Secret garden escapes
Far from the madding crowds, with tangled trees, walled gardens and fragrant rose arches, our secret garden escapes are the stuff of green-fingered dreams.
Luxury isn't bound by bricks and mortar, and while velvet sofas and linen sheets make for romance, it's the setting which can really set our souls on fire. We've thoroughly enjoyed the 'task' of scouring the back gardens and extensive grounds of luxury country homes right across the UK to find secret boltholes with the emphasis on green. Think pretty fences hiding scrambling clematis and romantic swags of purple flowering wisteria, scarlet creeper and heavenly scented roses; our secret garden escapes celebrate the pruned and re-wilded, the perfectly manicured and wildly unkempt. Retreat to a self-catering idyll where al fresco living is the name of the game, walking barefoot across the dewy lawn with the morning paper and a basket of croissants, enjoying a quiet coffee in the dappled light of your own private orchard.
Wishbone
Malvern, Malvern Hills, Worcestershire, UK
Tranquillity and romance unfold in the heart of the Malvern Hills at this rough-luxe self-catering barn conversion set in 16 acres of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Wishbone is perfect for couples wanting to go off the radar into their own little paradisiacal land.
Sleeps: Up to 2 guests
From: £995 per short break
Pets: Sorry, no pets
Features: Fishing lake and fire pit
Dragonwood Boat House
A boutique boat house designed with romance in mind, Dragonwood Boat House is a traditional Victorian bolthole with a modern Italian twist. This lakeside abode near Oakham, Rutland offers luxury self-catering breaks in the most magical of settings.
Sleeps: Up to 2 guests
From: £995 per week, £750 per short break
Pets: Sorry, no pets
Features: Guests have access to kayaks on the lakes
The Hop Store
Ledbury, Herefordshire, The Cotswolds, UK
Set within 150 acres of perfectly aligned hop yards, rolling meadows and juicy apple orchards, The Hop Store is idyllically situated on one of the last remaining hop farms in the UK.
Sleeps: Up to 4 guests
From: £1,250 per week, £950 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
Pets: Sorry, no pets
Features: Heated garden room, games room with bar, pool table, dartboard and giant jenga
Tangle Belle
St Martin, Helford, Cornwall, UK
Situated in acres of private woodland with the pretty stream meandering along beside, this wooden-cladded self-catering cottage near Helford is the epitome of rural charm and exudes oodles of rustic country character.
Sleeps: Up to 4 guests
From: £1,195 per week, £895 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
The Hamptons
Nestled within the grounds of a country estate, The Hamptons is a New England-style cottage flaunting chic interiors, lying within easy reach of the blue waters and golden sands of Kynance Cove on the Lizard Peninsula.
Sleeps: Up to 4 guests
From: £950 per week, £695 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
Pets: Sorry, no pets
The Walled Garden
Dyrham, Bath, The Cotswolds, UK
Perhaps the most ornate vegetable store in the whole of England, The Walled Garden began life as a potato house for Dyrham Park. This romantic retreat sits on the western edge of the Cotswolds, not far from Bath and all its gleaming treasures.
Sleeps: Up to 4 guests
From: £1,295 per week, £995 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
Pets: One small well-behaved dog is welcome
Features: Fire pit, use of the owners´ tennis court
The Stack
The Stack lies within a secluded valley overlooking the upper reaches of the magnificent Fal Valley. This 19th century engine house is sure to inspire those with a love for unique architecture, rough-luxe interiors and beautiful gardens.
Sleeps: Up to 6 guests
From: £1,950 per week, £1,450 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 4 & Up to 2 guests
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Sunken hot tub, cinema room, al fresco kitchen with pizza oven
The Lost Music Hall
Created by a London dandy to serve as his secret retreat from society, this former music hall has been restored in all its Arts and Crafts glory to offer unique escapes in a hidden valley of Devon's South Hams AONB.
Sleeps: Up to 6 guests
From: £1,795 per week, £1,350 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 & Up to 12 guests
Pets: Two pets are welcome
Features: Heated outdoor swimming pool (May-September) and games room with table tennis and darts
Pollyanna
Birlingham, Worcestershire, UK
This whimsical thatched holiday cottage in Birlingham is plucked straight from the pages of a storybook and exudes beauty and charm in bountiful measure.
Sleeps: Up to 6 guests
From: £1,250 per week, £895 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 4 & Up to 2 guests
Pets: One small well-behaved dog considered on prior request
The Carriage House
A stylish luxury home for all the family to enjoy some time out close to Dorset's Jurassic coast in quaint Litton Cheney.
Sleeps: Up to 6 guests
From: £1,095 per week, £850 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
Pets: Sorry, no pets
Features: Use of tennis court
Valency Wood
Lesnewth, Boscastle, Cornwall, UK
This stunning family-friendly self-catering cottage is in a rural location, yet within striking distance of the Cornish coastal villages of Tintagel, Boscastle and Crackington Haven.
Sleeps: Up to 6 guests
From: £1,395 per week, £1,095 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 4 & Up to 2 guests
Pets: Three well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Jacuzzi hot tub
Mulberry Mill
Billingshurst, West Sussex, UK
There’s something quite special about this romantic old mill on the River Arun. Sandwiched between the High Weald and South Downs AONB with beautiful topiary gardens, this charming country home on the edge of Billingshurst is a rural idyll.
Sleeps: Up to 6 guests
From: £1,450 per week, £1,050 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 4 guests
Pets: Two pets are welcome
Features: Canoes for the river, foosball room
The Woodlanders
If you're looking for a wholesome family break in the country, look no further than this luxury self-catering holiday cottage set amidst lush flower-filled gardens in the rolling hills of Wiltshire near Shaftesbury.
Sleeps: 6 guests
From: £1,650 per week, £1,250 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Heated garden house with shower facilities
Midsummer Wood
Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire, The Cotswolds, UK
This magical Cotswolds millhouse calls you to run wild in private woodland, get lost amidst secret wildflower meadows, dive into a 12-metre indoor pool and unfurl within lavish Jacobean interiors.
Sleeps: Up to 8 guests
From: £4,650 per week, £3,550 per short break
Pets: Sorry, no pets
Features: Indoor heated swimming pool, two steam rooms, tennis court and games room with ping pong, gym and large TV
Castle Trinity
A luxury self-catering homestay for extended families and large parties, Castle Trinity is an exclusive kingdom of ritzy indulgence near the Peak District.
Sleeps: Sleeps up to 10 (+2)
From: £3,662 per week, £4,695 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 6 & Up to 2 guests
Pets: Two medium well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Heated indoor swimming pool, steam room, wellness and yoga room, outdoor hot tub, gym, pool table and piano
Whimplestone
Gunnislake, Tamar Valley, Cornwall, UK
Tenderly cosseted by the arms of the Tamar Valley, this stylish luxury self-catering farmhouse with natural outdoor swimming pool sits in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Sleeps: Up to 10 guests
From: £2,995 per week, £3,250 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 6 & Up to 4 guests
Pets: Sorry, no pets
Features: Table tennis, natural outdoor swimming pool (available July - September)
Cadence
A 70’s sci-fi film was the unlikely inspiration for this playful modern retreat. Award-winning for its design and settled within poetic South Downs scenery; this architect's private home is a fine example of the new English country house.
Sleeps: Up to 10 guests
From: £5,250 per week
Pets: Two well-behaved pets are welcome
Rhapsody
A utopia of surreal garden sculptures, topsy-turvy architecture and glass-like pools, Rhapsody has fallen head first through the rabbit hole and landed in the heart of Wonderland.
Sleeps: Up to 12 (10 adults and 2 children)
From: £17,000 per week
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Outdoor heated swimming pool (May - September), with jet stream, sunken hot tub, yoga studio, glass reading room overhanging the pond and cinema room
The Parsonage
A beautifully designed Grade-II listed old parsonage with stunning gardens, set on the outskirts of Ombersley in the rolling green Abberley Hills.
Sleeps: Up to 12 guests
From: £3,395 per week, £2,395 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 8 & Up to 4 guests
Pets: Sorry, no pets
Features: Tundra hot tub
Avalon Manor
Upton Scudamore, Wiltshire, UK
Superb 14th century large self-catering Manor House in Wiltshire. Stylish and historic, it's the perfect luxury country house.
Sleeps: Up to 12 guests (+ 2 children)
From: £3,550 per week, £2,595 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 6 guests
Pets: Two small well-behaved dogs are welcome (restrictions apply)
Features: Games room, mini gym and tree house for children. A cedar hot tub and outdoor, woodfired BBQ and pizza oven.
Atelier Rose
This luxury riverside home is a wonderland of vintage charm. Ring the old pull-string bell and push open the door to botanic coving, four-poster beds, an orangery with giant tin hot tub and secret topiary gardens.
Sleeps: Up to 12 guests (10 adults and 2 children)
From: £2,995 per week, £2,250 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 6 guests
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Large William Holland hot tub, cinema room, pool table room
Butterfield House
St Mawgan, Watergate Bay, Cornwall, UK
A stunning rectory renovation overlooking St Mawgan Village and beyond to the North Cornish coast. An idyllic family home for luxury self catering holidays close to Watergate Bay.
Sleeps: Up to 12 guests
From: £4,995 per week
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs over 12 months are welcome on prior request. Each pet is charged at £60 per week or part thereof.
Features: Piano, fire pit, heated outdoor pool (June to August) and pool house
Florin
Aberaeron, Ceredigion, Wales, UK
A beautifully-appointed stylish large country house set in five acres of magical gardens near Aberaeron, Ceredigion. A luxury home for family celebrations with plenty of space for several generations to unwind.
Sleeps: Up to 14 guests
From: £2,995 per week, £2,195 per short break
Alternative Group Option: Up to 10 guests
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Hot tub, treehouse for children, library with pool table, modern garden house with pizza oven
The Sculptor´s Gardens
A luxury country escape overflowing in vintage fizz, this unique pairing of riverside properties offer the perfect retreat for large groups and families.
Sleeps: Up to 18 guests (16 adults and 2 children)
From: £4,195 per week, £3,195 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Large William Holland hot tub, cinema room, games room with pool table
