Country weekend breaks near London
Plotting a romantic escape or a big group gathering away from the city? Luxury country weekend breaks near London have never been so get-at-able; these private homes, from Shropshire to the South Downs, are all within two to three hours’ drive from the Big Smoke.
In a couple of hours, you could be reclining on the veranda of your very own beach house, rosé on ice, sea salt on your lips, and fondue melting on the Aga. The luxury private homes that form this collection of country weekend breaks near London have all been hand-picked, nitpicking-ly examined, and granted the Unique Homestays stamp of approval, meaning a swift self-catering escape from the city has never been so carefree. If the London Underground is your go-to mode of transport, we can arrange the hire of a 4x4 or country-ready convertible, so you can fill the trunk with ensembles and pull up to your weekend abode in style. You handle the spontaneity, we'll handle the spadework.
A city trend's astir. As the crowds shuffle in for their weekend revelries, London locals are slyly departing. From gathering with all the family in lavish mansions with swimming pools, to holing up with their beaus in romantic cottages where Champagne and real fires reign, city-escapers (often with dogs in tow) are turning to out-of-towners in as little as two to three hours. Go big with indoor bowling alleys, at-home cinemas, and secret gardens, or take the hygge highway to hot tubs and fire-charred marshmallows. With oak doors aflung, baguettes in the hamper, and lavender-scented bubbles in the copper tub, the most luxurious self-catering homes in the UK are just a click away. The coast and country are calling.
Artemis
On a valley's edge in the undulating folds of the South Downs, this luxury country house with a pool hides amidst the gentle rustle of wildflowers and meadow grass.
Sleeps: Up to 11 guests (nine adults and two children)
From: £8,495 per week
Pets: Sorry, no pets.
Features: Heated outdoor swimming pool (April-September), fire pit
Distance: Approx. 55 miles from central London as the crow flies
Felicity Park
Fullerton, Winchester, Hampshire, UK
Daringly fun and colourful, Felicity Park is a playful Victorian château; a luxury country house in the village of Fullerton in Hampshire with a heated pool and tennis court.
Sleeps: Up to 10 guests
From: £5,495 per week, £2,995 per short break
Pets: Sorry, no pets
Features: Outdoor heated swimming pool (May - September), tennis court, pool house, barbecue hut, piano
Distance: Approx. 63 miles from central London as the crow flies
The Cinders
Lyndhurst, New Forest, Hampshire, UK
Offering a peaceful escape in the wilds of the New Forest, spend days wandering beneath the trees, spotting wildlife and fully relaxing into the sound of nature.
Sleeps: Up to 6 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 4 & Up to 2 guests
From: £2,150 per week, £1,595 per short break
Pets: Sorry, no pets
Distance: Approx. 79 miles from central London as the crow flies
Forestkeepers
Fordingbridge, New Forest, Hampshire, UK
A bespoke treehouse, zip-wire, and outdoor pool await at Forestkeepers, where a garden gate leads straight into Hampshire's New Forest, tempting picnics in woodland glades.
Sleeps: Up to 12 guests (8 adults and 4 children)
Alternative Group Option: Up to 6 guests
From: £3,795 per week, £2,850 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome, or three on prior request
Features: Heated outdoor swimming pool (available from the end of March to mid-October), treehouse, zipwire, trampoline, football goals, netball hoop, games room with air hockey and arcade machine, cinema room
Distance: Approx. 82 miles from central London as the crow flies
The Sorting Office
Fordingbridge, New Forest, Hampshire, UK
A gingerbread house with thatched roof set on the fringes of the New Forest which, from the outside, could very easily have been plucked from the pages of Hansel and Gretel.
Sleeps: Up to 4 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,650 per week, £1,250 per short break
Pets: One small well-behaved dog is welcome on prior request
Distance: Approx. 83 miles from central London as the crow flies
Pepper Shack
Lymington, New Forest, Hampshire, UK
A luxury cabin that feels like a winter cave, Pepper Shack is a moody home with a hot tub, pizza oven, and couples' bikes, made for romantic stays near the New Forest in Hampshire.
Sleeps: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,795 per week, £1,350 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Hot tub, Kadai fire pit, outdoor pizza oven, two cruiser bikes, powerboat charter can be arranged on prior request
Distance: Approx. 83 miles from central London as the crow flies
The Sanctuary
Lymington, New Forest, Hampshire, UK
Bordering the New Forest in Hampshire's Lymore Valley, The Sanctuary is an industrial luxury cabin with a hot tub, fire pit, and a pair of cruiser bikes for peddling to the beach.
Sleeps: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,550 per week, £1,350 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Jacuzzi hot tub, Kadai fire pit, cruiser bikes, powerboat charter can be arranged on prior request
Distance: Approx. 83 miles from central London as the crow flies
Tilda
Fordingbridge, New Forest, Hampshire, UK
Woodland hideaway meets minimalist design at Tilda. Here, the gentle trickle of the River Allen and splash of jumping blue trout wash away any remnants of city living.
Sleeps: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,550 per week, £1,150 per short break
Pets: One dog is very welcome, two well-behaved dogs on request.
Features: Hot tub and fire pit
Distance: Approx. 85 miles from central London as the crow flies
