September 25, 2022 5 min read

Staycation Guide to English Countryside Gems

With so many stunning English countryside hotels across the UK, we select some of our favourites to visit as we head into the autumn season. Embracing crisp walks, wrapping up for the golden hour sun sets and indulging in some of the finest spas in the country.

 

Heckfield Place

 

Situated within 400 acres of land in Hampshire is the renovated Georgian estate of Heckfield Place. Stunning interiors combine the original features of the property with contemporary finishes, creating comfort and elegance in every angle. Bedrooms are cosy, in neutral tones and clean, minimal design, each has its own character. Complimentary minibars are restocked everyday with homemade goodies and snacks.

 
Most of the kitchen is supplied by the organic home farm, and fully certified biodynamic market garden. Michelin-starred chef Skye Gyngell runs the two restaurants on site, Marle and Hearth. Menus incorporating fresh and the seasonal produce home grown from the estate’s own farm gardens.

  

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast at Marle, full of warm pastries, hot porridge or cooked eggs. Even the onsite spa ‘Little Bothy’ uses their own natural beauty line WildSmith. Indulge in treatments, complimentary tea and cake following an afternoon stroll or try wild swimming in the estate’s lakes. With impeccable service, your experience at Heckfield Place will be floorless. A beautiful piece of English history just an hour from London.

HECKFIELD PLACE
Hampshire, RG27 0LD

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Beaverbrook

Nestled in the heart of the Surrey Hills, Beaverbrook is a quintessentially English Country House estate. A perfect stay for a celebration or to escape the city and unwind.

  
The 18 rooms are charming and sympathetically restored to Lord Beaverbrook’s era, each one named after their bygone occupants. Everything is grand within, from the spacious poster beds to bathrooms the same size as the bedroom. You cannot stay without sitting back in a luxurious bubble bath here. Windows are tall, so you can enjoy the superb views over the hill's morning and night.


A magnificent Victorian staircase winds down from a domed atrium into a grand lobby, filled with natural light which bounces off artworks and pictures full of history. You could spend hours browsing through Lord Beaverbrook’s original collection of leather-bound books in the library. Sit by a warmed log fire or enjoy a fine cocktail in Sir Frank’s Bar (we highly recommend the Beaverbrook Bloody Mary!) A favourite position of ours is to wrap up in blankets out on the terrace and feast your eyes on the endless views across the Surrey Hills and beyond. Come winter, the quaint ice rink will be set up just below and you can watch the time pass by over a warming tipple.

 
Experience exquisite fine dining at the Japanese Grill in the main house, or enjoy the romance of an English country garden at the Garden House Restaurant a short golf buggy ride away. Walk around the home grown produce in the gardens here, before sitting down in a relaxed, cosy setting for your meal.

   
With a holistic, natural approach to wellness, The Coach House Spa is a vibrant, enchanting sanctuary. With stained glass ceilings and ceramic tiled walls, the iridescent light shines throughout this colour drenched paradise. Designed to soothe the senses, enjoy a peaceful treatment or relaxed back on a lounger poolside.
The grounds are remarkable. The finely manicured estate lawns and gardens are truly special. Borrow the house wellies and explore autumn walks around the estate. You’ll even find a hidden playground for little ones amongst the forest pathways.


BEAVERBROOK
Leatherhead, Surrey, KT22 8QX

  

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The Newt Somerset

A stunning manor located peacefully amongst orchards, lakes and woodlands of Somerset, The Newt takes us back to Georgian times. The limestone buildings of the house, Hadspen and the Farmyard – the original working stable yard which has been transformed into sophisticated accommodation – restores elegant period features offset by modern furnishings and soft, muted tones throughout.

 
With 23 guest rooms across the house and farmyard, have a rustic feel, all with luxury ensuite bathrooms and wooden, cabin-like features. We highly recommend The Granary, a charming hideaway for two tucked away in the original storeroom of grain on the farm. Preserving the Georgian features with exposed stone walls, and a king-sized bed built in seamlessly to give a cosy snug.

In the main house, there are multiple nooks to lounge in. The Newt prides itself on attention to detail, combining old and new effortlessly. A Pistachio panelled drawing room captures the essence of Georgian living with wooden bookcases, marble coffee tables and opulent fireplaces to relax in front of.
The Newt has a sustainable ethos to be self-sufficient with as little waste as possible, which is evident throughout the grounds. Be whisked off on the complimentary Garden Tour, where you’ll uncover many attractions the grounds have to offer. From the Cyder Press, a Beezantium for a bit of education about bees to the farm shop fully of the homemade delicacies. Later in the day, rest your feet in the hotel bar and you’ll be treated to complimentary afternoon tea, of course, freshly homemade.

 
Most of the produce is home grown, providing for the three restaurants on site. Start your day in The Botanical Rooms with a continental breakfast made to order and experience an open kitchen with a three-course menu of seasonal plates throughout the day and night.
The Garden Café is located in a glassed-panelled building as you stroll through the gardens. With a formal menu where vegetables are the main feature. You can expect adventurous delights such as Cured Sea Trout seasoned with jalapeno, cherry tomatoes and cucumber to Courgette and Spelt Risotto with cheddar, spinach, pine nut and chilli oil.
Located in the Farmyard is the Farmyard Kitchen, a converted barn with a laidback atmosphere. The perfect spot for a sharing plate.

  
Whether visiting as a couple enjoying a spa retreat, or for an adventure as a family or group, The Newt has something for everyone.


THE NEWT SOMERSET
Hadspen, Bruton, BA7 7NG

 

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Soho Farmhouse

Neighbouring the Cotswolds villages of Chipping Norton and Great Tew, Soho Farmhouse is spread across 100 acres of Oxfordshire countryside, providing all the comforts of the English countryside.

Since the hotel is owned by the Soho House group, you’ll need a Soho House or Soho Friends membership book a room, but plan to book well ahead of time as there is often a wait, and you’ll see why…

  
Accommodation ranges from cosy cabins for two, to family friendly farm cottages. Rustic and quintessentially British, the details provide everything you’d need for a staycation away from the noise of the city. Rocking chairs, outdoor bathtubs, log fires and private terraces are just some of the essentials provided. You’ll find your room larder stocked with bread, cheese, granola, and other fresh goodies.
Possibly the cosiest room or all is in the Piglet rooms. Suitable for adults only, they are the smallest rooms on the farm, but a perfect option for an autumn getaway for two, surrounded by the glowing grounds as the leaves change colour.
Onsite there is an Electric Barn Cinema, showing the latest movies, kids' films and old classics.
The Cowshed Spa houses a heated indoor-outdoor pool on the lake and enjoya weekly timetable of health classes.


The multiple restaurants serve traditional British dishes to Japanese grill dishes at Pen Yen and Italian wood-fired pizzas at Hay Barn. The main barn is the central hub of the Farm, serving food and drink all day.
Book here and enjoy the leisurely mornings ordering breakfast in bed, and exploring the grounds, trying your hand at clay pigeon shooting, practice your serve on one of the tennis courts or take a boat out on the lake, there is so much to see and do.


SOHO FARMHOUSE,
Great Tew, Chipping Norton OX7 4JS

 

Explore our versatile wardrobe edit to take you from spa break to winter walks, a city stroll and that special dinner;

Click: Staycation - Tyde-London