It's around this time of year that it's easy for ones mood to start reflecting the gloomy weather - while we clutch onto our third cup of coffee of the morning, staring wistfully out the window as the blustery wind starts to steal the last of the golden leaves. Especially as many of us (myself included) begin wishing we'd taken the short window earlier this summer where travel became easier, before our sunnier neighbours were slowly added to the quarantine list.  

While mask-free holidays abroad feel like a bit of a distant memory, we have begun exploring our own back garden - and we were not disappointed. After a weekend full of Instagram-worthy 'wanderlusting', here, our Co-Founder Tessa shares her top 5 favourite staycation getaways, perfect to blow away those end of summer blues.

 

Images:  Kip Hideaways

1. West Coast Cabin, Skye

If wild landscapes, moody seas, expansive skies and shooting stars sounds like heaven – with the odd storm for good measure – this is for you. The lodge, inspired by traditional Scottish longhouses, sits on Skye’s west coast, with sweeping views as far as the Outer Hebrides from every room. Combining contemporary design with antique accents, the space sleeps 6 in extremely comfy style (2 kings, 1 twin). 

Whilst you should bring outdoor gear to make the most of the rugged surrounds (walking boots, wetsuits), nature also comes straight to your door. Deer wander by the deck and the dining table overlooks Loch Pooltiel, where you’ll see dolphins, sea eagles, basking sharks, even the occasional whale. As the evenings draw in, get cosy on the big sofa and watch the weather roll off the Atlantic through the floor-to-ceiling windows – dramatic in winter and the midnight sun in summer.

See more on Kip Hideaways 

 

Images: Sand and Stone Escapes

2. Harbour Moon, Mousehole

Harbour Moon is a particularly special one-bedroom holiday cottage in the Cornish village of Mousehole. Sitting on the picturesque harbour, this space is ideal for a those seeking somewhere different, interesting and photogenic for a romantic break.

Lie on your bed and watch the boats drift past the harbour wall and listen to the waves crashing against the sand as you sleep. Light will form an important part of your stay, particularly since part of the bedroom floor is made of glass, allowing for each ray of sunshine to beam inside.

See more on Sand and Stone Escapes 

 Images: Brownber

3. Brownber House, Yorkshire Dales

Brownber House is a neighbouring property to the more imposing Brownber Hall on the Brownber Estate and sleeps up to 8 people across 4 bedrooms. It has been recently renovated to a very high standard by Georgina Rose (former Soho House architect), with connecting kitchen and dining room and comfortable sitting room with log-burning stove. So think sumptuous bedrooms, long, cosy red wine fulled evenings by the fire and long afternoon walks across the hills. 

Brownber Estate is set within a wonderfully rural location, away from the crowds but still well-placed a day out in the Lakes or the Dales, providing the perfect base for outdoor adventures. Join the Coast-to-Coast path for some serious walking, explore sleepy country lanes by bicycle,  enjoy a bracing plunge in one of the many local wild swimming spots or hop onto the wonderfully scenic Carlisle to Settle railway. 

See more on Brownber 

 

Images: The Swan

4. The Swan, Southwold

Anchored to the Adnams brewery and distillery, The Swan is a lively cocktail of Georgian architecture, modern maritime style and award-winning booze. Part of the town for hundreds of years, this historic hotel and brewery survived fire and financial ruin before coming together to offer a unique (and free flowing) form of hospitality.

Ocean blues, nautical artwork and weathered antiques ensure the hotel’s got plenty of coastal character, but a complete refurbishment saw them infused with bold, bright colours and copper details borrowed from the distillery next door. Sample the best of Suffolk’s fields and waters and sip all things Adnams, leaving the rest to your butler, who can arrange everything from restaurant bookings to brewery tours.

See more at The Swan 

 

Images: The Painswick

5. The Painswick, Cotswolds

The Painswick Hotel oozes in all the quintessential charm you’d expect to find in this Cotswold village. Painswick stands close to the Rococo Garden in Gloucestershire and is hugged by some of the prettiest scenery in the Cotswolds. Inside this distinctive Palladian house, you’ll find log fires crackling away, cosy corners and ever-so stylish rooms.

Perched high on the historic hilltop town of the same name, The hotel offers outstanding, straight-forward food, wired into a first-rate setting. Both in terms of look and spirit, its easy-going and affordable splash of luxury comes with a country-cool edge that is reminiscent of Covent Garden rather than Mayfair.

See more at The Painswick