Country weekend breaks near London
Plotting a romantic escape or a big group gathering away from the city? Luxury country weekend breaks near London have never been so get-at-able; these private homes, from Shropshire to the South Downs, are all within two to three hours’ drive from the Big Smoke.
In a couple of hours, you could be reclining on the veranda of your very own beach house, rosé on ice, sea salt on your lips, and fondue melting on the Aga. The luxury private homes that form this collection of country weekend breaks near London have all been hand-picked, nitpicking-ly examined, and granted the Unique Homestays stamp of approval, meaning a swift self-catering escape from the city has never been so carefree. If the London Underground is your go-to mode of transport, we can arrange the hire of a 4x4 or country-ready convertible, so you can fill the trunk with ensembles and pull up to your weekend abode in style. You handle the spontaneity, we'll handle the spadework.
A city trend's astir. As the crowds shuffle in for their weekend revelries, London locals are slyly departing. From gathering with all the family in lavish mansions with swimming pools, to holing up with their beaus in romantic cottages where Champagne and real fires reign, city-escapers (often with dogs in tow) are turning to out-of-towners in as little as two to three hours. Go big with indoor bowling alleys, at-home cinemas, and secret gardens, or take the hygge highway to hot tubs and fire-charred marshmallows. With oak doors aflung, baguettes in the hamper, and lavender-scented bubbles in the copper tub, the most luxurious self-catering homes in the UK are just a click away. The coast and country are calling.
The Ruby Barn
Sandford St Martin, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, The Cotswolds, UK
Bringing a touch of Californian chicness to the Oxfordshire countryside, this luxury Cotswold stone barn conversion has been fashioned with soul.
Sleeps: Up to 6 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
From: £2,350 per week, £1,795 per short break
Pets: Two well behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Children´s play area with slide
Distance: Approx. 62 miles from central London as the crow flies
Inkwell Cottage
Burford, Oxfordshire, The Cotswolds, UK
Handcrafted, atelier in style and ever-so fun, this self-catering home in Burford is a pocketful of luxury throwing all conventionality out of its mullion window
Sleeps: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,195 per week, £950 per short break
Pets: Sorry, no pets
Distance: Approx. 68 miles from central London as the crow flies
Atticus
Burford, Oxfordshire, The Cotswolds, UK
Treacle-toned Cotswold stone, iron gates and heavy antique doors hint at this striking home’s colourful past. Once a court house and a later jail, Atticus can be found jostling amongst a row of fine period buildings at the end of Burfords' golden high street.
Sleeps: Up to 8 guests
From: £3,395 per week, £2,550 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Baby Grand Piano and fire pit
Distance: Approx. 68 miles from central London as the crow flies
The Aviary
Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire, The Cotswolds, UK
Traditional Cotswold stone provides the golden foundations for some striking modern flourishes at this luxury farmhouse retreat.
Sleeps: Up to 12 guests (10 adults and 2 children)
From: £5,995 per week, £4,495 per short break
Pets: One well-behaved dog is welcome
Features: Outdoor heated swimming pool and hot tub (May - September), tennis court, cinema room and playing fields with football goals
Distance: Approx. 74 miles from central London as the crow flies
The Flower Press
Bibury, Gloucestershire, The Cotswolds, UK
Emerald green in spring and fire red in autumn, creeper-clad cottage The Flower Press is a restful self-catering retreat nestled in the welcoming arms of quintessential Bibury. Snow-white walls, candelabras, chandeliers and vibrant gardens brimming with anemones bring a feel of modern-day Provence to this gorgeous old Cotswold manse.
Sleeps: Up to 4 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,995 per week, £1,595 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs over the age of 12 months are welcome
Distance: Approx. 76 miles from central London as the crow flies
The Studio
Upper Slaughter, Gloucestershire, The Cotswolds, UK
In the beating heart of Upper Slaughter, one of England’s “doubly-thankful” villages, The Studio is a former dairy barn that wouldn’t be out of place amidst the warehouses of artsy Tribeca, with luxe design sensibilities and a soulful story.
Sleeps: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,650 per week, £1,395 per short break
Pets: Sorry, no pets
Features: Pizza oven and fire pits
Distance: Approx. 76 miles from central London as the crow flies
Four Hundred Summers
Ablington, Bibury, Gloucestershire, The Cotswolds, UK
With an ashlar chimney that sends smoke signals curling above the gable roof, Four Hundred Summer is a luxury Cotswolds cottage with a hot tub that brings Nordic clout to Ablington.
Sleeps: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,595 per week, £1,195 per short break
Features: Wood-fired hot tub
Distance: Approx. 76 miles from central London as the crow flies
The Palladian
Ampney Crucis, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, The Cotswolds, UK
Georgian in style and grand in nature, this self-catering Cotswold manor offers a true countryside escape perfect for multi-generational groups.
Sleeps: Up to 12 guests (6 adults and 6 children)
From: £4,550 per week, £3,295 per short break
Pets: Sorry, no pets
Features: Outdoor heated swimming pool and hot tub (both May - September), gym, tennis court, trampoline and small football pitch
Distance: Approx. 78 miles from central London as the crow flies
Filly Island
Cirencester, Gloucestershire, The Cotswolds, UK
Blending style with a big dose of ingenuity results in something truly quite magical here at Filly Island. This unique cottage near Cirencester is sat upon a tiny island accessed by a humpback bridge. Pre-loved finds are revivified to bring about the unique interiorscape at Filly Island.
Sleeps: Up to 2 guests
From: £950 per week, £795 per short break
Pets: Two small well-behaved dogs are welcome
Distance: Approx. 79 miles from central London as the crow flies
Weddings at Anthology Farm
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, The Cotswolds, UK
An 18th century barn designed with love-filled celebrations and grand gatherings in mind, Anthology Farm is poised at the head of an ancient Cotswolds valley on the outskirts of vibrant Cheltenham, just two hours from London.
Sleeps: Up to 18
Alternative Group Option: Up to 18 guests
From: £15,495 per week, £13,695 per short break
Pets: Pets are considered on prior agreement
Features: Wedding barn, heated indoor swimming pool, tennis court and electric car charging point
Distance: Approx. 84 miles from central London as the crow flies
Anthology Farm
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, The Cotswolds, UK
With a 300-year-old history, an indoor pool that could have been lifted from a members-only health club, and surrounding acreage to thrill the young'uns, Anthology Farm is a sought-after estate made for large family gatherings.
Sleeps: Up to 18 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 10 guests
From: £9,450 per week, £7,350 per short break
Pets: Pets are considered on prior agreement
Features: Heated indoor swimming pool, cinema room, tennis court, table tennis, gym equipment, purpose built yoga studio and electric car charging point
Distance: Approx. 85 miles from central London as the crow flies
Under the Yew Tree
Syde, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, The Cotswolds, UK
Enter a modernised Cotswolds homestead of Anglo-Saxon parentage; with sacrosanct paintings and limewashed walls, Under the Yew Tree is the early medieval darling of Cheltenham.
Sleeps: Up to 4 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,950 per week, £1,450 per short break
Pets: One well-behaved dog is welcome
Distance: Approx. 86 miles from central London as the crow flies
Elissa
Cirencester, Gloucestershire, The Cotswolds, UK
Surrounded by miles of undulating countryside, this luxury self-catering home is all about life’s simple pleasures; drawn-out pub lunches, rural rambles and evenings in the hot tub.
Sleeps: Up to 4 guests (2 adults and 2 children)
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,695 per week, £1,295 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Hot tub
Distance: Approx. 89 miles from central London as the crow flies
Gulliver´s Hall
Bisley, Stroud, Gloucestershire, The Cotswolds, UK
Blending ancestral tales with elegant maximalism, Gulliver's Hall brings spa facilities to the soulful countryside; characterful, luxurious, and daring all in one sweep, this is a playful family estate in the beating heart of the Cotswolds.
Sleeps: Up to 21 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 15 & Up to 6 guests
From: £7,795 per week, £5,895 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome on prior request
Features: Outdoor heated swimming pool (April-October), sunken spa bath, sauna, steam room, outdoor shower, outdoor kitchen with pizza oven, paella burner, games and cinema room, tennis court, croquet lawn
Distance: Approx. 89 miles from central London as the crow flies
Weddings at Gulliver´s Hall
Bisley, Stroud, Gloucestershire, The Cotswolds, UK
Modern bohemians, lovestruck eccentrics, and pairs of playful classicists, meet Gulliver’s Hall: a made-to-measure luxury wedding venue available for exclusive hire in the Cotswolds.
Sleeps: Up to 21 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 40 & Up to 21 guests
From: £13,895 per week, £11,695 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome on prior request
Features: Outdoor heated swimming pool (April-October), sunken spa bath, sauna, steam room, outdoor shower, outdoor kitchen with pizza oven, paella burner, games and cinema room, tennis court, croquet lawn
Distance: Approx. 89 miles from central London as the crow flies
The Find
Cranham, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, The Cotswolds, UK
Dynamic pairing of luxury architect-designed properties in a beautifully secluded valley location in the Cotswolds.
Sleeps: Up to 12 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 8 & Up to 4 guests
From: £6,250 per week, £5,000 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome on prior request
Features: Trampoline, rowing boat, hot tub hire is available (please enquire for details)
Distance: Approx. 89 miles from central London as the crow flies
Evania
Bentham, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, The Cotswolds, UK
Inspired by the colours and countryside of the Mediterranean, this Gloucestershire home with heated outdoor swimming pool and hot tub, is the perfect family retreat.
Sleeps: Up to 10 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 6 & Up to 4 guests
From: £4,750 per week, £3,750 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome, or three on prior request
Features: Outdoor heated swimming pool (May - September), hot tub, outdoor kitchen area with built-in gas barbecue, games room with table football, pool table, table tennis and television
Distance: Approx. 89 miles from central London as the crow flies
Margot´s Townhouse
Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire, The Cotswolds, UK
A greenery-infused internal courtyard brings a burst of botany to this luxury self-catering home in Bradford-on-Avon, in which storied libraries and earthen marble add an opulent timbre to an eighteenth-century weaver’s townhouse near Bath.
Sleeps: Up to 6 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 4 & Up to 2 guests
From: £2,250 per week, £1,695 per short break
Pets: One small well-behaved dog is welcome
Distance: Approx. 93 miles from central London as the crow flies
The Marlings
Standish, Stroud, Gloucestershire, The Cotswolds, UK
A stone’s throw from the limestone grassland and fruit markets of the Cotswolds, this luxury self-catering farmhouse that’s set across five dwellings in Standish has a heated pool, hot tub, playground, and tennis court to rival any private family resort.
Sleeps: Up to 25 guests (20 adults and 5 children)
Alternative Group Option: Up to 12 guests
From: £7,795 per week, £5,895 per short break
Pets: Three well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Heated outdoor pool (available April to October) with pool house, hot tub, tennis court, wooden playpark
Distance: Approx. 94 miles from central London as the crow flies
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
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,895 per week, £1,395 per short break
Pets: One small well-behaved dog is welcome
Features: Fire pit, use of the owners´ tennis court
Distance: Approx. 97 miles from central London as the crow flies
