From sumptuous seaside hotels to rustic retreats, these staycation destinations will have you rushing to pack your bags.
Sophie Farrah rounds up the best ideas for your next UK getaway, many within easy reach of Surrey and some a little further afield. If their gorgeous locations don't tempt you, their famous food and unbelievable activities certainly will!
1. St Enodoc Hotel, Cornwall
Things to do during your stay:
- Visit the in-house spa
- Learn to surf, waterski, or kayak at the local water sports centres
- Take a relaxing ride along the Camel cycle trail
The St. Enodoc Hotel is one of Cornwall's top destinations for food lovers. This relaxed, family-owned boutique spot in Rock has experienced chef Guy Owen at the helm of its new restaurant, Karrek, which serves an impressive and beautifully presented tasting menu.
Much of the produce is from the hotel's farm - a not-for-profit community enterprise in Devon - including Mangalista pork and Red Ruby Devon beef, combined with fresh local fish, oysters from Porthilly, and more. The hotel's summer BBQs served on the terrace overlooking the Camel Estuary are not missed.
Rooms from £170 | Book a reservation
2. The Pig, West Sussex
Things to do during your stay:
- Get your history fix at Arundel Castle
- Take a 30-minute drive down to the stunning Sussex coastline
- Walk or cycle around the South Downs National Park
The newest addition to The Pig's beautiful litter is high up in the rolling South Downs, four miles from Arundel. Everything revolves around the kitchen garden: expect freshly picked produce skilfully cooked and served on vintage crockery in a gorgeous, plant-filled conservatory restaurant overlooking the hotel's vineyard.
A '25-mile menu' ensures that every delicious ingredient is local, including plenty of English wine. Even the cocktails are made using botanicals foraged from the gardens! If you'd like to meet the resident pigs, ask for Mark, a friendly fount of all animal knowledge. Breakfast is a veritable feast.
Rooms from £195 | Book a reservation
3. South Lodge, West Sussex
Things to do during your stay:
- Take in the natural beauty of the Sussex countryside
- Visit the in-house spa
- Take a dip in the 'wild' swimming pool
Still, in West Sussex, country escape South Lodge, near Horsham, boasts a state-of-the-art spa and a striking 18 m' wild' swimming pool. After a few lengths, try the Spa's Med-inspired Botanica restaurant, which serves strictly seasonal ingredients on a vast outdoor terrace, complete with fire pits.
Although not vegetarian, the menu features many plant-based dishes - don't miss the 'Wasted Burger', made from the pulp of that morning's fresh juices.
Rooms from £395 | Book a reservation
4. The Tawny, Staffordshire
Things to do during your stay:
- Explore the enchanting Consall Nature Park
- Enjoy a swim in their heated outdoor swimming pool
- Unwind with a facial and a hot stone massage
Set within 70 stunning acres in Staffordshire is the newly opened hotel The Tawny, with a selection of impressive shepherd's huts, treehouses, boathouses and more.
There are three dining options, but the pièce de résistance is the impressive yet casual fine dining spot, The Plumicorn, housed in a contemporary glass-fronted building overlooking the hotel's pool and lake.
Overseen by chef Chris Alexander, the menu is a playful and creative ode to the neighbouring Peak District, using ingredients from the hotel's kitchen garden and nearby.
Rooms from £225 | Book a reservation
5. The Samling, Lake District
Things to do during your stay:
- Luxuriate amongst the breath-taking views
- Explore pristine lakes, rolling hills, and ornamental gardens
- Take part in a wine-tasting specially tailored for you
For an unforgettable foodie experience, escape to the Lake District with Samling's new Wilderness Adventure. At the top of a hill overlooking Lake Windermere, the luxury hotel's lavish prospector tents come with a dedicated chef and butler.
Top-notch meals are served in your restaurant tent or – if the weather allows – alfresco, under the stars by lantern light.
Get an exclusive 2-day weekend hire for four guests (in two tents) from £3,000 | Book a reservation
6. The Gallivant, East Sussex
Things to do during your stay:
- Relax and play on the fabulous beach
- Find inner peace with a yoga class
- Pamper yourself at the mini-spa
The Gallivant is a laid-back coastal spot with just 21 Scandi-chic rooms opposite Camber Sands in East Sussex, looking across onto the seagrass-fringed dunes.
Chef Jamie Guy's delicious menus reflect the seasons and utilise fresh local produce such as Romney Marsh lamb, wild boar, and scallops from Rye Harbour, whilst the wine list boasts one of the largest collections of English vintages in the UK (guests can enjoy a complimentary 'English Wine at 5' each day).
Don't miss the freshly baked cakes served each afternoon (included in your stay). And, on a sunny day, why not order a picnic to take to the beach?
Rooms from £170 | Book a reservation
7. Fforest, Wales
Things to do during your stay:
- Make new friends at a communal breakfast
- Visit the nearby beaches and rivers
- Wander around the Welsh wilderness
If you want somewhere rural and remote, where you can wander lonely as a cloud, walk, run, canoe and wild swim, head to Fforest, a 200-acre farm in west Wales owned by former Londoners Sian Tucker and James Lynch.
Here the couple offers six different types of accommodation, sleeping from four to 14, including a traditional Welsh crog loft, farmhouse and a geodesic dome with a Japanese-style onsen outdoor bath area.
You can socialise safely with fellow guests at community breakfasts and evening suppers or cook entirely in your private kitchen.
There is also a farm shop, an onsite 'pub' and takeaways available on selected evenings. A gorge, nature reserve and the river Teifi are on your doorstep, while picturesque beaches are also within striking distance.
Rooms from £694 (sleeps 4) | Book a reservation
8. Chalet Saunton, Devon
Things to do during your stay:
- Learn to ride the waves with a surfing lesson
- Stretch out at the yoga studio
- Cycle, hike, or stroll along the South West Coast Path
Head west to north Devon for a family or friends' bubble break at Chalet Saunton, a collection of apartments overlooking Saunton Sands. On the beach, Robbie Williams filmed his music video for Angels, and the dunes behind were used for landing practice by the US Army ahead of the D Day landings.
However, the area is best known to surfers – if you or your kids want to learn, this is the place. There are options for severe walkers and cyclists, golfers and equestrians too, and the chalet has its yoga studio.
If you want a more relaxing stroll, take the South West Coast Path to neighbouring Croyde Bay for fantastic seafood and cosy pub lunches.
The apartments are modern and high spec, and each has three bedrooms for up to six guests, except the Penthouse, which sleeps four and features its private balcony.
The kitchens are well equipped for self-catering, and there's lots of space to store wetsuits and surf kits outdoors.
Rooms from £550 (sleeps up to 6 people) | Book a reservation
9. Highbullen Hotel, Devon
Things to do during your stay:
- Relax with a round of golf
- Catch your dinner in the local fishing rivers
- Explore Devon's coastal paths
Suppose you prefer having your every whim catered for. In that case, you can still enjoy all the delights of this part of Devon at the lovely Highbullen Hotel at Umberleigh – a perfect bolthole for a weekend getaway with hot and cold running activities.
Set on 127 acres, the hotel boasts views across the Mole Valley and the Exmoor National Park and features many facilities within its grounds.
These include seven all-weather tennis courts, a heated indoor swimming pool plus an outdoor one during the summer, an 18-hole golf course, a full-sized snooker table and a selection of mapped walks to suit all capabilities.
Venture outside the hotel for fishing on the rivers Taw and Mole, nature trails, cycling, shooting and exploration of the coastal paths and Exmoor itself. Dine-in or self-catering in one of the four-holiday cottages on the estate.
Rooms from £171 | Book a reservation
10. Broughton Hall Estate, Yorkshire
Things to do during your stay:
- Detox in the sauna or steam room
- Go foraging with the restaurant's head chef
- Take a wild swim
Time to head north to Skipton, where you will step back to a more peaceful time at Broughton Hall Estate, owned by the Tempest family since 1097.
In addition to enjoying an authentic country house stay in one of the hall's 17 bedrooms, you could also find sanctuary in the estate's many holiday lets, which include restored farmhouses, barns, cottages, coaching inns, gatehouses and even a hermit's hut.
Alongside typical outdoorsy pursuits such as wild swimming, tennis and walking in the 3000 acres of pastures, moorland and woodland, Broughton Hall boasts Avalon, an extensive state-of-the-art, award-winning wellbeing centre.
Use the gym or take a dip in the indoor pool, do yoga or relax in the sauna, steam room or meditation dome. Why not try moon or forest bathing or go foraging with the head chef and cook your supper on the estate's outdoor 'fire temple'? It's the perfect antidote to the stresses of lockdown.
Rooms from £1,297 (sleeps 6) | Book a reservation
11. Cowdray Park
Chris Orange
Things to do during your stay:
- Play croquet, bowling, tennis or golf
- Get in touch with nature with a wildlife tour
- Enjoy the delicacies of the estate's farm shop
Cowdray Park near Midhurst is closer to home and perfect for a family celebration. Luxurious accommodation for up to 44 people can be had in the estate's rooms, suites and holiday cottages or Cowdray House itself, set on 110 acres and available for exclusive private hire.
In addition to indoor and outdoor swimming pools, facilities include a croquet lawn, tennis court, bowling alley, games room, polo academy and golf course. Fly fishing, shooting, and off-road driving are also available, or you can arrange a three-hour guided wildlife tour of the South Downs National Park with one of the experienced rangers.
All that activity is bound to build up an appetite, and fortunately, gastronomic delicacies and fresh local produce can be found onsite at the estate's farm shop, deli and butchers.
Rooms from £550 | Book a reservation.
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