Picture this: You are on holiday in the English countryside, taking long walks through rolling hills behind an old estate, popping into adorable little pubs, and admiring the shape of listed gardens (whatever those are). The sun’s out — well, maybe! — and you’re appreciating the slower pace of life so much that you are considering a hound and matching rain boots (for you and your new hound).
A quaint vacation sounds like the right kind of vacation right now. You know what we mean?
If you’re ready to trade your bikini (and incessant reapplication of sunscreen) for a sensible jumper (and another cup of tea) for a few days this summer, you’ll want to head to England — to the Cotswolds, Hampshire, and Surrey. Here are three favorite grand country houses.
Thyme
Thyme is the very picture of a genteel English country escape. The gardens brim with more varieties of plants and herbs than a horticulturalist could identify, many of which inspire owner Caryn Hibbert’s beautiful drawings and watercolors that then become the bedspreads, wallpapers, pillowcases, and napkins seen throughout the main house and surrounding cottages. (They’re produced under the banner Bertioli, and everything is for sale in the excellent shop on the barn where they often host traveling exhibitions.) Daughter Milly runs the show out here in the Cotswolds, overseeing the restaurant, Meadow spa (they make their own excellent garden-infused products, too), and programming (flower arranging, breadmaking, painting).
Beaverbrook
Beaverbrook in the Surrey Hills occupies 400 acres so grand and so storied (those are ancient forests out there) you’d have a hard time walking it all if you had a month. And you’ll want to stay that long to bask in beautifully appointed rooms named for friends who used to visit Lord Beaverbrook (Charlie Chaplin, Winston Churchill, Elizabeth Taylor) and sample all the cocktails served in Sir Frank’s Bar and work your way through the fresh menus in the Garden House. In the summertime, small hot air balloons set up around the fountain make for fun and memorable meals, especially as the sun sets into the green horizon. (Try not to spend too much time pinching yourself, wondering what it must have been like to actually call this place home. Around here, this is how they rolled.) Also of note is The Coach House, the expansive spa (pools, saunas, classes, fitness center), where special treatments include three-hour breath, meditative, and body work led by resident master of treatments Lino Zinchi and a 90-minute Rejuvanation Facial by cult facialist Vivienne Talsmat.
Heckfield Place
Heckfield Place in Hampshire is pretty close to perfect. Every time we visit, we find something new to love, and most recently it was The Bothy by Wildsmith, the serene spa and wellness center where massage treatments and breathing workshops didn’t so much as relieve stress as make us forget we ever had it to begin with. The sheep and cows are still roaming the fields around the biodynamic Home Farm that is the source of the fresher-than-fresh produce in the restaurants (open-fire Hearth and Green Michelin-starred Marle) supervised by culinary director Skye Gyngell, as well as the flowers throughout the rooms, Moon Bar, lounges, and living rooms. The house dates back to the 1760s (again, try not to be too envious of the family that actually got to live here) and brims with charming touches like painted ceramic tiles in the fireplace, but what also sings is the modern art collection on display. (An iPad guide in the room has extensive notes on all the pieces, if you’re curious.) Because Heckfield is an easy train ride from London, even one night here feels like a real escape — though once you see the forests and the ponds and the greenhouse, you’ll want to stay for at least two.
And these are our picks for charming English country hotels at more affordable prices.
Mood Board: English Countryside Romp
If you can’t be there, you can at least look the part with the right kit.
A Good Book Will Take You There
We believe in the transporting power of an engrossing read.
Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen
Class, reputation, conflict. Re-visit this O.G. comedy of manners. (Bookshop.org and Amazon.com)
All Creatures Great and Small, by James Herriot
We’d say only an animal wouldn’t relish this tender memoir about a vet and his rural patients — but that would be an insult to animals. (Bookshop.org and Amazon.com)
Cranford, by Elizabeth Gaskell
Small village preoccupations are brought to life through female friendship. Like a Victorian-era soap, but with more kindness. (Bookshop.org and Amazon.com)
H is for Hawk, by Helen Macdonald
A spectacular memoir about grief and evocation of the natural world. (Bookshop.org and Amazon.com)
The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett
A young girl brings a walled garden back to life. A kid’s classic — with Tasha Tudor’s iconic illustrations. (Bookshop.org and Amazon.com)
The Wind and the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame
Mole, Rat, Toad, and Badger get into (and get out of) mischief. A good read-aloud bedtime story. (Bookshop.org and Amazon.com)
Queen Lucia, by E.F. Benson
A comedic satire about idle women (it’s a theme!) in a charming, insular village somewhere (also a theme!). (Bookshop.org and Amazon.com)
Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand, by Helen Simonson
A gentle, funny, contemporary love story. (Bookshop.org and Amazon.com)