With ongoing international conflict, rising flight prices, and unrelenting heatwaves deterring travellers booking summer holidays abroad, staycations are well and truly back. While it may give some PTSD from the pandemic-era – when the UK was locked down for months on end, and travel required stressful PCR tests – here at Luxury London HQ, we’re of the opinion that staycations are anything but boring. From coastal breaks spanning Camber to Cornwall, and city stays which will make you see your home in a new light, here are our favourite breaks in the UK more than worthy of summer-holiday status. 

Zoe Gunn, Digital Editorial Director: Ayrshire, Scotland

Half my family hail from this seaside county on Scotland’s West Coast, so I may be biased, but there’s something truly special about Ayrshire. It boasts the big skies, rolling hills and rugged coastal paths perfect for hiking that are ubiquitous across Scotland; but it’s also home to the densest and most varied array of cultural landmarks of almost anywhere I’ve visited. Firstly, it’s the birthplace of Scotland’s National Bard, Robert Burns, and the setting of his most famous poem Tam o’ Shanter (the sites described within which you can still visit today); secondly, there’s Dumfries House, the HQ of King Charles III’s King’s Foundation and a landmark in its own right, open to visitors daily; thirdly, there’s the Electric Brae, a ‘gravity hill’ in which a geographical optical illusion makes a car appear to propel itself uphill unaided. Trust me when I say children will be left in utter awe.

Then there’s the bucolic Isle of Arran, which lies just across the Firth of Clyde, alongside a slew of historical landmarks and medieval ruins, including Culzean Castle, Dundonald Castle and Dunure Castle. Plus, you’re only an hour away from Glasgow by train and a short car ride from some of Britain’s best golf courses, including Trump Turnberry, Royal Troon, Western Gailes and Prestwick. Ayr town itself has, sadly, gone the way of most of the UK’s formerly thriving seaside resorts and is no longer much to write home about, but cosy up in one of the county’s many cottages or chic hotels, and I guarantee you’ll never be bored.

Where to stay: Glenapp Castle

High above the dramatic coastline of southwest Scotland, overlooking the Irish Sea and the iconic Ailsa Craig island, sits Relais & Châteaux’s Glenapp Castle. This baronial castle is hidden from the rugged surrounding landscape by 15 hectares of magical parkland, including an Italian garden designed by renowned horticulturist Gertrude Jekyll. Underneath its fairytale towers and turrets are 21 imposing rooms with rich fabrics, art and antiques echoing the splendour of a bygone era and, coupled with high levels of service, world-class restaurants and a plethora of outdoor activities, including falconry, curling, stargazing and foraging, offers plenty for a sophisticated Scottish staycation. 

From £445 per night.

Cordelia Aspinall, Branded Content and Shopping Writer: North Norfolk

Every summer since I was born has been spent along the North Norfolk coastline, where my mum grew up. Reachable from London in less than three hours, there is nothing better than spending long unrushed days walking along the sand of Holkham beach (where Shakespeare in Love was filmed), or braving a bracing dip in the Sheringham waves, polished off with fish and chips, naturally. 

Hunstanton – endearingly nicknamed ‘Sunny Hunny’ – is also a favourite for family picnics and sea swimming, Wells is known for its long stretches of white sand lined by colourful, postcard-perfect beach huts, Blakeney for seal spotting, and Holt for good food and shopping. A total change from the pace of city life, expect  instant refreshment and that salty hair, rosy cheeked, love for the British seaside feeling. Hard to beat.

Where to stay: Shepherd Huts at Holkham Hall

Image: Shutterstock

Holkham Hall is an all-singing, all-dancing estate which caters to both day-trippers and overnight guests. Hosting plenty of family-friendly workshops, history tours, and outdoor excursions, there are two types of accommodation here: the four-star Victoria Hotel or the new shepherd huts. If we were you, we’d book the latter for privacy and luxury in spades. 

Nestled in an enviable location between the sweeping North Norfolk coast and idyllic countryside, these charming huts are just a short stroll from Holkham Beach and the Holkham National Nature Reserve. Designed by Norfolk local Johanna Tennant, each hut is home to an inviting lounge, complete with a comfortable sofa and smart television, and fully equipped private kitchen. Don’t fancy cooking? Head over to the adjacent Victoria Hotel to dine on locally sourced ingredients served by a log fire. 

From £580 for a two-night weekend stay. 

Phoebe Eyles, Social Media Manager: New Forest, Hampshire

For something a little closer to home, the New Forest is my go-to. Long walks in nature are one of my favourite activities, and few places do them better, with both woodland trails and coastal paths to explore. I’d recommend trips to Tall Trees Trail, Hatchet Pond and Rockford Common for easy strolls that can be sandwiched by coffee stops and pints at the pub. Think wild ponies roaming freely through the landscape, cosy pubs, rolling countryside and exceptional country house spa hotels, all within easy reach of London. 

Where to stay: Chewton Glen

Chewton Glen is a five-red star privately-owned luxury country house hotel, located on the edge of the ancient New Forest National Park and just a few minutes’ walk from the sea, so you get the best of both worlds. This family-friendly resort is famous for its wellness facilities – which bring together restorative spa treatments, indoor and outdoor pools, hydrotherapy, fitness, tennis, pickleball and, perhaps best of all, quiet places to pause – but that doesn’t mean Chewton Glen is just a spa break. A purpose-built cookery school and restaurant by James Martin will keep foodies entertained; retreat to one of 72 individually designed bedrooms or the seriously Instagrammable treehouse suites; or tee off on a nine-hole par three golf course. 

From £400 per night. 

Annie Lewis, Deputy Digital Editor: Fowey, Cornwall

While everyone flocks to the cultural hotspot of St Ives and Rick Stein’s culinary empire in Padstow, the stretch of south-east Cornish coastline from Kingsand and Cawsand on the Rame Peninsula (overlooking the bay of Plymouth) through to Fowey is seriously underrated. Dotted with working fishing towns such as Looe and Polperro, and home to some of Cornwall’s most gorgeous but secluded beaches such as Lantic Bay, stay in Fowey to experience everything this slice of Cornwall has to offer. Live like a local and make an entrance via the ferry from Polruan (which will set you back a mere £2.30), and while away the sunny hours at pint-sized tapas and sherry bar, Pintxo, for a taste of Spanish style and substance, before enjoying a pint of Tribute or Rattler at the town’s oldest pub, The Ship Inn. 

Where to stay: Fowey Hall

After a multi-million-pound refurbishment in 2020, Fowey Hall is one of Cornwall’s chicest stays. Inside this reimagined Victorian mansion overlooking the Fowey estuary, 60 suites are rendered in a palette of natural, earthy materials perfectly complemented by warm accents of brass and burnt orange upholstery – but book one of the five bay suites to enjoy sweeping views of the working harbour beyond. The spa is well worth a visit, tapping Elemis for its treatment menu and offering indoor and outdoor pools, as well as a horsebox-style sauna with sea views (a rarity along the Cornish coast). 

What’s more, each family enjoys up to an hour and a half of complimentary childcare per night’s stay at the on-site Ofsted-registered Four Bears Den, as well as a milk butler service delivering sterilised and heated bottles of milk, and a cinema with daily screenings complete with popcorn. It’s all in the details.  

From £160 per night. 

Zoe Gunn: London

Need we wax lyrical about the city we not only live in, but write about every single day? Our capital city offers one of the world’s greatest dining scenes, from the corners of Borough Market to Michelin-starred menus in Mayfair, as well as culture in spades. Head to the West End for a choice of acclaimed stage productions; soak up London’s plethora of greenery at its Royal Parks and beyond; and explore the distinctly different neighbourhoods which span north to south, and east to west. One thing is for sure: a staycation in London is anything but boring. 

Where to stay: 1 Hotel Mayfair

Image: Milo Brown

Image: Jon Day

I've been privileged enough to stay in most of London's starry establishments – but few made me want to book a return visit quite like 1 Hotel Mayfair. This relatively new arrival on the London hospitality scene opened in summer 2023, bringing with it a slice of California cool and a lesson in how to make sustainability seriously stylish. The interiors are all real greenery (including living moss walls in suites and rooms to help purify air), carefully curated cultural nick-nacks, and mid-century style furnishings of the type that had me endlessly snapping for my own interiors moodboard. Book a top-floor room or suite for skyline views across Mayfair from picture windows, which also serve to bathe the calming palette of bleached woods and cream upholstery in natural light, where you'll also find Bamford products and, much to my husband's delight, a filtered water tap built into the aforementioned moss wall to do away with every last scrap of single-use plastic.

A booking at in-house restaurant Dovetale may well necessitate a trip to the surprisingly elegant lower ground floor gym, but, trust me, it's worth breaking the diet for. Serving a crowd-pleasing menu of European classics from breakfast to dinner, days are best begun with a ginger shot and the signature burrito, while there are few better ways to spend an evening than gossiping over crab linguine, steak frites and wild root negronis. You could, of course, just book a table and retreat to your own home for the evening – but why take on the tube when some of the city's best suites are waiting right upstairs?

From £490 per night. 

Phoebe Eyles: Northumberland

Perhaps one of the UK's most underrated stretches of coastline, Northumberland needs to be on your staycation bucket list. The Northumberland coastline offers a quieter, more undiscovered alternative to the UK's busier coastal hotspots, with vast golden beaches, dramatic castles and unspoilt natural beauty at every turn. While I spent my university years in Newcastle, it's the nearby coastal gems such as Tynemouth and Bamburgh that keep drawing me back.

Where to stay: The Tempus

Situated in the heart of the 700-acre Charlton Hall Estate is The Tempus – Northumberland’s most stylish boutique hotel, bar and restaurant. Taking its name from the Latin for ‘time’, The Tempus – which is located in striking distance of Bamburgh Beach’s sandy stretches and the market town of Alnwick – was once a set of 18^th century barns which now form the Tempus main hotel, Farm Cottage, Farmhouse, Pole Barn and Lookout. Designed by Edinburgh-based Jeffrey Interiors, each of the 33 rooms are bold, bonkers and completely unique, with a mix of fantastical House of Hackney wallpapers, plush velvet sofas, 1970s-style headboards, and leopard print wardrobes. Don’t miss the hotel’s on-site restaurant, the Orangery, and the Tempus Bar for a New York Cosmo and a mean margarita. 

From £150 per night. 

Annie Lewis: Camber Sands, East Sussex

I’m a beach snob because I grew up in Cornwall. Simple as that. (You can read about my favourite stretch of coast in my home county above.) But, when I visited Camber Sands this spring, I was blown away by its gorgeous dunes, quaint seaside cafes and pubs, and the overall nostalgic seaside holiday vibe which is slowly fading from the UK's shorelines. There’s plenty to do in the area too, with Rye – which regularly ranks as the UK’s prettiest town – just moments away and boasting quaint coffee shops, wine bars and a delicious seafood market which serves Chapel Down on tap. The George Inn in Rye offers a gorgeous pub with rooms but The Owl literally fringes Camber Sands – and is the ultimate destination for Sussex sundowners.

Where to stay: The Gallivant

Nearly two hours from London, and just 10 minutes’ drive from aforementioned Rye, lies The Gallivant. Tucked behind Camber Sands’ undulating sand dunes, and surrounded by some of the best English vineyards – we’re looking at you Gusbourne, Tillingham and Chapel Down – it boasts 20 adults-only, individually designed rooms which have clearly taken notes from Soho House and, more importantly, co-founder Sigrid Cragoe’s experience as a former Hollywood costume designer, to create vibrant, soulful sanctuaries. I personally love the nostalgic monochrome prints of Camber Sands in the 1960s adorning the walls. 

Luckily for foodies, The Gallivant also offers one of the best restaurants outside of London (according to lauded food critic Grace Dent… and me). Helmed by former Bibendum chef Matthew Harris, Harry's strikes a fine balance between French cooking and British produce to form delectable dishes of half Hastings lobster, fennel and red onion tarte tatin, and Rye Bay skate wing grenobloise. Also don’t miss the trays of homemade cake served everyday from 4pm, before English wine at 5pm. Chin-chin. 

From £225 per night.

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