Words: Izzie Price
Sunshine and palm trees are great – but there really is no place like home, is there? And, while we love a jet-setting break, you’d have a hard time beating fresh British spring air, lush green rolling hills and some good, muddy walks, especially after a winter that’s felt like an eternity.
We know that, over the past few years, we’ve all spent suffice time within the walls of our home. So, for the upcoming spring bank holidays, we’ve rounded up a fine selection of exceptional getaway properties across the UK, ideal for whether you want to traipse through the woods, drink in that salty sea air, marvel at those panoramic views, or, simply, wish to lounge away the days in the comforts of a high-thread-count bed.
Sheepscombe House, Cotswolds
Nowhere quite has that symbolical English charm than the Cotswolds, as is evidenced as Sheepscombe House. A ‘petite’ Georgian manor property with enough room for 10, it sits in discreet splendour among the heart of a lush green valley that has the promise of superlative country views and brisk, easy-weekend walks.
And guests sure won’t be short of activities from which to choose. For those seeking to remedy the pollution and noise of city life, Sheepscombe House comes with its own all-weather tennis court and heated outdoor pool. However, if you prefer to stay warm and cosy indoors (it is England, after all), there’s a built-in cinema room so you can catch up on those Scorsese flicks you’ve been meaning to watch, as well as a double drawing room perfect for holing up and tackling that pile of books that’s accumulated on your bedside table.
Heckfield Place, Heckfield
You wouldn’t know that Heckfield Place is mere miles from the M3 and M4 motorways. It’s an English country escape of the highest order — one which feels so rural and remote that your cares aren’t even allowed up the snaking woodland drive.
Inside the Georgian pile, which sits at the centre of a 400-acre estate, you’ll find a glamorous screening room, Skye Gyngell on hand as culinary director and a raft of original fireplaces, fixtures and fittings. You can swim in the lake, indulge in The Little Bothy spa — and there are chauffeur-driven Land Rovers to help you explore the grounds.
Serpentine, Cornwall
Now moving on to a seafaring theme, Serpentine, in south Cornwall, offers eight guests panoramic sea views that seem to have been lifted from a travel zine. This sleek, eco-friendly property is an architecture enthusiast’s dream, comprising a wildflower grass roof, exposed brick and glass walls, all of which are ingredients that form a structure of modern minimalism.
Swimming trunks are compulsory — Serpentine is a mere footpath away from Finnygook Beach and Hoodny Cove. And the draws of the property continue well after the sun goes down, with a walk-in rainfall shower to wash all that sand away, and a sweeping terrace on which you can break open that bottle of Nyetimber that’s been chilling in the fridge all day.
Atelier Rose, Herefordshire
In a pocket of rural English countryside not far from the Welsh border is this period property. Atelier Rose is replete with character, seemingly both worn-in and sleek at the same time, and, as the name suggests, it’s surrounded by something of a gardener’s paradise in which guests will find an abundance of fruit and olive trees.
The verdant theme continues indoors, with a lush green orangery that comes complete with a one-tonne William Holland spa bath made of tin and crafted to erase all your pent-up new-year stress. The interiors feature murano-glass chandeliers, luxurious four-poster beds (enough for 12 guests) and a forest of exposed wooden beams.
Rhapsody, Surrey
If you’ve noticed the name, you’ve probably clocked it for the correct reason: Queen did indeed play a charity ball here in the 1990s. But this Tudor country house can offer 12 guests more than echoes of rock ‘n’ roll: with 20 acres of Tuscany-style grounds, Rhapsody is no pedestrian property.
There is, quite bizarrely, a floating glass reading roof that cantilevers over a crayfish pond. There is also a private yoga studio set among the trees, a Moroccan pool house and a heated outdoor pool. And the interior perfectly blends the traditional with the contemporary, creating a mix of wooden beams, polished darkwood fixtures, and breezy whitewashed spaces.
Head Gardener’s House at Floors Castle, Kelso
Dating back to 1815 and recently restored by the Duchess of Roxburghe, the Head Gardener’s House is positioned within the walled garden of Floors Castle and is the paragon of off-duty country living, with premium finishes by Osborne & Little, Lewis & Wood and Romo, all of which add a vibrant, characterful spirit to the fit-out.
Scotland is famous for its worldly walks – and, here, strolling across the park grounds and on the banks of the River Tweed make for a fine afternoon. That’s if you even make it out of your room; the large expanses of beds simply call out for your occupancy.
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