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15 houses with really great interiors to book for a British holiday
When searching for the perfect property for a British break, the seemingly endless options can be overwhelming – and yet, all too often, nothing gives you ‘the feeling’. The house itself might be very nice but the room schemes are often tired or filled with dated decorating tropes, and comfort is sacrificed in the creation of easy-to-clean, group-friendly spaces. Fortunately for us, there is a growing number of top interior designers turning their hand to holiday homes, be it their own or a private client’s house that is rented out, one in the grounds of an estate, a hotel or even a pub. Here are some of the very best we've seen, in which every detail has been considered and every backdrop is as beautiful as the surrounding landscape. Book now before word gets out.
15 houses to book for a British holiday
Matt Clayton1/15Coombe End Manor, Gloucestershire
Coombe End Manor near Cirencester has evolved over its 500-year history into a delightfully distinctive house, where medieval intrigue meets Georgian splendour. Its latest reinvention comes courtesy of Yellow London, which has given the interiors a fresh yet timeless feel.
There are 11 guest bedrooms, nine bathrooms and five reception rooms. The grounds are equally vast: there is a heated swimming pool, spa house, sauna and outdoor dining area set within the immaculate gardens on the 2,000-acre estate. Plus, the house comes with a chef, housekeepers and house managers to help you to live out your stately home fantasies.
Paul Massey2/15The Riding House, St Giles, Dorset
As part of the restoration of St Giles House in Dorset, the Earl and Countess of Shaftesbury, along with antique dealer Edward Hurst and interior designer Annabel Elliot, have turned the 17th-century stables into brilliantly eccentric guest accommodation.
The original wooden partitions remain in place in the dining room, there is a bed in one loosebox and a bathroom in another, corner mangers topped with slate serve as bedside tables, and there’s a bar in an old feed store. Yet the sumptuous textiles, exquisite antiques and smart finishing touches remind us that the horses are, in fact, long gone.
Christopher Horwood3/15Charlotte’s Folly, Shropshire
When you first glimpse the fairytale exterior of Charlotte’s Folly it is hard to imagine how the interiors could equal its charm. Luckily, the Viscount and Viscountess Newport – the cottage is part of Bradford Estate on the Shropshire-Staffordshire border – had the presence of mind to call in designer Emma Ainscough while doing an extensive renovation.
As soon as you step through the front door into the dining room, wallpapered in a rich red stripe, you know you’re in for a treat. On this floor, there is also a colourful kitchen, and a light and airy sitting room. Upstairs, there is an elegant, restful master bedroom, an exceedingly pretty twin, and the star of the show: this theatrical blue bedroom, which really is the stuff that dreams are made on.
Boz Gagovski4/15The Arch at Fonthill Estate, Wiltshire
Pubs with rooms will always have strong appeal, but they often lack proper peace and quiet, and privacy. Not so if you stay at The Arch, an 18th-century gatehouse in Wiltshire, a walk away from its parent property The Beckford Arms. Better still, this architectural gem is now a jewel box of colour thanks to owner Charlie Luxton’s partnership with Patrick O’Donnell from Farrow & Ball.
Those who have seen Patrick’s own house will know just how good he is at using colour to make a space sing. The kitchen, with its red and white chequerboard floor, is a particular highlight. Even the stone spiral staircase has been enlivened by Farrow & Ball’s blue ‘Selvedge’, which should help you to find your way to bed after an evening at The Beckford Arms.
The Knapp © Unique Homestays www.uniquehomestays.com5/15The Knapp, Gloucestershire
The Knapp is said to be the oldest house in Gloucestershire’s Slad valley, but it is now an appealing blend of history and modernity. The current owners restored the house, taking it back to its original stone in places, and added a new light-filled extension.
Natasha Hidvégi Design assisted in the creation of its modern country house interiors, which are subtly imbued with global influences, from the owner’s native Hungary to Africa. It is this sort of individuality that set homestays apart from hotels. The kitchen is everything you would want in your own home (gleaming range, large island, generous table), while the full-blown cooking area outside is a joy on long, balmy evenings.
6/15The Dower House, Coworth Park, Berkshire
Coworth Park has been attracting Londoners (and many from further afield) in search of a soul-restoring country escape for over a decade. The new transformation of its 18th-century Dower House means that guests can now enjoy everything the hotel has to offer – fine dining, an impressive spa and even two polo fields – while revelling in the utmost privacy and artful interior design.
The man behind the new look is Martin Hulbert, who has worked with Coworth Park from the beginning. His palette of faded earthy tones, organic materials and subtle botanical prints seems effortless in its sophistication, and everything has been designed to be as intuitive as possible. With three bedrooms and bathrooms, a spacious kitchen, dedicated wine room, dining room, sitting room and outside space, it will suit families and groups of friends in search of seclusion but with amazing facilities on the doorstep.
Owen Gale7/158 Holland Street Townhouse, Bath
Life above a shop is not for everyone, unless of course said shop is the super stylish 8 Holland Street and the floors above have been made over by its founder Tobias Vernon.
The 8 Holland Street Townhouse, on Brock Street in Bath, occupies the three floors above the design studio and gallery. There is a sitting room, kitchen and dining area on the first floor, the main bedroom suite is on the second, and the attic houses two small suites. You can book the entire house or an individual suite.
Reflecting the 8 Holland Street ethos, the interiors are filled with furniture, art and textiles spanning the entire 20th century alongside contemporary pieces from the collection. You will find inspiration everywhere, the only downside being that you might well want to buy everything to take home.
Simon Brown8/15Tolstoy Cottage, Oxfordshire
This enchanting three-bedroom worker’s cottage is the Oxfordshire home of Alexandra Tolstoy. She is known for organising riding holidays in Kyrgyzstan and running a shop of her favourite interiors discoveries, and Tolstoy Cottage is filled with many of the treasures she has gathered along the way.
Alexandra sought the advice of Emma Burns from Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler, who has helped to retain a genuine eccentricity while making it an inviting home kitted out with all the modern amenities. To stay here is to inhabit Alexandra’s own creative landscape – and what a beautiful world it is, especially when the garden is in full bloom and blue skies and green fields extend to the horizon. If you do venture out, the market towns of Faringdon and Burford are close by.
© Rachael Smith Photography Ltd9/15Crabtree Cottage, Norfolk
Architectural and interior design ingenuity have come together at this Norfolk property, just two miles from the North Norfolk coast. Originally two 18th-century, brick-and-flint cottages, it has been made into one unusual house by the addition of a larch-clad, Crittall-glazed extension by architect Kathryn Manning.
Inside, designer Anna Haines has devised harmonious interiors that marry old and new. She has layered calm colour, subtle pattern and carefully chosen antiques, enhancing the individual character of each part of the house and creating a lovely lived-in look. The industrial-style kitchen/dining room now sits happily alongside the cosy sitting rooms and four bedrooms.
Ray Main10/15Forter Castle, Perthshire
The Cairngorms is an extraordinary area of Scotland and Forter Castle is surely one of the most fascinating places to stay there. The fort had been an abandoned for 350 years when Robert Pooley and his designer daughter Katharine Pooley came to its rescue, drafting craftsmen from all over Scotland to bring the building back to life.
The great hall is truly spectacular, its hand-painted ceiling beams bearing the legend of the castle high above a huge table for feasting. Most impressive of all, though, is the level of comfort with which Katharine has imbued the interiors, with bedrooms and bathrooms to rival a five-star hotel.
Paul Massey11/15The Dower House, Beaverbrook, Surrey
When Beaverbrook hotel in Surrey completed the renovation of its five-bedroom Dower House we were champing at the bit to get a look at Nicola Harding’s interiors. And we were not disappointed. They represent everything we love about her style: rich colours, strong patterns, and a strong appreciation of history underpinning contemporary sophistication.
Swim in the heavenly open-air pool next to the house, enjoy a massage in the treatment room and dine in-house on food prepared by Beaverbrook’s chef. Or, if you want to indulge in hotel amenities, wend your through the glorious grounds to the main house for a meal in the restaurant or a rejuvenating afternoon in the spa.
Contact reservations@beaverbrook.co.uk for more details.
Mark Anthony Fox12/15Ukiyo, Cornwall
Sometimes only the sea will do, and the view of Cornwall’s Lizard Peninsula from Ukiyo is spectacular. A 1960s concrete box has been transformed into a ‘floating world’ (the meaning of its Japanese name) with vast picture windows and pared-back ‘Japandi’ interiors by designer Kathryn Tyler of Linea.
The existing floating staircase has been stripped and charred using the shou sugi ban technique, enhancing the pleasing textural mix of wood, plaster and tactile linens that characterises the two-bedroom house. Everything is super calm, super contemporary and a world away from your busy daily life.
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Alexander Baxter13/15Eskfield, Penicuik Estate, Midlothian
The Penicuik Estate in Scotland has been in the same family since 1654, and they are now in the midst of an extensive regeneration project. Already complete is the transformation of five buildings into luxury rentals, with interiors by Emily Smoor of Fantoush.
Eskfield stands out for its Palladian architecture and its setting within the arcadian walled garden. The orangery sitting room mirrors the natural beauty outside, featuring botanical wallpaper and soothing green hues. Upstairs is the one bedroom and bathroom, both wonderfully spacious, and outside there is a sauna, hot tub and terrace, making this an ideal place for a romantic getaway.
Davide Lovatti14/15The Pavilion at Lamb’s House, Edinburgh
On you next trip to Edinburgh, escape the crowds of old and new town and stay at Lamb’s House in Leith. The 16th-century house on the site was restored in the 2010s by conservation architects Kristin Hannesdottir and Nicholas Groves-Raines, who also built a pavilion in the grounds, and it is this that is available to rent.
Testament to Kristin and Nicholas’ historic expertise and eye for detail, the self-contained, three-bedroom pavilion is designed in the 18th-century style and furnished with antiques, excellent quality reproductions and original artwork. The courtyard views are particularly lovely, with one recent guest saying ‘you feel like you are in a private Italianate garden square’.
Paul Massey15/15Well Cottage, Oxfordshire
In many ways, this is the quintessential Cotswold hideaway – honey-coloured stone, beamed ceilings, open fireplaces – yet Laura Stephens’ interiors set Well Cottage apart from other holiday lets.
It was originally two properties, which were combined and extended to allow for a covetable country-style kitchen downstairs and a large main bedroom above. This and the other two bedrooms are decorated in inviting autumnal tones and feature printed wallpaper and tongue-and-groove panelling. The back garden is a big draw during the summer, while the downstairs snug with wood-burner is the place to hunker down on winter nights.
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