UK Autumn Escapes
Autumn is here and for those of you who didn’t manage to get away over the summer here’s my pick of UK escapes for a mid-week break or weekend escape in East Anglia and beyond.
The Duncombe Arms
Tom Parker Bowles describes this country chic restaurant with rooms (there are 10 of them) as ‘the local we wish we all had’. The food is award-winning, with the menus showcasing the freshest seasonal and local products and the dishes are decidedly and deliciously British complemented by a 98-strong wine list and a craft gin menu of 28. On the edge of the Peak District in Derbyshire it’s close to the market towns of Ashbourne (a favourite amongst antique hunters) and Uttoxeter, a beautiful location for an Autumn break tucked away in the Dove Valley. Return to blazing fires and a hot chocolate after a day of sailing, windsurfing and kayaking on the nearby Carsington Reservoir.
Rates from £160 including breakfast per night.
www.duncombearms.co.uk Tel: 01335 324275
The Garden Cottage
If you’re after a place to stay where you’re self-contained, in the countryside but close to fabulous food then The Garden Cottage, which sleeps 6, is the perfect choice. Just 5 minutes from The Duncombe Arms and set nearby in the expansive, private grounds of Staffordshire’s Wootton Hall Estate this charming rose-clad cottage is very private and very quiet. A close drive to the Peak District National Park, it’s an ideal British bolthole for walking and cycling and exploring the local area’s many attractions (Chatsworth is only a 40-minute drive) or simply for a foodie weekend.
The Garden Cottage has a large farmhouse kitchen, cosy sitting room complete with log fire and a large inviting dining room with candelabras to create a cosy Christmassy setting. The 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms are decorated in a country style with plenty of soft fabrics, classic design and floral art. Crisp bed linen, plump pillows and comfy beds are complemented by the uninterrupted views across the rolling Staffordshire countryside to make for the perfect country escape.
Rates from £220 per night for a minimum 3 night stay. 7 night stays receive a 10% discount.
www.duncombearms.co.uk Tel: 01335 324275
University Arms
University Arms sits right in the heart of historic Cambridge. It opened in 2018 to great acclaim following a unique collaboration between the architect John Simpson and the interior designer Martin Brudnizki. This independent luxury hotel has been voted as one of the top 5 hotels in the UK outside London and it’s easy to see why with its classical design and 192 quirky and eclectic hotel rooms and suites. Breakfast, lunch and dinner is served at Parker’s Tavern a quintessentially English brasserie which serves honest, locally sourced good food and the Afternoon Tea, inspired by the city’s literary history, is a feast not to be missed.
Rates from £159 per room per night. Suites start from £419
www.universityarms.com Tel: 01223 606066
Barnet Hill Hotel
You may not want to leave your pets behind when you go away for the weekend, but you also don’t want to skimp on luxury. Barnett Hill, a contemporary country house hotel hidden away in the Surrey Hills, fits the bill with its luxurious and spacious Courtyard Rooms. Extra-large with Super-king size beds they’re the perfect pet-friendly choice and many have woodland views. Here you can revel in life's little luxuries, escape the humdrum of everyday life, put your feet up in the Library and settle into a chesterfield sofa by the fireside.
Rates from £170 per room per night. www.alexanderhotels.co.uk
Tel: 01483 893361