Muddy Stilettos


<p>When it comes to short breaks, sometimes it’s simpler and more fun to make the most of what’s on your doorstep. A weekend away somewhere luxurious to unwind, fill up on fine food and be thoroughly pampered, without the faff of flying, is the dream when you&#8217;re time-short. </p>



<p>Step forward <a href="https://www.exclusive.co.uk">Exclusive Collection</a> and its scattering of idyllic countryside escapes, just a few hours from London, where you can step off the hamster&nbsp;wheel&nbsp;of life for a couple of blissful nights. A cocoon of nourishing food, lavish bedrooms, warm service and abundance of walks in the fresh air means our favourite six properties are a delight to visit in any season.&nbsp;Oh, and they&#8217;re B Corp certified business so they have serious eco and sustainability cred too.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-best-for-foodies-pennyhill-park-surrey">Best for foodies: <a href="https://www.exclusive.co.uk/pennyhill-park/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pennyhill Park</a>, Surrey </h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="597" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Screenshot-2024-03-25-at-17.13.20.png" alt="Latymer Restaurant at Pennyhill Park " class="wp-image-90303" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Screenshot-2024-03-25-at-17.13.20.png 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Screenshot-2024-03-25-at-17.13.20-600x358.png 600w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Set in 120 acres of Surrey parkland, Pennyhill Park’s the epitome of country house chic. Sweep down the impressive driveway and you&#8217;ll be transported to a world that&#8217;s all about you &#8211; a place to rest, recharge and treat your tastebuds to a slice of gastronomic heaven. The food is the highlight &#8211; although the spa is amazing too – specifically Latymer by Steve Smith, a Michelin starred, 5 AA rosette belter. It&#8217;s Surrey’s top dining spot, so don’t even think about skipping dinner. Creating modern British&nbsp;cuisine from local produce, Smith’s award-winning Discovery Tasting Menu is an event and you’ll want to dedicate a significant portion of your weekend to savouring every course. From Brixham sea bass to tiramichoux, hazelnut and Wiltshire truffle, there&#8217;s a commitment to sustainable cookery and the very best produce. To be honest, it&#8217;s a 3.5hr food marathon so clear your diary. Once you&#8217;ve eaten,&nbsp;it’s time to head&nbsp;to bed in one of the 124 individually designed rooms and do not leave without sampling the holistic haven that is the spa. Hello&nbsp;spa&nbsp;cabana, 23 treatment rooms, thermal suite and pool. And relax</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-best-for-sybarite-spa-lovers-south-lodge-sussex">Best for sybarite spa-lovers: <a href="https://www.exclusive.co.uk/south-lodge/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">South Lodge</a>, Sussex</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="662" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Unknown.jpeg" alt="South Lodge spa " class="wp-image-90304" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Unknown.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Unknown-600x397.jpeg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>If countryside cool’s your thing, set your sights on a stay at this stylish Sussex escape which dates back to the 1800s, but it&#8217;s contemporary touches and £15 million spa that we can&#8217;t get enough of. Yep, this is next level pampering, including a heated wild swimming pool, hydrotherapy pool, indoor infinity pool, thermal suite and a menu including treatments like bamboo massages, rose quartz facials and The Comfort Zone body scrubs. Throw in a state-of-the-art gym and The Ridgeview Beauty Bar, there you can get mani, pedi and brow treatments, and we can’t think of a better place for a head-to-toe pamper sesh. It also boasts Michelin star restaurant The Pass, which offers intimate dining for just 28 people The Pass is an intimate restaurant, offering a unique dining experience for up to 28 diners within the historic walls of South Lodge. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nbsp-best-for-all-the-family-lainston-house-hampshire">&nbsp;Best for <em>all</em> the family: <a href="https://www.exclusive.co.uk/lainston-house/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lainston House</a>, Hampshire  </h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1435" height="760" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/lainston-house-exclusive-hotels-amy-murrell-2017-1.jpeg" alt="Lainston House " class="wp-image-89966" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/lainston-house-exclusive-hotels-amy-murrell-2017-1.jpeg 1435w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/lainston-house-exclusive-hotels-amy-murrell-2017-1-600x318.jpeg 600w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/lainston-house-exclusive-hotels-amy-murrell-2017-1-1000x530.jpeg 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 1435px) 100vw, 1435px" /></figure>



<p>This charming red brick pile just outside Winchester has bags of character and a <em>Bridgerton </em>vibe, meaning it&#8217;s not short of open fires, wood panelling and walled gardens. Yet despite its grand appearance, it’s remarkably relaxed and family-friendly, from the wellington boots in reception which you can pull on to romp around the 63-acre estate, to the family junior suites with two Queen-sized beds and play teepees on request. There even run kids workshops at Season, the hotel’s excellent onsite cookery school. It&#8217;s also a great base for nearby attractions like Beaulieu Motor Museum, Marwell Zoo, Go Ape and Paultons Park. Even your pet pooch is welcome &#8211; book a Tails &amp; Trails package and your dog will receive a bed, bowl and snacks. Paw-fect!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-best-for-star-gazing-the-manor-house-wiltshire-nbsp">Best for star-gazing: <a href="https://www.exclusive.co.uk/the-manor-house/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Manor House</a>, Wiltshire&nbsp;</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="668" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Unknown-3.jpeg" alt="The Manor House, Wiltshire " class="wp-image-90307" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Unknown-3.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Unknown-3-600x401.jpeg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Tucked away on the edge of Castle Combe, the Cotswolds’ prettiest village, this honey-hued mansion and cluster of cottages is a must-visit. And it’s not only the 14th-century house, Michelin-starred Bybrook restaurant, manicured lawns and 18-hole golf course that make it so special, it’s also the hotel is a movie location. That’s right, tiny Castle Combe’s appeared in a clutch of films, from <em>Dr Dolittle</em> in the 60s to <em>Spielberg’s War Horse</em>, plus TV shows including <em>Poirot</em> and <em>Robin of Sherwood</em>. Soak up the film set vibe on a stroll to The Castle Inn, the hotel’s very own pub in the heart of the village, where you can tuck into delicious dishes like satay of Brougham cauliflower, cured chalk stream trout and Somerset charcuterie.&nbsp;There&#8217;s also star-spotting of the celestial kind, with guests invited to grab blankets and night sky guides from reception then head outside to sit in deckchairs and gaze at a sky often studded with stars thanks to low light pollution, as there are no street lights in Castle Combe</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-best-for-days-out-royal-berkshire-ascot">Best for days out: <a href="https://www.exclusive.co.uk/royal-berkshire/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Royal Berkshire</a>, Ascot </h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="635" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Unknown-4-1000x635.jpeg" alt="The Royal Berkshire in Ascot " class="wp-image-90308" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Unknown-4-1000x635.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Unknown-4-600x381.jpeg 600w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Unknown-4.jpeg 1260w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>It’s all about the good life at Royal Berkshire, a stunning red brick Queen Anne mansion which sits in 15 acres close to Ascot. From the moment you arrive you’ll adore the special touches laid on for a memorable stay – afternoon tea in the Polo Bar, sunset aperitifs on the lawn and ice creams served from a horsebox. However the hotel&#8217;s location is also knock-out, being close to Windsor Castle, Royal Ascot, London and Legoland. Currently planning some getaways with the kids? You can book a Legoland Play &amp; Stay package at the Royal Berkshire, including an overnight stay in a family room with breakfast and day tickets for four to the nearby theme park. Half-term holidays sorted. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-best-for-luxe-loafing-fanhams-hall-hertfordshire">Best for luxe loafing: <a href="https://www.exclusive.co.uk/fanhams-hall/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Fanhams Hall</a>, Hertfordshire</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="695" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Screenshot-2024-03-25-at-16.18.42.png" alt="Fanhams Hall in Hertfordshire " class="wp-image-90292" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Screenshot-2024-03-25-at-16.18.42.png 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Screenshot-2024-03-25-at-16.18.42-600x417.png 600w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>What do you get if you mix a medieval hall, Jacobean mansion, Japanese tea house and a woodland? Fanhams Hall! This one-of-a-kind country house and gardens just outside Ware is utterly idyllic and makes a perfect weekend escape when you just want to kickback and relax. Treat yourself to a night in a four-poster bed, enjoy a relaxed tasty meal in the bar before snuggling up for a night cap by a roaring fire in the airy Atrium. A Sunday morning lie-in followed by a full English breakfast and stroll around the manicured grounds will ensure you return home feeling ready to take on the week ahead. </p>



<p>Explore the <a href="https://www.exclusive.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Exclusive Collection</a></p>


Escape to the country! 6 top UK hotels for the perfect weekend break

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