KCR Winter 2025 2026 Mag V3 FINAL - Flipbook - Page 54
Winter Escapes Close to Home: Britain’s Most
Magical Countryside Retreats for the Holidays
There’s a quiet kind of magic to spending Christmas in the British
countryside. The landscape — crisp with frost, hedgerows silvered with
mist — feels timeless, and the great country houses, manors and estates
that dot it seem made for the season. Crackling 昀椀res, candlelit dinners,
carols echoing through drawing rooms: this is Christmas as it should be
— indulgent, elegant and steeped in tradition.
For those seeking a festive retreat without the long-haul 昀氀ight, Britain
o昀昀ers some of the most luxurious and atmospheric winter escapes in
the world. From Michelin-starred manor houses to lakeside hideaways
and snow-dusted Highland lodges, here are the destinations rede昀椀ning
country luxury this Christmas and New Year.
gent Christmas experience combining history, wellness, and gastronomy. The 17th-century Palladian mansion dazzles with twinkling lights
and opulent décor, while its Michelin-starred restaurant, Shaun Rankin
at Grantley Hall, delivers an unforgettable Christmas tasting menu.
Guests can spend mornings exploring the snow-dusted grounds or
retreat to the award-winning ELITE Wellness Suite, complete with cryotherapy, altitude training, and hydrotherapy pool. Evenings unfold with
Champagne in the Norton Bar or live jazz in the drawing room.
If Christmas is about indulgence, Grantley Hall masters the art beautifully.
Heck昀椀eld Place, Hampshire
www.heck昀椀eldplace.com
Chewton Glen Hampshire
www.chewtonglen.com
Set amid 400 acres of rolling Hampshire countryside, Heck昀椀eld Place
feels like a scene from a period drama come to life. The Georgian manor,
lovingly restored with impeccable restraint, glows with candlelight at
Christmas. Fires crackle in every room, and the scent of pine and spiced
apple lingers in the air.
For a quintessentially English countryside Christmas, few places rival
Chewton Glen. Its treehouse suites, perched amid ancient woodland,
o昀昀er privacy, luxury and panoramic views of frost-tipped 昀椀elds.
Guests can enjoy everything from wreath-making workshops and wild
swimming to festive 昀椀lm screenings in the private cinema. The hotel’s
acclaimed restaurant, Marle, led by Chef Skye Gyngell, serves a locally
sourced Christmas feast featuring estate-grown produce and Hampshire
game.
The spa, The Little Bothy, is ideal for quiet rejuvenation — think herbal
infusions, infrared saunas and long, luxurious massages. For Londoners
seeking calm without compromise, Heck昀椀eld is the de昀椀nitive Christmas
haven.
Gleneagles, Perthshire
www.gleneagles.com
Few properties capture the grandeur of winter quite like Gleneagles.
Draped in snow and surrounded by the dramatic hills of Perthshire, this
iconic Scottish estate transforms into a festive fairytale in December.
The Christmas House Party package includes Champagne afternoon
teas, horse-drawn sleigh rides, whisky tastings, and lavish dinners in
The Strathearn — all culminating in a grand Hogmanay ball with live
bagpipes and 昀椀reworks over the glen.
The interiors — roaring 昀椀replaces, tartan throws, and 昀氀oral displays by
Pulbrook & Gould — evoke a sense of golden-age glamour. For guests
craving wellness amid the revelry, the Spa at Gleneagles o昀昀ers rituals
featuring natural Scottish botanicals and bespoke aromatherapy.
The Newt in Somerset
https://thenewtinsomerset.com/
The Festive House Party programme includes Champagne receptions,
falconry displays, carols by candlelight, and an extravagant Christmas
Day lunch in The Dining Room. After dinner, guests retreat to the
lounge for brandy and live piano music.
Families are well catered for too — from treasure hunts to gingerbread
workshops and visits from Father Christmas himself. It’s nostalgic,
elegant, and e昀昀ortlessly warm.
Beaverbrook, Surrey Hills
www.beaverbrook.co.uk
Once the home of press baron Lord Beaverbrook, this Surrey estate
blends aristocratic nostalgia with contemporary Japanese 昀氀air. At
Christmas, the house sparkles with art deco charm — roaring 昀椀replaces, vintage cocktails, and glittering chandeliers re昀氀ected in frosted
windows.
The Christmas House Party o昀昀ers multi-course feasts by Chef Taiji
Maruyama at The Dining Room, alongside festive 昀椀lm screenings,
champagne masterclasses, and indulgent treatments at the Coach House
Spa.
It’s the epitome of grown-up glamour — a winter playground for those
who appreciate detail, discretion and impeccable design.
The Lakes by Yoo, Cotswolds
www.thelakesbyyoo.com
For something more private, The Lakes by Yoo o昀昀ers a collection of
designer residences surrounding a glittering lake in the Cotswolds. Each
villa — many by Kelly Hoppen or Jade Jagger — features log 昀椀res, hot
tubs and 昀氀oor-to-ceiling windows.
Blending modern design with rural charm, The Newt has quickly become one of the UK’s most talked-about retreats. Its 800-acre estate —
complete with orchards, cider press, and botanical gardens — glimmers
with frost in December, and its minimalist-chic interiors make for the
perfect winter backdrop.
Private chefs, spa therapists and even ice-skating setups can be arranged
for Christmas guests. Expect champagne breakfasts, lakeside 昀椀repits
and snowy woodland walks — a perfectly secluded slice of luxury living.
Guests can join seasonal workshops in wreath-making and cider
blending, or dine at The Botanical Rooms, where local venison, tru昀툀e,
and heritage apples take centre stage. The spa, with its sauna and steam
room overlooking the rolling hills, is pure serenity.
In a world where travel can feel hurried and impersonal, these great
British retreats remind us that true luxury lies in atmosphere and
authenticity. A glass of Champagne by the 昀椀re, the scent of pine in a
candlelit hall, the hush of snowfall outside — this is Christmas as the
poets imagined it.
Sustainability remains central to The Newt’s philosophy, making it ideal
for guests who seek luxury with conscience — a Christmas escape that’s
as ethical as it is exquisite.
Grantley Hall Yorkshire
www.grantleyhall.co.uk
Yorkshire’s grandest hidden gem, Grantley Hall o昀昀ers a uniquely indul-
KENSINGTON & CHELSEA REVIEW
Whether you choose the grandeur of Cliveden, the eco-chic of The
Newt, or the storybook warmth of Chewton Glen, each o昀昀ers the same
essential gift: time. Time to pause, to indulge, and to remember that the
greatest journeys often lead us home.
Lisa Curtiss
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