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.
The Summer Folly
Grimsthorpe, Bourne, Lincolnshire, UK
The final creation of architect Sir John Vanbrugh in the 1720s (who also built Blenheim Castle), The Summer Folly is a curious retreat in rural Lincolnshire.
Sleeps: Up to 4 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,850 per week, £1,450 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Cinema snug, petanque lawn, croquet, badminton
