Last-minute luxury breaks in the UK
Stuff a suitcase with knitwear and nibbles: now is the time for throwing caution to the wind. Why have a humdrum weekend at home when there's last-minute luxury breaks in the UK up for grabs?
There's nothing quite like slinging some bits in a weekend bag, dashing to the train, and making yourself at home in a one-of-a-kind retreat to add a little impulse into life. We all need to escape the rat race from time to time, and our last-minute luxury breaks in the UK are just the ticket for seekers of spur-of-the-moment escapes. If spontaneity's missing from your schedule, these blink-and-you-miss-it medley of homes with eleventh hour availability are just what the wayfarer ordered. We're sure the dog-friendly spots will send tails wagging, too!
These luxurious homes in the bustling villages and rural wilds of England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland will have you striding out on long walks, tucking into fireside suppers, and plunging into hot tubs in no time. All available for at least three nights within the next fortnight, we encourage you to take advantage of a rare free weekend, throw caution to the wind, and book a last-minute luxury break; whether you choose a coastal retreat or wilderness escape, where you choose to indulge in some serious down time is up to you. Out of office, officially on.
Over Lemon River
Ashburton, Dartmoor, Devon, UK
Dartmoor is Devon’s wild heart; a place where heather cloaks the ground like an over-sized velvet eiderdown and granite tors scramble to meet big open skies. On fine days, ponies wander amidst the mysticism of faeries but when the swirling mists arrive, Over Lemon River is the perfect hideaway.
Sleeps: Up to 2 guests
Pets: Two dogs are welcome
Features: Al fresco living space with wood-fired hot tub and fire pit
The Creamery
Abbotsham, Appledore, Devon, UK
Far from the crowds, the Hartland Heritage Coast is a halcyon world of pebble beaches and Beatrix Potter wildlife backed by a deep blue sea. Set between Appledore and Clovelly, The Creamery was made for those hidden-away self-catering holidays in Devon.
Sleeps: Up to 4 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome with a third small dog on request
Features: Fire pit, hot tub
The Riddle
North Bovey, Dartmoor, Devon, UK
Plot your country escape to this luxury holiday cottage in North Bovey; one of Devon's most idyllic villages set within the rugged beauty of Dartmoor National Park. The Riddle is the type of cottage you might find on the pages of a storybook.
Sleeps: Up to 4 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome, or three on prior request.
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
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
Novella
This cob cottage deep in Devon woodland is a storybook of a home, tucked down a lane and decked out in botanical prints, vintage embroidery and antique furniture, inviting imaginations to unfurl.
Sleeps: Up to 6 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Hot tub, trampoline, table tennis, outdoor kitchen (year-round)
The Brandy Thief
Lee, Ilfracombe, Devon, UK
Awash with history and swathed in character, this luxury coastal cottage is a dreamy retreat for explorers looking to hunker down in North Devon.
Sleeps: Up to 6 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
Pets: One small to medium well-behaved dog is welcome and two on prior request
Rydon
Trusham, Teign Valley, Devon, UK
Enjoy some time out at this contemporary self-catering barn dwelling squirrelled away in the picturesque Teign Valley, Devon.
Sleeps: Up to 6 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 4 & Up to 2 guests
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome (must be kept on leads in the grounds)
Features: Heated pool (from 5th May to 29th September)
Leopoldina
Stoke Gabriel, Totnes, Devon, UK
Once the stables to Sandridge Park and now a luxury self-catering home near Totnes, this grand Italianate manor might have housed silken steeds in its past life, but these days it beckons Devon merrymakers to grip easy South Hams highlife by the withers.
Sleeps: Up to 10 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 6 guests
Pets: Sorry, no pets
Features: Outdoor heated pool (available May-September), private beach on the River Dart, yoga space with roof terrace, and games room with table tennis
Ellesmera Mill
This enchanting 400 year old millhouse is chock-full of old-world charm. Set in the South Hams near Dartmouth, the dreamy south Devon coast is almost within touching distance and a short stroll through the valley leads to the sheltered cove of Blackpool Sands.
Sleeps: Up to 10 guests
Pets: Sorry, no pets
Features: Wood-fired hot tub, sauna, cinema room with table football
Botania
Ashburton, Dartmoor, Devon, UK
All at once wrapped in Dartmoor’s mossy-hued clutches and minutes from the good-living village of Ashburton, this Arts and Crafts manor is a portrait of minimal maximalism that keeps Devon's River Dart in its backyard.
Sleeps: Up to 10 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 6 guests
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
Verte
A spectacularly grown-up treehouse, Verte seamlessly merges inside-outside living within the lush Devon estate of Chevithorne Barton. This RIBA-award winning modern home was designed to reset the soul.
Sleeps: Up to 10 guests (6 adults and 4 children)
Alternative Group Option: Up to 6 guests
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome, or three on prior request
Features: Wood-fired hot tub, large flat lawn for croquet, football and badminton
Gorsestone
North Bovey, Dartmoor, Devon, UK
Set in 55 acres of wildlife-rich land on Dartmoor in Devon, this luxury self-catering farmhouse with a hot tub is the poster child for transitional design; evoking the feeling of being among the moss and water mint even when tucked indoors.
Sleeps: Up to 14 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 8 guests
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Cinema room, hot tub, pool table, and play room
