Luxury cottages with fireplaces
The soul of winter lies in the crackle of logs and hypnotic dance of flames. In our luxury cottages with woodburners, fire lighting becomes a ritual that marks day's transition to night, transforming spaces into sanctuaries of the most primitive pleasures.
From inglenooks in Cotswolds stone to Nordic fireplaces poised by craftsmen in Cornish boltholes, each retreat celebrates the primal draw of the hearth. Deep in Welsh mountain cottages, stock the log basket before hiking misty peaks, returning to toasted toes and buttered crumpets. In the wilds of Cumbria, play board games as shadows flicker across stone walls, snow drifting silently outside.
Perhaps it's morning coffee by glowing embers in a farmhouse, fireside suppers in a converted chapel, or gathering around cast-iron stoves in beach houses as Atlantic storms rage across the darkening winter sky. These homes offer an elemental combination of wilderness and shelter; there's nowhere better to gather, reconnect, and simply be, than beside the steady heartbeat of a real fire.
Filly Island
Cirencester, Gloucestershire, The Cotswolds, UK
Blending tiny proportions with a big dose of style, Filly Island is a luxury cottage in the Cotswolds; find it on a little island accessed by a humpback bridge near Cirencester.
Sleeps: Up to 2 guests
From: £950 per week, £795 per short break
Pets: Two small well-behaved dogs are welcome
The Palladian
Ampney Crucis, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, The Cotswolds, UK
Georgian in style and grand in nature, this self-catering Cotswold manor offers a true countryside escape perfect for multi-generational groups.
Sleeps: Up to 12 guests (6 adults and 6 children)
From: £4,795 per week, £3,450 per short break
Pets: Sorry, no pets
Features: Outdoor heated swimming pool and hot tub (both May - September), gym, tennis court, trampoline and small football pitch
