Country weekend breaks near London
Plotting a couples' 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 Norfolk to the South Downs, are all within a three hour drive of 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 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.
Fawn Wood
Hartfield, High Weald, East Sussex, UK
With its own heated pool, Fawn Wood is a luxury retreat in High Weald that started life as a granary, hiding in a sylvan setting on the edge of the Ashdown Forest in East Sussex.
Sleeps: 6 (+2) guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 4 guests
From: £3,295 per week, £2,750 per short break
Pets: Two dogs are welcome
Features: Small-scale outdoor heated pool (available May - September inclusive), professional Trackman golf simulator and SimWay Hunt Pro shooting simulator (advance booking required, incurs an additional cost), Big Green Egg barbeque and outdoor pizza oven.
Distance: Approx. 29 miles from central London as the crow flies
Mill of Arun
Billingshurst, West Sussex, UK
With a tranquil spot on the River Arun, Mill of Arun is a luxury country home with a hot tub and kayaks in West Sussex; a magical four-story space for families near Billingshurst.
Sleeps: Up to 8 guests
From: £3,295 per week, £2,495 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Hot tub, two kayaks for the river, table football in the games room, fishing is available year round outside of April and May
Distance: Approx. 34 miles from central London as the crow flies
Mulberry Mill
Billingshurst, West Sussex, UK
There’s something special about Mulberry Mill; a luxury country home on the River Arun that's close to the South Downs in West Sussex, on the edge of Billingshurst.
Sleeps: Up to 6 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 4 guests
From: £1,995 per week, £1,450 per short break
Pets: Two pets are welcome
Features: Canoes for the river, football table, fishing is available year round outside of April and May
Distance: Approx. 34 miles from central London as the crow flies
Figgy Court
Billingshurst, West Sussex, UK
A 700-year-old grain barn in West Sussex, Figgy Court is a luxury couples’ retreat with a riverside hot tub that affords a slice of country living on modern terms in Billingshurst.
Sleeps: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,350 per week, £1,095 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Hot tub
Distance: Approx. 34 miles from central London as the crow flies
The Gallerist
Haywards Heath, West Sussex, UK
A former brewery, The Gallerist is a luxury country house with a cool streak, where a cinema room and pool call seekers of laissez-faire living to Haywards Heath in West Sussex.
Sleeps: Up to 8 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 4 guests
From: £4,950 per week, £3,750 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Outdoor heated swimming pool (available April - October), woodfired hot tub, tennis court, and cinema room
Distance: Approx. 37 miles from central London as the crow flies
Studio Fold
Nutbourne, Pulborough, West Sussex, UK
Modern design and eco creds have seen former water pumping station Studio Fold in Pulborough's sought-after village of Nutbourne transform into an award-winning West Sussex home.
Sleeps: Up to 10 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 6 guests
From: £2,595 per week, £1,950 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Pool table and cinema room
Distance: Approx. 42 miles from central London as the crow flies
Cadence
A 1970s sci-fi film was the unlikely inspiration for architect-owned retreat Cadence; an award-winning luxury country house in pretty Petworth, on West Sussex's poetic South Downs.
Sleeps: Up to 10 guests
From: £5,495 per week
Pets: Two well-behaved pets are welcome
Distance: Approx. 42 miles from central London as the crow flies
Roserai
A stately house in its own lush grounds with little luxuries inside and out that every weekender wishes for, this is one dream home that guests won't ever want to leave.
Sleeps: Up to 8 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 4 guests
From: £3,995 per week, £2,995 per short break
Pets: Two small well-behaved dogs or one large dog welcome on prior request
Features: Heated swimming pool (available May-September), hot tub, sauna, steam room and pool house
Distance: Approx. 42 miles from central London as the crow flies
The Art House
Sutton, Pulborough, West Sussex, UK
An idyllic retreat and chef's favourite, The Art House is a luxury country home in the village of Sutton in West Sussex; complete with a pool, tennis court and wild swimming lake.
Sleeps: Up to 12 guests
From: £7,995 per week
Pets: One well-behaved dog is welcome
Features: 17-metre heated outdoor swimming pool (June - September), sauna, 50-metre wild swimming lake with jetty, tennis court, air hockey, pool table and fire pit
Distance: Approx. 46 miles from central London as the crow flies
Ariabelle
Iping, Midhurst, West Sussex, UK
Found at the end of a sweeping drive, Ariabelle is the ultimate luxury country house, affording a spa-like stay with a lavish indoor pool in West Sussex's glorious South Downs.
Sleeps: Up to 14 guests
From: £19,250 per week, £15,450 per short break
Pets: Pets are considered on prior agreement
Features: Indoor heated swimming pool, hot tub, tennis court, steam room and sauna, gym and bar
Distance: Approx. 46 miles from central London as the crow flies