Tawny, Staffordshire
On the edge of Consall Nature Park, a nature reserve containing 740 acres of woodland, heathland and moorland, sits The Tawny, a “deconstructed hotel”. This means that instead of a single roomed house, there is a collection of boathouses, cabins, and treehouses scattered across woodlands and lakes. At the top of the hill is a modern glass building, the Plumicorn restaurant and a heated outdoor pool overlooking the gardens. Stargazing sessions and night meditation are offered. Spa treatments can be booked at the on-site thatched-roof cottage.
Cottages from £240 B&B; thetawny.co.uk
Sharpham House, Devon
Sharpham House, a Grade I listed Georgian manor house originally designed by Capability Brown and surrounded by parkland overlooking the River Dart, is the place to go if you’re ready to take your quest for tranquility seriously. There are also silent retreats, mindfulness for beginners and “burnout” retreats, and all guests are treated to delicious vegetarian and vegan food, much of it grown organically in their walled gardens.
From £375 for a 3-night full board stay; sharphamtrust.org
Hampton Manor, West Midlands
Grade II listed Hampton Manor is built on extensive land once owned by Sir Robert Peel. While rooms are available in the house, a delightful “immersive” culinary experience hides in a small clearing: a row of modern booths sit next to a Michelin-starred restaurant. Another restaurant and a bakery are located within the Victorian walled garden, and guests are invited to attend weekend workshops; Make your own buttered bread or cinnamon buns. In the afternoon, there is a special one-hour vinyl concert with cake as part of the daily “house rhythm”.
Rooms from £179; hamptonmanor.com
Lake Fritton, Norfolk
In the grounds of the Somerleyton estate is the Clubhouse, formerly a pub called the Fritton Arms, now a pub/restaurant with rooms upstairs. There are a number of cottages and cottages down the road. Behind the Clubhouse, there is Lake Fritton, where water buffalo graze on one side, and an outdoor pool with open fireplaces, tennis courts, a wooden adventure playground through the trees and a floating sauna on the other side. They gave 1,000 acres of land on the Norfolk/Suffolk border to be “reverted back to nature” and deer, sheep and ponies roam freely as families explore the area on foraging safaris.
Rooms from £170; frittonlake.co.uk
Pennard Hill Farm, Somerset
After feasting among the herb gardens and twinkling lights in the farm’s 150-year-old barn, trek into the jungle to spend the night in an off-grid safari tent (sleeps six) or in the tree for an even more unforgettable experience. tent. Overlooking the Mendip hills, in the shade of ancient oak and ash trees, hangs a spherical tent and a wooden hut below it. There is a wood stove, bathroom, kitchen and outside hot shower, wood-fired pizza oven and fire pit barbecue to prepare your own breakfast.
Prices start from £130; pennardhillfarm.co.uk
Beckford Arms, Wiltshire
A country inn set in Wiltshire’s rolling parkland, The Beckford Arms offers eight bedrooms in the pub, as well as several lodges. And a short walk away is the Arch, built in 1755 to act as a grand entrance to Fonthill Manor, with two bedrooms spread over three floors connected by a stone spiral staircase. As well as wandering the estate and taking romantic walks around the local lakes, visitors are invited to try fly fishing on the chalk stream before settling in for a beer in the ivy-covered jewel of a pub.
Rooms from £119; beckfordarms.com
Forest, Ceredigion
Located right next to the Teifi River valley, next to the Teifi Marshes nature reserve and close to the stunning beaches and bays of the West Wales coast, visitors to Fforest can choose the level of luxury they require. There are bell tents, lofts and onsen domes; these include insulated cedar and zinc-clad partitions that connect directly to a geodesic dome, and outside there are Japanese-style baths with showers, sinks, and cast-concrete walk-in tubs. There is accommodation suitable for couples, families and a large house for up to 14 people; they also have their own cozy little pub on site and a cedar barrel sauna tucked away in the woods.
£360 for two nights; coldatnight.co.uk
WildLuing, Argyll
Luing Island is one of the slate islands, a group of the Inner Hebrides located 24 kilometers south of Oban. It has a population of just under 200 people, living amidst some of Scotland’s most stunning and naturally diverse waters and enjoying regular sightings of otters, seals, eagles and seagulls. Last year, local craftsmen completed a series of luxury suites for two, each resembling a small boutique hotel sheltering the bay.
Prices start from £200; wildluing.com
West Cawthorne, Yorkshire
Kip Hideaways offers a variety of rental options called the “Starry Sky” collection, with cabins and cabins located in Dark Sky Reserves that offer stargazing so spectacular it will keep you off your phone. West Cawthorne in Yorkshire consists of a pair of A-frame structures, each sleeping two people, and has outdoor baths for those who want to watch shooting stars from the bathtub.
From £110, kiphideaways.com
Coast Guard Observation Post, Kent
Isolated, elegant and peaceful, this converted tower was originally the coastguard’s radar tracking station for shipping in the Channel. Set amidst the quiet shores of Dungeness (and, spectacularly, Britain’s only desert), the property has been redesigned by interior design firm Johnson Naylor, retaining the stylish 50s original structure, including limestone floors, Scandi furniture and a wood-burning stove. The views of the sea, the endless sky and the eerie nuclear power plant add a sense of magic to the room. Visit Derek Jarman’s house and garden, try Romney Marsh’s charming pubs, or stay inside and watch the ships pass by through the panoramic windows. On a clear day you can see France.
From £300 per night for 5 people, hostunusual.com