have opted for such a creative set-up. Exposed-brick walls painted the brightest white are framed by wooden beams that stretch from the polished – concrete floor to the high ceilings. A huge viewing window faces the garden, which in spring is shrouded with flowers freshly dampened by the rain. You’ll likely hear birdsong in the early morning, and the smaller bedroom overlooks nothing but oak trees and sky. Large glass doors lead onto a terrace strung with fairy lights and the shared garden has a fire pit for toasting marshmallows. There are nearby coastal towns to explore, gently rolling fields to amble through and pubs stocked with local cider for a proper Suffolk immersion. But back at the house, instead of a country-cottage vibe, the feel is eclectic and global: minimalist Scandi interiors juxtaposed with curios including an old number plate from Zanzibar, cloth paintings picked up in Antigua and Indian portraits from Cochin. Just outside the little pink-tiled kitchen hangs a photograph taken in Mexico by René Burri that was previously exhibited in the Atlas Gallery. An unexpectedly offbeat hideaway with a neat balance of artistic flair and rural cosiness. By Sophie Knight
Address: The Gallery, Suffolk
Price: from £250 a night (sleeps four)
Hillside Cottage, Edington, Wiltshire
Across the road from local favourite pub and brewery The Three Daggers, Hillside Cottage, as the name suggests, is well placed with views of both the Salisbury Plain and Marlborough Downs. In prime position on said hillside are cabins concealing a sauna and steam room, along with an outdoor hot tub and icy plunge pool for dunking. There’s also a gin terrace and fire-pit for evening s’mores. This smart pad, which sleeps up to 12, is kitted out with tongue-and-groove wood panelling and William Morris wallpaper. The living room actually feels like someone’s home with bookshelves stacked with a mix of vintage reads and coffee-table titles, as well as a toasty fire for cold evenings. On a summer’s day, there are few spots as perfect for croquet than the grassy garden, plus there are sweet nooks with tables on different levels for groups not looking to be on top of each other during their stay.
When it comes to the bedrooms there’s no short straw: all are spacious, decorated with thick curtains and patterned headboards – though only one has a bath, so there may be a scramble for that on arrival. Hop across the road to the farm shop before breakfast and stock up on Priory Farm apple juice made in the village and homemade, flapjack-like granola and rhubarb compote to go with a very good flat white. The store also sells excellent doughnuts, banana bread and brownies come tea time. A lovely retreat for a gang of friends with any hosting admin removed by the pub, which has additional bedrooms should you need them and offers chef-prepared feasts delivered to the house. By Tabitha Joyce
Address: Hillside Cottage, Westbury Road, Edington, Westbury, Wiltshire, BA13 4PG
Price: from £1,500 a night (sleeps 12)
HaarkonSettle, Norfolk
Jo and John Morfoot were already kitting out reclaimed railway carriages to rent on Settle’s peaceful patch of woodland, planted by John’s family in the 1970s, when they decided they also wanted to create a secluded hideaway for their wedding night. The Lakeside Cabin is the result: a Scandinavian-style forest escape for two. The building blocks – a mix of mid-century-modern neatness with the rustic details of a snug country hut – came from John’s nearby salvage yard and the inspiration from Jo’s design background. Dedication to sustainability is evident throughout: none of the elements were new, bar the enormous sliding doors that frame the open-plan living space which looks out across a lake full of squabbling ducks. Inside, an overstuffed leather armchair sits among a bounty of happy house plants. Earthy colours match the natural materials: there’s hardly a shred of plastic, ceramics are sourced from local potters and the welcome loaf of sourdough comes wrapped in a linen tea towel.
In the wholesome little kitchen there’s enamel cookware and wooden plates that were used for the wedding. Muttering Victorian radiators, indoor and outdoor woodburners, and a freestanding bath keep colder nights cosy; for warmer days, there are wicker chairs on the lakeside veranda and a rope swing over the water. You’re unlikely to bump into any other residents, except perhaps the site’s own bees. They’re the busiest creatures here: this place is precision-tooled for slowing down and bedding in, with little phone signal, no Wi-fi or TV, and not much to do within a short driving distance. Walk, cook, read, stare into the fire – it’s private, tucked away, next-level relaxing. By Sonya Barber
Address: Settle, Larling Road, Shropham, Attleborough, Norfolk, NR17 1EA
Price: from £250 per night (sleeps two)
Rachel HoileDeer Park, Devon
This Georgian house near Honiton was run as a hotel for more than half a century before its owners changed tack. They had already begun a major revamp – adding a lofty orangery, restoring the walled kitchen garden, refreshing the bedrooms – with grown-up gatherings in mind, and now it works just as well for blow-out parties as it does for a low-key weekend with your favourite gang. Inside, cool twists lend personality to the traditional spaces: game-bird wallpaper in the midnight-blue living room; a mini art gallery of cricket-themed paintings. Outside, rolling lawns give way to wisteria-draped arches, the Italian garden, with its lavender beds and lion-head fountains, and orchards – ask to sample the cider, made on site from last year’s pickings, or the apple-and-fennel gin.
The Chauffeur’s Hideaway – named after the motor house where the classic-car collection is stored – can be set up for late-night suppers cooked over the fire pit and eaten around the huge oak table with lights strung up in the trees. For those who prefer to sleep away from the action, or for smaller groups, The Shed comes with a retro jukebox and dart board, and there’s a circular thatched treehouse for two and a three-bedroom Playhouse with a wooden deck – most magical on an early misty morning, when deer are often spotted in the distant fields. Staff can arrange fly-fishing on a stretch of the River Otter or a spin to Sidmouth in the Packard, while chefs knock up a simple steak pie or seven-course supper. No one needs lift a finger. By Emma Love
Address: Deer Park, Buckerell Village, Weston, Honiton EX14 3PG
Price: from £7,500 per night (main house only, sleeps 28)
Chris HorwoodWolterton Hall, Norfolk
A long, looping driveway through a Charles Bridgeman-designed landscape leads to this Palladian-inspired stately. When the Walpole family handed it over in 2016, after almost three centuries in residence, it was time for a facelift. It’s impossible not to be drawn in by the stories of the charismatic owners, Peter Sheppard and Keith Day. ‘This 18th-century Chinese goldfish bowl was probably used to christen Nelson,’ says Sheppard as he wanders past a chair used in Prince Charles’s investiture, which sits beneath a Chris Levine holographic portrait of the Queen. These pieces are in the crimson royal room, the damask wallpaper of which was so lusted after by Sheppard that he sourced, bought and used the last rolls ever made.
The renovation of the mansion has been a huge success – a clever mix of textiles, styles and eras has created unstuffy, liveable spaces. The main part of the house, available to settle into this summer, takes centre stage. Walpole family paintings and intricate tapestries gifted by Cardinal Fleury lord over rooms illuminated by chandeliers and antique Venetian lampposts. Sheppard and Day’s additions soften the historic edges: hot-pink Gio Ponti chairs, contemporary English roll-arm sofas, Persian rugs curiously purchased from a Dutch Buddhist monk, and a healthy dose of up-to-speed engineering. One bathroom has a hidden Champagne fridge, and there’s a rain shower which cascades from the full-height Georgian ceiling.
Of the four apartments to rent, the East Wing is the largest. Selwyn Leamy artworks line the staircase to the loft, a triple-aspect zone of tranquillity, while the other bedrooms have period furniture pieces, Howard-style chairs and Colefax and Fowler fabrics. And for privacy, the Garden House, set away from the main building, has a walled garden for summer barbecues. A heritage hit with a grounded type of grandeur – modern yet still very much fit for a duke. Paula Maynard
Address: Wolterton Hall, Wolterton Park, Norfolk, NR11 7LY
Price: From £2,630 for three nights in the East Wing (sleeps 14)
David Curran / Unique HomestaysThe Shipwreck, Cornwall
Set on the cliffside near the 17th-century fishing village of Portwrinkle, this cabin is more resurrection than ruin, entirely fashioned from wood recovered from Kodima, an actual shipwreck that sailed her last into nearby Whitsands Bay. It was crafted in the early 2000s and then bought and renovated in nine months by Plymouth couple Rob and Jo Kavanagh, inspired by their shared love of the sea, through his sailing and her childhood holidays. Now the home is a masterclass in maximising space.
A puzzle of pocket doors and loft cupboards; an old-fashioned trunk serving as a coffee table; a TV that swings between rooms; and a squeezed-in window seat for gazing out to sea. The kitchen is the beating heart of the place, while the sitting room has a prepped-to-go fire heater. There’s a custom-made Witt and Berg steel bath in the master, bunks for the children, and the shower room has a rock-pool-shaped basin, mirroring those glistening outside.
What pulls everything together, like the buttons on a sailor’s trousers, is the nautical theme. Spot illustrations of sails throughout the centuries on walls and the odd shell or message in a bottle on shelves – all without too much seaside schmaltz. Because it’s the real deal; the couple has made sure their home, which they intend to retract for their family’s sole use by 2025, is safe from whatever the elements may fling at it, as if it were a real boat. Besides, there’s just no escaping the sea here – its repetitive chorus fills your eyes, ears, lungs, bones. Watch a neon sun melt into it from the bath or bed, the slouchy sofa or bouncy wicker egg chair on the terrace. Or, on the beach itself, while feasting on all-local scones, clotted cream, raspberry jam and even Cornish wine from the weekend hamper. Becky Lucas
Address: The Shipwreck, Portwrinkle, Whitsand Bay, Cornwall
Price: From £1,450 per short break (sleeps two adults and two children)