London’s hustle and bustle can become overwhelming, even for the most dedicated locals – but its handy location means that trips from London are easy for anyone who needs a quick escape, whether it be for a country walk, a trip to the seaside or a cultural getaway. Below we detail London House’s top places for a winter escape.
The Pig
The Pig is tucked away in the heart of the New Forest and is the first of five Pig hotels to open. Self-described as a restaurant with rooms, The Pig combines a restaurant with local produce and a walled garden full to the brim with seasonally homegrown fruit, vegetables, herbs and spices. With 30 rooms to choose from, both inside the main-house and within the gardens of the hotel, each room has a feel of rusticity in its carefully chosen décor and furniture.
Soho Farmhouse
Soho Farmhouse is a members' club that offers the ultimate countryside escape. It is set in 100 acres of Cotswold countryside dotted with rustic cabins, whitewashed cabins, and walled garden rooms that guests meander to and from on bespoke farmhouse bicycles.Whatever restorative pursuit you’re after, they’ve got it: boating lake, indoor-outdoor pool, cinema, pickle room, curing cave, milk floats that double as mobile fry-up carts… The list goes on. Facilitating a recharge and a reset is what they do best.
Beaverbrook
Beaverbrook is a quintessentially English Country House estate nestled in the heart of the picturesque Surrey Hills. Whether you’re dressing up to celebrate or dressing down to unwind, their elegant surroundings and remarkable facilities offer something truly special. Expect good old-fashioned hospitality, impeccable design, an eclectic collection of artwork, antiques and memorabilia from a range of rooms and suites that offer evocative sophistication, stylish tranquility or simple country charm.
Thyme
Situated in the heart of the Cotswolds, Thyme is a boutique hotel where a passion for the land, food and entertaining merges with a love of nature, beauty and conservation. Thyme started as a manor house and has transformed into a hamlet of 32 bedrooms, an art gallery, a cookery school and a restaurant, and a world class spa.
The Newt
Luxury meets nature at the Newt in Somerset, a boutique hotel nestled in the grounds of an alluring working estate that is home to acres of resplendent gardens, enchanting woodland and traditional cyder orchards. The Newt is the perfect place for either a day out or a longer trip. The gardens, the cyder press, and the restaurant, which draws on local and homegrown produce, offer plenty for a day-tripper. For anyone paying a longer visit, the hotel is a draw all by itself. The interiors combine elements of traditional country house design with bold, contemporary design.