Gara Rock
Luxury clifftop hotel, Gara Rock has the best unspoilt panoramic coastal views. You can pick from rooms, suites, apartments and cottages to stay in so whether it’s a romantic holiday for 2 or a staycation with the family, you will find the perfect base. They are so much more than just a hotel too, with a delicious restaurant and bar to unwind at, a cinema room to cosy up to and watch your favourite film, and an indulgent spa with an indoor and outdoor pool which all overlook the sea. You can walk to Salcombe along the coast path which is a lovely walk and then get a boat over to the Island. They do offer to drive you to the boat and back if you aren’t up to walking. If you are looking to escape the 9-5 and switch off, then this is the place for you.
For more information on what to do in and around Salcombe, check out my blog here.
Sopwell Spa
This luxury country house hotel set within St Albans is perfect if you are looking for a night away to indulge and pamper yourself. Sopwell Spa is nestled in 12 acres of countryside and boasts 128 rooms and suites including 16 individually designed stylish Mews Suites. There is also a 2 AA Rosette Restaurant, Brasserie, Conservatory Bar, and Cocktail Lounge meaning you will be spoilt for choice of places to eat and drink during your stay. It’s home to the UK’s first private members’ spa, Cottonmill too. It’s a vibrant haven featuring cutting-edge fitness and treatments and filled with relaxing rooms, saunas, steam rooms, and two vitality pools.
Rectory
The Rectory is a contemporary Georgian country house hotel & restaurant and is the perfect place to relax and unwind. It has 18 bedrooms that are all beautifully furnished, and 15 of the rooms are set within the main house. The remaining three rooms are in a separate cottage that is a home from home, complete with a living room, fireplace, and fabulous kitchen. They have two places to dine in, their charming onsite restaurant where you can sit within a striking glasshouse and experience classic food with a contemporary edge. Head across the road to their sister pub, The Potting Shed who champion outstanding pub food and fine ales. That’s not all though; you can enjoy a proper cocktail or glass of wine in their stylish bar or in the summer, explore their English garden and relax around their heated outdoor pool for a proper luxury escape.
Cabu
Whether you want a retreat by the sea in Kent or a holiday to the Lakes in Ireland, Cabü is the perfect place to stay. They have Scandi style cabins with simple, calming, and comfortable interiors and furnishings. All their cabins are filled with interesting books, treats, and games to make your stay more special and fun. The cabins range from studios for couples, all the way up to their three bed cabins for larger groups or families. Some are dog friendly too, so the whole family can join in on the holiday. There is an on-site shop where you can pick up provisions, treats, and other luxury items too. They provide a fabulous outside dining space named the Sitooterie which is the perfect place to socialise, dine, and even barbeque. Both locations offer a swimming pool, sauna, hot tub, and bicycles to get around.
Birch
Birch is a community of like-minded people and a place for them to live, work, and play. You can recharge for a day, a night, or even a long weekend here, and it’s a great place if you want to switch off from the 9-5 and try something a bit different. Their rooms are fairly basic but this is because they want you to mingle with other people staying there, start conversations, and try out some of their courses. The restaurant, The Zebra Riding Club, is to die for, with such beautiful designs and furnishings and a fun menu. Before you go check out their list of activities for you to try, from baking to arts and crafts and even some yoga. They also have a very sweet onsite cinema too and an incredible heated outside swimming pool, so you can spend your afternoon relaxing poolside.
Another Place
If you are looking for a tranquil escape, then look no further than Another Place in the idyllic Lake District. This relaxed Georgian hotel on the shores of Ullswater is a great place to escape. They have small cosy rooms if you want a romantic night away or why not upgrade to a suite for a real night in luxury. This is more than a hotel though, there is an elegant restaurant, bar, and terrace, a relaxed library where you can spend your day unwinding, or why not enjoy the 18 acres of National Park that the hotel sits on. The swimming pool has the most magnificent views out to the lake and mountains, and with a skylight above the pool, you can spend your day floating beneath the sky. There is also an outdoor hot tub, a sauna, and a wonderful list of treatments to treat yourself further.
Chewton Glen
This luxury 5* country estate is set in 130 acres of Hampshire countryside making it the perfect place to disconnect from the world and take some ‘me time’. This impressive hotel has a selection of wonderful rooms and suites to choose from so you can enjoy a spa break in style whether you want a room with a balcony or even stay high in the treetops in their very own luxurious treehouse. Their spa is a calming space where you can truly unwind. Spend your day relaxing in the sauna, steam room, heated outdoor pool, and outdoor hot tub. They also offer a mix of treatments from bespoke facials, a warm oil massage, or manicures so you can indulge yourself in a treatment or two.
Thyme
Nestled in the middle of the Cotswolds and surrounded by serenely grazing livestock, Thyme is a charming estate that you will never want to leave. Known as a village within a village, this lifestyle brand not only has an exquisite country house hotel but also offers its guests a cookery school, charming shops, and cosy pubs to relax in. The hotel is full of restored historic buildings and has a mixture of cosy rooms, larger suites, and walled garden cottages to stay in. Head towards their shops for a treat from sustainable homeware, a fashion boutique, and one-off antique treasures to take a snippet of the Cotswolds home with you. Finish off your night away with a delightful meal at one of their pubs for a perfect evening of sweet settings and delicious food.
Wilderness Reserve
If you are looking for luxury and a relaxing break in the countryside then the Wilderness Reserve is calling your name. It’s a collection of exclusive-use country houses, luxury farmhouses, and holiday cottages all set within a 5,000-acre private estate. There is a diverse mix of places to stay depending on who you plan to bring along with you. Check out the incredible Walled Garden which sleeps up to 16 people, the exquisite Cartshed that sleeps up to 8, or for the most romantic Tabernacle on its own island accessible only via a private rope bridge. They offer guests a range of indoor and outdoor activities, such as complimentary Pashley bicycles and rowboats all the way to private chefs and wine tasting.
Watergate Bay
Set on the most spectacular two-mile beach, Watergate Bay Hotel is the perfect destination for a staycation by the beach. With so many beautiful rooms to choose from whether you fancy a cosy snug or a whole suite, they have so many on offer and some with incredible views out to sea. They have 3 different places to eat so you can decide whether you want to unwind in an armchair in the winter or sit on the decked ocean-view terrace in summer with a cocktail. Head to Zacry’s or the Beach Hut for more formal dining. If that’s not for you, then simply laze around in their spa all day and swim in the 25-meter infinity pool, put your feet up in the outdoor hot tub, or take time out for a treatment.
