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 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
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
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
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
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
