Luxury Staycations in the UK

We have to start this Luxury Staycations post with a major caveat. As all travel abroad from the UK is so uncertain, and with the recent cancellation of most holiday flights to Spain, the demand for holidays in the UK has rocketed. At time of writing, there was some August availability at all of the destinations listed. You may be lucky to get a full fortnight but it could be fun to have several short breaks instead. However, luxury staycations are being snapped up by the second. If you haven’t booked yet, or if your planned trip has just been cancelled, you’ll need to be quick to find anything within the school holidays. That said, there are still some fantastic luxury staycations out there. You just need to start with an open mind and be as flexible as possible.

Ashdown Park Hotel & Country Club – see britainsfinest.co.uk

Luxury Staycation Hotels

The world of luxury staycations is changing so rapidly, we would recommend using a luxury hotel booking site, such as Luxury Escapes or Voyage Privé. They’ve already done all the hard work so all you need to do is search your preferred dates and locations. Our favourite is Mr & Mrs Smith, which specialises in hand-picked, luxury travel recommendations. Britain’s Finest have an extensive selection of the finest hotels (the clue is in the name) with a special August feature. You will still have to click through to the hotel website to check final availability but they do seem to have a wider choice of luxury staycation hotels.

Foxhill Manor, Cotswolds, from Mr & Mrs Smith

Grand Designs Houses You Can Stay In

Yes, you really can stay in a few of those fabulous builds that you saw come to life on Channel 4’s Grand Designs. From London to the Lake District, water tower to cosy cave, some are now luxurious holiday lets. Wouldn’t we all love to explore them inside and out? Let’s face it, we are all really nosey at heart. Well, we are here at Juliettes. If you are lucky enough to stay in one, please send us pictures and let us know what it’s really like.

Dingle Dell in Devon, as seen on Grand Designs

Glamping

Luxury Staycations and camping just don’t go together, do they? Shared shower blocks and roughing it in a two-man tent are not our idea of a holiday. So, if you like the idea of camping but want your home comforts, glamping is the solution. Proper, comfy beds, gorgeous furnishings and all the little extras that make a staycation comfortable and homely. Glamping has taken off in recent years and there is much more availability than there used to be. From bells tents and yurts to posh pods and vintage Airstreams, it seems you can find a luxury option. However, demand is high, particularly this summer so you’ll need to get your skates on. We found the widest range of glamping options – and one of the easiest websites to use – at Canopy & Stars. They even have a ‘Last Available in August’ section (but we don’t think it will be there for long).

Vintage Airstream, Isle of Wight, Canopy & Stars

Glamping in the Garden

We know many of you are taking the idea of a luxury staycation to the extreme and are literally staying at home. This doesn’t mean that you can’t have a thoroughly glamorous, relaxing, luxury staycation though. If you don’t want to go to a glampsite, the glampsite will come to you. Companies such as Blossom & Blush, Glamp & Tipple or Beau & Bell will turn up in your garden and, within a couple of hours, will install your choice of luxury bell tent with sumptuous soft furnishings, décor, lighting, bunting and – best of all – proper beds. Optional extras include hot tubs, outdoor games, bouncy castles and fire pits. But what about the cooking? Simple. Since lockdown, the number of companies offering top notch catering, delivered to your door, has boomed. From picnic hampers and afternoon teas to cordon bleu catering, just look online for companies in your area.

Glamping in your own garden with Glamp & Tipple

Luxury RV Rental

How about a luxury staycation on wheels? If you want to be in your own space but still want to travel, an RV is the answer. Here in the UK, you can find some ultra-luxe small campers, about the size of a Transit van but oh so different on the inside. Then you have the bigger, famiy-sized luxury campervans and RV’s. Whichever size you choose, it’s a home from home with all mod cons and added Covid peace of mind. Availability for August is limited but we did find a few around Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Cumbria with Freedhome. If you can wait until September, you will find a far greater choice of vintage campervans as well as luxury RVs.

Luxury RV Hire – a luxury staycation on wheels

Boating

Similar to an RV, a cruiser or narrowboat gives you the peace of mind of having your own space, with the ability to travel. From the Norfolk Broads to canals the length and breadth of Britain, there is a surprisingly wide range of luxury boats on offer. We did struggle to find anything other than a couple of days here and there in August as everyone has had the same idea. If you are willing to spend a bit of time ringing round, however, you may just find a little gem or a waiting list. Aqua Narrowboats, Moonraker Canal Boats and Starboard specialise in the luxury end of the market but you can find many more simply by searching online.

Unusual Luxury Staycations in Scotland

The Visit Scotland website doesn’t just list the usual hotels and holiday cottages. It also has a fascinating category called ‘Unusual’. Here you will find an amazing array of accommodation including lighthouses, castles, boats, boathouses, churches, bothies and treehouses. Some are luxury, others less so, but they are all something out of the ordinary. You can even stay in Europe’s smallest working cathedral on the Isle of Cumbrae. Not many of us can say we’ve done that.

Mull of Galloway © Ian Howe

Luxury Staycations in September

If you are not tied to the school holidays, we would highly recommend delaying this year’s summer staycation until the second week in September or beyond. Yes, the days will be getting shorter but there’s still plenty of balmy, pre-autumnal weather to be had at the end of summer. And you won’t have the bother of crowds and difficult social distancing. As soon as the schools go back, your choice of luxury staycation will open up tremendously. As well as all the luxury hotels around the UK, we’ve found luxury treehouses, shepherd’s huts, horse boxes, RV rentals and boating holidays. It’s amazing the difference a week can make. And with the UK tourist industry wanting to make the most of every minute of summer, prices are good too. Wherever you go and whatever you do this summer, we hope you have a great time. Stay well and stay safe.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *