Luxury countryside hotels that make you feel like you’re staying in a British novel

This Grade II* listed Palladian mansion offers discerning travellers an unparalleled experience, combining world class dining, state-of-the-art wellness facilities and opulent accommodations amidst the serene backdrop of the Yorkshire Dales.

As luxury countryside hotels go it doesn’t get more luxurious than Grantley Hall. With a team of over 400 staff throughout the hotel every single guest experience is made as seamless and as memorable as possible. A combination of historic grandeur and contemporary elegance it’s the perfect place to indulge in a British fiction fantasy.

Situated in Ripon, it’s a great base to go off and explore the nearby wonders of North Yorkshire. Ripon Cathedral is roughly 6 miles way along with the Quarry moor Nature Reserve. A little closer by, you can visit the UNESCO world heritage site – Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Garden.

All stays are a VIP experience from start to finish and luxury comes effortlessly here. Exquisite dining, ultra luxurious rooms or suites and 5 star spa facilities ensure that you are fully immersed for the ultimate spa getaway in some of the UK’s finest countryside.

Gilpin Hotel is proudly a member of Relais & Châteaux and it’s clear to see why. Set discreetly within the grounds, spa lodges feel wonderfully private and have been designed for guests who value seclusion as much as indulgence. With your own outdoor sauna, steam room, hot tub and a deep soaking tub overlooking the private outdoor terrace, the lodges blur the line between accommodation, wellness retreat and pure English countryside fantasy. You can also opt for one of the Spa Suites which offer even more space with separate livings areas, built in hot tubs and bedrooms ‘floating’ over the pond.

Set in one of the most stunning parts of the UK surrounded by acres of rolling Lake District countryside, the hotel feels blissfully removed yet perfectly placed for exploration. Returning to Gilpin Hotel after an adventure, knowing warmth, comfort and exceptional food await feels magical.

Luxurious treehouse accommodation, moreish comfort food, cosy bar fires and nowhere else to be. Chewton Glen Hotel & Spa, a 5 star Relais & Chateaux hotel bordering the otherworldly New Forest in England, took us off grid for a few days and nestled us among the trees. When people talk about slow living this is now what we think of, and where we yearn to be.

As you stroll around the grounds, take the forest walk to the beach and sip carefull crafted drinks in the timeless and cosy bar it’s impossible not to fantasise about being in a work of British fiction. Chewton Glen is a truly enchanting escape from reality.

The rooms at Chewton Glen are gorgeous, but the treehouses are showstopping. Attention to detail throughout the resort is exceptional, and we loved how the hotel really embraces the seasons with displays and decorations bringing the outside in everywhere you look. Not only is this one of the best luxury countryside hotels in the UK it’s also home to one of the best spas with an award-winning hydrotherapy pool. And the icing on the cake is its proximity to the New Forest, complete with wild roaming ponies and a myriad of ancient mystical trees. It’s nothing short of magical.

Skylark is Hesleyside Huts’ luxurious treehouse, one of seven unique accommodations set in 4,000 acres of outstanding natural beauty in the heart of Northumberland National Park, on the edge of the largest dark sky reserve in Europe.

From its iconic fairytale turret to its tail-like elevated walkway leading to the welcoming deck with pretty flower planters, rocking chairs and a large gleaming copper bath, every detail of this magical treehouse borders on fantasy. There aren’t many places that can inspire such dramatic wonder on arrival, and throughout a stay – Hesleyside Huts is most definitely one of them.