The perfect summer retreat doesn’t have to be a million miles from home. With airports advising you to get to the airport 2.5+ hours early, this takes up a large chunk of your precious holiday time and that’s not taking into account the duration of the flight itself and the airport transfer on the other side. To make things easy and to make the most of your time off work, we recommend a local staycation in the charming South West.
Devon, Cornwall and Dorset have some of the most beautiful landscapes that you don’t need to travel very far to witness. You will still feel just as relaxed and refreshed from your break, even more so without the stress of the airport.
We have gathered together our favourite local staycations to make your holiday search that little bit easier.
Sink into one of their grey velvet arm chairs, binoculars in hand, and spot some of the local wildlife from the comfort of your oak framed lakeside lodge.
Turtley’s Lakeside Lodges are located on the grounds of Turtley Corn Mill, a traditional pub in the South Hams serving fresh food, local beers and a great wine list. The separate lodges are a new addition to the six luxury bedrooms situated within the main building, all named after the ducks that you will find on their lake.
The independent lodges popped up in 2022 and offer bi-folding doors onto your own private balcony with picture-perfect views of the lake. The interior has been tastefully designed with elegance and comfort in mind, complete with a super-king-Vi-Spring bed adorned with Egyptian cotton bedding.
In the morning, a continental breakfast can be brought to you at the Lodge without having to lift a finger.
Feel at home at Coombeshead Farm, idyllically situated within 66 acres of meadows, woodland, oak-lined streams all on their working farm.
The original Farmhouse and Grain Store now plays host to their beautifully decorated bedrooms with king and super king sized beds, walk-in showers and views of the farm.
Their separate Cottage sleeps up to four people with your own living area, cooking facilities and outdoor space. You can even bring your dogs along with you.
You will be able to book a table at their restaurant for an evening meal alongside your bed and breakfast booking. Enjoy a delicuous set menu made from fresh, quality ingredients from the farm and surrounding area.
Catch yourself pointing towards Orion’s Belt and the Big Dipper whilst being surrounded by a wild flower meadow in your very own beautifully decorated geodesic dome.
The nature of the dome provides uninterrupted views of the night sky in one of the darkest stargazing spots in the UK. Use the telescope supplied to get a closer look at the surface of the moon from the comfort of your king-sized bed complete with Egyptian cotton sheets. If this isn’t enough, you can wine and dine around the fire pit followed by an indulgent evening in the wood fired bath for two.
Cornwall’s spectacular coast line is only a short drive away with many quaint villages along the way to explore.
The small but perfectly formed old piggery provides a luxury cottage feel set within the grounds of a Georgian house.
The Piggery has a spacious kitchenette with oak worktops and a Belfast sink and you will always find homemade cake, Prosecco and freshly laid eggs from their chickens for guests as welcome gifts! A large king-sized bed and a roll-top bathtub with fresh, fluffy bathrobes are some of the luxuries to look forward to during a stay at The Piggery.
Sit back and unwind with a cup of tea on the orchard area of their grounds. The Piggery’s only request is that they want everyone that stays to go away feeling happy and refreshed.
Nestled into the heart of the quaint market town of Sherborne, Neda Cottage combines the charm of the 19th century building with all of the comforts of modern living.
The cottage restoration was sympathetically completed using traditional methods with natural soft lime plasters and elm boards to help create an authentic feel which is enhanced by the contemporary edge of the furnishings.
With the entire cottage all to yourself, there is everything you need for a sublime stay to explore more of what Sherborne has to offer. The open-plan living room and kitchen leads out to a private courtyard patio with comfortable garden furniture to sit back and relax.
Enjoy a truly unique and idyllic experience with Plymouth Gin.
You can expect all things rustic from this stunning getaway located on the edge of Dartmoor, just 25 minutes from the distillery in Plymouth.
The lodge sits on a lake surrounded by woodland complete with a natural wood fired Hot tub!
Sit back and relax on their Plymouth Gin deck chairs and admire the unrivalled views. Or make your own pizza with their pizza oven and sit around the log fire in the evening with a cup of tea.
On the second day of your stay, enjoy a leisurely morning before being collected by Taxi and brought into Plymouth ready for the Masters Distillers Tour.