SOMERSET

Middle Stone Farm, Brompton Ralph, nr Taunton

Get back to nature – luxury nature, that is – in canvas safari tents with king-sized beds, private bathrooms, wood stoves and Swedish hot tubs on a family-run working farm in West Somerset, close to the Exmoor National Park and The Quantock Hills. Kids will love the friendly alpacas, sheep, pigs and goats, climbing frames, swings, ride-on tractors, badminton and table tennis. You’ll love the peace and quiet, the delicious local produce and home made dishes in the farm shop – and those hot tubs. Each tent or ‘lodge’ sleeps six people. There’s a wooden cabin and a holiday cottage too.

Homewood, Freshford, nr Bath

This stylish country house hotel just outside Bath makes a rather glam base for a Bath city break with the fam, especially as kids under 12 stay for free during school holidays. It’s eclectically decorated, with gorgeous rooms (some with hot tubs), the fab Olio restaurant (with children’s menu), a heated indoor pool and gardens. Google Chrome Cast, Nintendo Switch and larders full of goodies will keep your small people happy while you’re in the hotel’s spa.

Batcombe Vale, nr Bruton

The Wind in the Willows’ Ratty says, ‘there is nothing – absolutely nothing – half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats’. As you’ll find if you pitch up at this award-winning campsite set in a private 120-acre vale with glades, woods and lakes, and rowing boats that are free for you to use and fishing if you fancy. Fire bowls, marshmallows, three pubs within walking distance and super cool Bruton, with the internationally acclaimed Hauser & Wirth art gallery, Roth Bar and Michelin star Osip up the road, complete the picture.

Nature’s Spectacular, Chew Valley

Go off grid in The Showman, once home to a circus ringmaster now parked up lakeside on a 35-acre estate, ready and waiting for you. With a king-sized bedroom, smaller double and a child’s single, it’s perfect for families. It’s got a kitchen, antique woodburner, underfloor heating built-in sound system, loo and hot shower, sun deck and private hot tub. On the same site: a converted mountain rescue vehicle, a yurt and a deer cabin, otherwise it’s just you, the rolling hills, the shimmering lake and the vast skies.

The Walnut Wagon, Mells

Nestled at the foot of a three-acre walnut orchard, in the heart of one of England’s finest mediaeval villages, The Walnut Wagon is not your average shepherd’s hut. With its luxurious king-sized bed, spacious shower room, kitchenette and log burner, no detail has been overlooked. There’s even a small garden to enjoy a glass of wine on balmy summer evenings. A five minute walk from the fabulous Talbot Inn and within easy striking distance of Frome, Bath and Bruton, this has got to be one of the best locations to stay in Somerset, with beautiful walks from the door along the Mells stream and beyond.

The Old Sweet Shop, Exmoor

Make like a kid in a candy store – literally – in this chocolate box 17th century thatched holiday cottage on the west Somerset coast. Once, kids bought gobstoppers, lemon sherbets and humbugs over the shop counter. Today, this period cottage – beams, woodburner but with all mod cons – in Minehead’s Old Town, is a luxury holiday let, sleeping eight, with a hot tub in the pretty garden. Sweet!

DORSET

Jurassic Properties, Lyme Regis

As you’d expect from the winners of the Best Boutique Stay in Dorset, Somerset & Bristol in the 2024 Muddy Awards, all of their fab pads – sleeping from 2 to 4 in the heart of lovely Lyme Regis – are gorgeous. All beautifully decorated and well-equipped, some have hot tubs and sea views *sigh*.

The Priory, near Wareham

Enjoy the archetypal Dorset country house experience at this former historic monastery and grand private house turned independent hotel. Set in 4 acres of pretty cottage gardens on the banks of the river Frome, the hotel’s luxury bespoke interiors are filled with antiques, the bedrooms are super comfy, the restaurant is excellent and the service throughout is second to none. 

The King’s Arms, Dorchester

Former guests at this Georgian coaching inn turned Dorset foodie pub with rooms, include Queen Victoria, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. Now it’s your turn. As well as an excellent restaurant (always fresh and seasonal; local and organic where poss), there are 30 charming – luxurious – bedrooms. Kitted out with Nespresso machines, Smart TVs, rain showers, lovely Ubiety bath and skin products, and a parlour cupboard filled with tea, coffee and treats, you’ll be royally pampered.  Dogs are welcome in the bar, garden, terrace and the first floor rooms.

The Nici, Bournemouth

Miami vibes come to Bournemouth at the swanky new cliff top hotel with 80 bedrooms and suites – lots with sea views – luxe bathrooms, all-day wining and dining in the South Beach Restaurant and Bar, and a brand new luxury spa. It’s just a just a few minutes’ walk down a zig-zag path from the hotel to seven miles of award-winning golden sand beaches below. Can’t be bothered to go that far? There’s always the hotel’s heated outdoor pool and sun loungers to hang out on. 

Greenwood Grange, Higher Bockhampton, nr Dorchester

How about this for choice – 17 luxury self-catering stone holiday cottages sleeping from 2 to 12 in the idyllic Dorset countryside, not only close to Thomas Hardy’s birthplace but created out of farm buildings built by his father in 1849. Half of the cottages are dog-friendly, some come with hot tubs; all are unique and individually furnished/decorated to a high spec. The indoor pool, sauna, tennis courts, games room, croquet and badminton lawns, kids’ play area, play yurt, off-road bike trails in Thorncombe Woods and donkeys in the paddock should keep everyone busy.

Manor Farm Barn, Dewlish

This whopper is in the village of Dewlish, about seven miles from Dorchester, close to Thomas Hardy’s house and monument and surrounded by the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Sleeping 15 in eight ensuite bedrooms, there’s enough space – kitchen, dining room, sitting room, a games room, heated swimming pool and garden – for everyone to be together or do their own thing. Dogs welcome.

Mallinson’s Woodland Retreat, Holditch

If you go down to the woods today, you’re sure of a big surprise: eight, hand-crafted, architecture-award-winning tree houses, yurts, tipis and a shepherd’s hut. Designed for up to two adults, each unique accommodation is totally luxurious (no toilet blocks here). We’re talking revolving wood burners, freestanding copper baths, wood-fired pizza ovens, ‘tree showers’, hot tubs, saunas and Nespresso machines. Life’s a bitch, eh?

Loose Reins, Shillingstone

Head to the wild (south) west and make like a pioneer in a cedar wood cabin on the Wessex Ridgeway in the Blackmore Vale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, north Dorset. Each cosy cabin has a fully-equipped kitchen, king size bed with authentic American quilts, wood burner, bathroom and little touches like old lamps, faux furs and Navajo blankets. Yee-haw!

The Transmitter Bunker, Ringstead

Hunker down in a unique holiday pad that once housed a transmitter servicing RAF Ringstead during WWII. Located on a dairy farm overlooking Ringstead Bay – one of the Jurassic Coast’s lesser known but beautiful bays (no crowds here) – you’ve got Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door in one direction, and Weymouth and Lyme Regis in the other. It’s open plan, with polished concrete flooring with underfloor heating and concrete walls, and sleeps three in two bedrooms.

DEVON

Wolf Wood Treehouses, Bratton Clovelly

Seeking a secluded getaway for you and your plus-one? You’re barking up the right tree. This brilliantly conceived burn-out Nature break, close to Dartmoor and overlooking 13 acres of leafy mixed woodland, comprises four luxury treehouses, built on stilts 7m high into the tree canopy. The owners put a load of thought into the site to ensure your peaceful glade is neither too shady, nor too open, and with so much space between the treehouses, you’ll feel like it’s just you, the woods and the tweeting birds. The icing on the cake is that two are kitted with their own private saunas and sunken hot tubs. Ideal for a spa break without the fight for the lounger (and the option to leave your clothes at the door).

The Ley Arms, Kenn

Having launched a stunning three-bed stay with hot tub, Cramwell Cottage, in 2023, this 13th century village pub, perfectly placed in the village of Kenn near Exeter, has now opened The Stables, Featuring seven boutique rooms, each with its own tasteful character, and decorated with restored antique furniture, walk-in rainfall showers and very flattering lighting. Four are on the level and dog-friendly, including a room with an accessible shower, while never stinting on the glamour. Others are large enough to accommodate families, and those three upstairs suites with their own private mirror-covered landing would be ideal for bridal parties marrying in the parish church opposite.

The PIG at Combe, Gittisham

THE PIG Hotels have cornered the market in laid-back luxe, and this Elizabethan Manor House near Honiton is no exception. Yes, it’s posh, but it’s also friendly and warm, and above all, wants you to relax and enjoy its many, many comforts. Make a stay of it in one of 17 uniquely decorated rooms, or if you’re coming with the family, one of the larger stable rooms or rustic cottages. The staff are soooo kid-friendly, scooping up littlies to make a mocktail behind the bar, or whizzing them off in the Landy to see the farm animals or kitchen garden, while you chill with a paper. How civilised is that?

The American Airstream, Dittisham Hideaway

If it’s cool you’re after, you can’t get cooler than this retro 1950s’ American Airstream, close to Dartmouth. It comes with its own private terrace, table football and a wood-fired hot tub for romancing. And this gleaming one-bed beauty still has the original 1961 Wally Byam’s Caravanners Club stickers still on the windows. Vintage but with all mod cons, just how we like it.

Sleepy Owl Devon, Hartland

Photo by Guy Harrop

Fancy a treehouse stay close to the cliffs of the North Devon coast? Check out Sleepy Owl Devon’s choice of two stylish wooden eyries (and a cute converted barn) decked out with designer furniture, walk-in showers, cinema projectors, telescopes for star-gazing, wood-fired hot tubs and, if you book The Hideout – which you really, really should – the only moving indoor-outdoor bath in the UK. Nestled in 20 leafy acres of UNESCO North Devon Biosphere Reserve.

Boringdon Hall & Spa, Plymouth

So hot it’s sizzling, Boringdon Hall & Spa’s fine dining restaurant Àclèaf has scooped a Michelin star making this 5-star Manor House a must-do gastro stay. It’s multi-award winning spa, Gaia, ladles on the charm, as do the choice of four-poster rooms with roll top baths and family suites. It’s the perfect weekender, with history, class, plenty to do – or not, depending on whether you prefer lazing on a lounger or heading to bright lights of nearby Plymouth. 

Nymetwood Treehouses, Spreyton nr Crediton

On our radar due to being chosen by readers as Best Boutique Stay in the Muddy Awards 2024, these two cabins, Blackcap and Starling, are set in 20 acres of woodlands and streams. We’re talking plush – with a fully fitted kitchen, shower room, toasty woodburner and a giant copper outdoor copper bath large enough for two – plus astonishing views over Devon’s countryside. Both stays are laid out over two floors, providing high-flung mezzanine bedtimes to enjoy your morning coffee and a spot of nighttime stargazing. Super-stylish.

Jenny Wren Shepherd’s Hut, Mill Cross Retreats, Rattery

Fancy a getaway for two with a wood-fired hot tub and fun things to do close by? You won’t find more romantic than this shepherd’s hut at Mill Cross Retreats, a six-acre woodland setting, near Totnes, in the South Hams. It’s charmingly decorated with a front stoop where you can sit among the free-range hens and Indian runner ducks quacking about, while butterflies bob about in the little homestead garden out front. Your private bathroom is in a separate hut next door, while across the hedge is a small on-site cookery school where you can do a day course on wood-fired cookery in a Gozney Oven, with the help of former wedding caterer, and total hoot, Emma Ireland. Read my review here.

The Lookout Tower, Beer

Dating back to the 18th century, this former signal station at Beer Head has been transformed into a luxurious two-bedroom stay, with high-tech underfloor heating, wet room, Neff white goods and a pneumatic vacuum lift which is contemporary and fun in equal measure. Outside is your wooden cabin sauna and, beyond that, 95-miles of ancient Jurassic Coast where you can top out on nature. Ideal for twitchers, beach-combers and walkers.

Bovey Castle, North Bovey

Pack your Jimmy Choos and your Barbour, baby! The jewel in Dartmoor’s hotel crown combines family-friendly rural relaxation with a knock-out spa and laid-back country house grandeur. If your idea of a weekend escape is gliding through bracken-lined country lines and arriving to valet parking, attentive staff, grand fireplaces and a lounge bar brimful of local quaffs and toffs, then this 5-star star jewel in Dartmoor’s hotel crown is the perfect stay for you. Upmarket, yes, but unpretentious and very Devon.

Lower Keats Glamping, Tytherleigh

Fancy the Great Outdoors but without the camping? We hear you. Check out these six safari tents, designed with all the luxuries of a boutique hotel, including hot power showers on demand and your own toilet. Plus, it just became even more appealing with the installation of bookable off-grid wood-fired hot tubs where you can relax in the ambience of woodsmoke and warm water. There’s nothing quite like basking in a steamy tub and looking up at their starry night sky.

Willingcott, Woolacombe

Less than two miles away from the family-friendly sands of Woolacombe Beach in North Devon, you’ll find this stylish eco development, complete with fabulous valley views. Each has four bedrooms, three bathrooms and sleeps up to eight guests, including two pooches, these contemporary new houses are like a home-from-home, ideal for families who love to stay and play – in the hot tub – together.

Saunton Sands Hotel, Saunton

Get away from it all at this fabulous beach hotel on the North Devon coast, complete with spa, swimming pools and did I mention the free childcare? Part of the Brend Hotels group, this 74-bedroom hotel has two pools and the vibe of elegant ocean liner, with sea-facing views, and miles of golden sands and dunes to explore on the doorstep. There are two restaurants – both formal and informal, plus a games room and playroom for kids and – the jewel in the crown – an ocean-inspired three-storey spa where you can relax without them.

CORNWALL

The PIG at Harlyn Bay, Nr Padstow

THE PIG Hotels have cornered the market in laid-back luxe, and this outpost on the majestic North Cornish coastline beyond Padstow is no exception. Yes, it’s posh but it’s friendly and warm, and above all, wants you to relax and enjoy the many, many comforts. One of Cornwall’s most historic houses dating back to the 15th century, THE PIG-at Harlyn Bay has far-reaching sea views, oodles of quirks and character and stacks of original features woven into the Medieval, Jacobean, Georgian and newer stone buildings. 11 bedrooms can be found in the main house, fifteen more in the Stonehouse plus four garden wagons can be found as you potter up to the kitchen garden – which guides the seasonal cooking in the two restaurants.

Carbis Bay Estate, Nr St Ives

Literary associations are plentiful at the art-deco style white walled Main House and surrounding luxury estate. The waterside hotel was inspiration for Rosamund Pilcher and the view of the lighthouse was immortalised by Virginia Woolf. Oh, and they hosted Boris, Joe Biden and the G7 crew back in 2021, and then won Muddy Awards best hotel in 2024. The luxury lodges have roof terraces, beach gardens and spas, and a hop and a skip takes you directly onto the beach below. Michelin starred chef Adam Handling’s Cornish fine-dining restaurant, Ugly Butterfly is on-site, and the multi-award-winning C Bay Spa, with year-round heated pools and peaceful treatment rooms, now offers Bamford Spa Treatments – so exclusive, it is the only spa in Cornwall which does.

St Michaels Resort, Falmouth

Sitting just above Falmouth’s sandy Blue Flag Gylly beach, you’ll find St Michaels Resort. Stylish and relaxed, St Michaels is deluxe resort with an emphasis on beach-side living, fusing outdoor activities with award-winning spa and gym facilities. Head for the revamped outdoor spa gardens with a much larger outdoor hot tub, a cold plunge pool, new decking and seating areas as well as retaining the popular barrel sauna. The beach-chic styling is firmly rooted in the Cornish landscape where the gentle south coast sub-tropical gardens, with palm trees and beautiful plantings, complements the New England coastal vibe, with lots of moody blues and greys, panelling and calming interior schemes. Dog-friendly.

Fowey Hall Hotel, Fowey

Housed in a stunning Victorian mansion overlooking the Fowey Estuary. Following a landmark refurb in 2023, every detail in this fabulous hotel is designed to make you feel at home (if home is the set of a glam period drama). All the stylish and comfortable rooms and suites accommodate families of various sizes and even the spa staff won’t baulk at the presence of your bolshy mini-me – kids can swim in the indoor pool from 8am-8pm and treatments are available from 3+. Local legend has it that Fowey Hall inspired ‘Toad Hall’ from Kenneth Grahame’s Wind in the Willows. The author was a frequent visitor but whatever the truth of the tale, it is a little like holidaying in a storybook here.

The Village, Beach Retreats, Watergate Bay, Nr Newquay

Beach Retreats specialises in self-catering properties that are no more than a mile of a good beach; arrive and spend the rest of your stay without needing to access a car. Part of the Watergate Bay Hotel family, Winnow in Watergate Bay featured on BBC One’s Interior Design Masters with Alan Carr where Banjo Beale was crowned winner, creating the interiors of the property which you can now rent for a luxe stay. Banjo brings a touch of Australia to Cornwall as well as some impeccable sourcing, creating a beauty of a bespoke 4-bed apartment with some unusual touches and one-off interior choices. At Watergate Bay there is no excuse not to get out and join the surfers – or even kite surfers – with a lesson from Wavehunters surf school, or just sit back on the terrace and enjoy the immense sea views and sunsets. Dog-friendly.

The Alverton Hotel, Truro

Not all Cornish holidays or stays are coastal. Just outside Truro’s city centre, but easy walking distance away is the impressive grade II listed, Victorian-Gothic The Alverton. Ivy-covered walls, arched windows and a bell tower evoke the building’s history, while inside, elegant original features combine with contemporary styling. Each of The Alverton’s 51 rooms is individually designed with comfort in mind. Sumptuous suites feature bespoke furnishings, roll-top baths and designer touches. While the simpler classic doubles, maintain the hotel’s standards of superlative comfort and style. Includes a breakfast to remember, frequently remarked upon in the hotel’s many rave reviews. Dog-friendly.

Boscundle Manor, St Austell

This Cornish grade-II listed manor house is an adults-only boutique hotel on Cornwall’s south coast near St Austell, with oodles of charm and character. With 12 individually decorated suites and rooms set in extensive gardens with decking and terraces, beautifully located for exploring the south coast ‘Cornish Riviera’, Boscundle Manor is a great choice for foodies eating out. Guests love the individual touches, like pre-breakfast bags on the doors in the morning with freshly baked muffins and departure gifts in the form of goodies like fudge. As well as an indoor heated pool and treatment room guests will find a cosy bar with pool table, and amazing breakfasts and afternoon teas, all prepared by the team in-house.

ARC, St Issey, nr Padstow

The country house, reimagined. With the coolest of curated experiences on tap, this next-level restored 18th century Georgian manor house just outside Padstow sleeps up to 24 people for a contemporary luxury getaway. 12 en-suite bedrooms and five reception rooms mean there is plenty of space for everyone. Amongst the interior highlights is a fully kitted out kitchen plus a pizza oven and enough entertaining and eating space inside and out. Outside find the oval sun lawn, outdoor kitchen and wood-fired hot-tub. The Saints Way passes nearby making a gorgeous walk into Padstow, with its harbour, restaurants and boutiques, meaning you’re away from the hustle and bustle of the town but with easy access too. Also on the doorstep are the ‘Seven Bays’ – a beach for every day of your stay. Dog-friendly.

The Terrace, Port Isaac

Boasting one of the best vantage points in Port Isaac, those through the door of The Terrace can enjoy uninterrupted views across Port Isaac harbour and out to the Atlantic ocean, sprawling social spaces and a bubbling hot tub. Sleeping 10 over 5 bedrooms, two living rooms and a large family kitchen, plus outside terrace, give plenty of space, whilst still being within easy access of the bustling village made famous by Doc Martin. The Fisherman’s Friends still make occasional appearances at the pub in the harbour. Dog-friendly. Bookable through Latitude50.

Garden Wing, Helford River

Part of a beautiful Georgian house, Garden Wing is set within two acres of established grounds and a sweet-smelling, walled cottage garden and a pathway that winds down the valley to Porth Saxon beach and the clear, unspoilt waters of the Helford River. Sleeping six across three bedrooms, Garden Wing is set within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and bordering land maintained and preserved by the National Trust. The Helford River, famous for its coastal walks and inspired literary heritage, is a short walk from the house, down through picturesque pathways. You’ll find quiet beaches and safe sheltered waters tailor made for swimming and sailing. Dog-friendly. Bookable through Cornish Holiday Cottages.

St Ives Bay Beach Resort, Hayle

Set on a three-mile expanse of golden sand on Cornwall’s famed St Ives Bay, this newly acquired beach resort is just the place for a laid-back self-catering caravan style holiday. Nestled in the dunes between the National Trust owned Godrevy and the up-and-coming Hayle, new owners, Away Resorts, have breathed new life and £3m investment into the resort. From camping and touring pitches to chalets, caravans and fab little camping pods, there is unique and exclusive accommodation, some with hot tubs, to suit all needs, just moments walk from the beautiful sandy beach. On-site there’s an indoor swimming pool, perfect for not so clement weather, as well as a play park and crazy golf. Then relax with a drink in the bar and take in the glorious views and epic sunsets, before enjoying the nightly entertainment. Dog-friendly.

The Birdbox, St Neot, nr Liskeard

Re-awaken your connection to nature with a stay at this scandi-chic, rustic cabin. Settled in a private eden full of spectacular flora that blooms from spring onwards, the rambling garden provides the most peaceful utopia for a relaxing getaway. The cabin sleeps two and has a charming outside bath, plus fire pit and wood-burner. The Bird Box is nestled in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty where the dawn chorus is quite simply breath-taking. Dog-friendly. Bookable through Unique Hideaways.

Tinker, nr Bude

In the depths of coastal Cornwall near Bude, Tinker joins two enchanting showman’s wagons with a 17th century underground bothy via a secret passageway. The living area and fully-equipped kitchen is housed in the bothy, which links seamlessly with the two wagons that house the bedroom and bathroom, complete with freestanding bath. Frequented by honeymooners and those after privacy, this spellbinding sanctuary has everything you need for an idyllic retreat: private two-person hot tub, fairy-tale-like meadow garden with sundowner and fire pit. Guests must be aged over 12 years. Bookable through Cornish Secrets.