Country retreats to blow the cobwebs away
Feel like you’re hitting the snooze button more frequently? Is the relentless pace of city life getting you down? A country retreat could be calling. From remote islands to secret countryside hideaways, a rural retreat can revitalise the body and mind. Give the tourist hordes of Rome a miss and head to the Umbrian countryside, swap Barcelona for the rugged topography of the Basque Country and ditch Dublin in favour of a farmhouse in Donegal. A country escape can be a simple or as extravagant as a castle. What are you waiting for? Follow your bliss to your own private bolthole in the countryside.
Luxury country retreats for a special getaway
It doesn’t need to be a special occasion to treat yourself to a luxury country retreat. Much like cars, humans need regular maintenance to ensure they can function properly, and a rural retreat can be just what the doctor ordered. Luxury country retreats come with elegant interiors, modern conveniences like Wi-Fi, 5-star facilities like pools, hot tubs and wood burners, as well as spacious surroundings. Find yourself in the most spectacular settings with stunning sunset panoramas that make your retreat a feast for the senses.
Spa Retreats in the countryside
Spa retreats are the ultimate country escape for pampering and detoxing. An independent holiday rental for your spa break gives you the freedom to choose the type of treatments you want and accommodation options. Some holiday rentals are situated in the same grounds as the spa and other options include nearby villas, yurts or cottage rentals. From Moroccan country retreats in the Atlas Mountains to romantic spa breaks in Bali, why not treat yourself to a week of pure indulgence?
Countryside spa retreats in Europe
Europe has embraced the spa retreat wholeheartedly and you can find treatments incorporating everything from Swedish massages to thermal face scrubs. An independent spa retreat in Europe allows you to blend activity and relaxation so scuba diving in the Greek Aegean can be followed by a dip in a bubbling spa. Perhaps a day exploring the Fjords in Norway can be topped off in your very own sauna, with the option to venture out again to look at the Northern Lights. There’s no need to even fly to a decent spa; the UK has an abundance of holiday rentals with spas. Country getaways in all corners of Europe often come with home spa facilities or easy access to luxurious spas and fitness centres.
Enticing country retreats in England
Your exciting countryside getaway doesn’t have to involve flights or long queues at passport control. An English country retreat is an ideal solution for the problem of what to do with your dogs and cats while you’re away. They’ll love frolicking in the great outdoors and lazy nights by the fire just as much as you will. Whether you choose a coastal setting like Cornwall or a cultural getaway like Stonehenge, you’ll find all sorts of accommodation for every budget, including barn conversions, beachside chalets, cottages and country estates.
Country retreats near London
If you feel the siren call of the wild when you’re making your way to yet another meeting in the City or taking another crowded Tube journey, it’s time for a countryside escape. There are plenty of country retreats within a couple of hours’ drive from London. The Chiltern Hills are just over an hour’s drive from London are home to beautiful villages and hamlets with traditional cottage rentals. The South Downs National Park is home to characterful cottages dating back hundreds of years and it has a long distance footpath and bridleway for walking miles of beautiful lush green countryside. Virginia Woolf was a big fan of the rolling hills that lead to the white chalky cliffs of the Seven Sisters and Beachy Head at Eastbourne.
Cream teas and romance at country retreats in the Cotswolds
If you like your country retreats quaint, traditional and picture perfect, make a beeline for the Cotswolds. Designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Cotswolds region’s rolling hills are a byword for English village chic. It manages to be timeless and fashionable with honey-hued architecture and thatched cottages that make the area a top countryside getaway in the UK. This rural idyll offers a range of quintessentially English holiday rentals from barn and mill conversions to large holiday cottages with gardens.