As city streets swelter and inboxes overflow, there’s something irresistible about stepping into crisp country air, the silence broken only by birdsong and the gentle flick of leaves turning gold. This summer and autumn, Britain’s green and golden spaces are not just a breath of fresh air — they’re the new frontier of luxury. And the smartest retreats know that luxury today comes with conscience.
From converted cider presses in Somerset to wildflower meadows in the Scottish Highlands, the best rural escapes in the UK now offer not just boutique comfort and design but a sustainable edge — letting you disappear into nature without leaving a scar on it. Whether you’re after fine dining from homegrown produce or cabins that disappear into the landscape, these are the countryside stays to book for 2025.
🌿 1. Thornfalcon Press & Vineyard, Somerset
For design-led detoxing with a heritage twist
Tucked into Somerset’s lush folds is a hidden gem that redefines rural luxury. Thornfalcon isn’t just a retreat — it’s a working orchard, regenerative farm, boutique accommodation, and vineyard all in one. The interiors are achingly stylish: think Scandi-meets-English-pastoral with exposed beams, natural textures, and poured concrete softened by linens and lichen greens. You’ll sleep in restored barns or converted press houses, bathe in wood-fired outdoor tubs, and wake to a view of cider apples heavy on the bough.
The on-site restaurant serves only what it can grow or source from within a 15-mile radius. Solar panels, composting toilets, and a zero-waste kitchen round off its quietly revolutionary ethos. It’s rural England, but with a global aesthetic — and soul.
Sustainability score: ★★★★★
From: £140/night
👉 www.thornfalcon.com/
🌳 2. Coworth Park, Berkshire
For eco-elegance with equestrian flair
Owned by the Dorchester Collection, Coworth Park is proof that grandeur and green living can share the same stable. Quite literally: the estate features its own polo fields and equestrian centre. But alongside the Michelin-starred dining and spa treatments is a remarkable commitment to sustainability.
A biomass boiler fuelled by willow grown on-site powers the estate, while the wildflower meadows double as natural drainage systems and biodiversity sanctuaries. The rooms — a mix of manor house elegance and modern cottages — are filled with natural light, soft wools, and British craft design. Book a horse ride through golden Berkshire woodlands, or an organic massage in the spa overlooking ancient trees. This is rural decadence, responsibly done.
Sustainability score: ★★★★☆
From: £350/night
👉 www.dorchestercollection.com
🍂 3. The Wild Rabbit, Cotswolds
For slow food, slow mornings and impeccable style
Tucked into the village of Kingham, The Wild Rabbit is both a pub and a destination — the kind of place where lunch turns into a long walk, followed by a candlelit soak and a glass of organic red. With interiors that would satisfy even the most discerning of interior design lovers (chalky walls, reclaimed oak, flickering hearths), it’s also part of the Daylesford Organic family — so sustainability is in its bones.
The menu is entirely seasonal, mostly grown on their farm nearby, and every element — from the linens to the low-energy lighting — reflects a quiet commitment to low-impact living. If you like your luxury with soil under the fingernails and sourdough fresh from the oven, this is it.
Sustainability score: ★★★★★
From: £195/night
👉 www.thewildrabbit.co.uk
🌊 4. The Scarlet Hotel, Cornwall
For clifftop calm and coastal rituals
Built into the cliffs above Mawgan Porth, The Scarlet doesn’t shout. It whispers. From the rooftop sedum gardens to the open-air copper bathtubs and floor-to-ceiling ocean views, everything here is designed to help you slow down, breathe deeper, and feel smaller in the best possible way.
This adults-only hotel is carbon-aware, run largely on renewables, and features chemical-free pools filtered by reeds. The Ayurvedic spa is powered by natural oils, sea air, and deep stillness. Yoga sessions unfold at dawn above the surf, and the in-house restaurant fuses foraged ingredients with Cornish coastal cuisine. If summer is high-energy, The Scarlet is its soothing counterpoint — and the perfect place to watch the seasons change.
Sustainability score: ★★★★☆
From: £260/night
👉 www.scarlethotel.co.uk
🌲 5. Canopy & Stars Cabins, Nationwide
For whimsical wilderness with a low footprint
If luxury to you means getting off the grid — but not giving up hot water, a deep mattress, and artisanal coffee — then Canopy & Stars has the escape. Their portfolio of handcrafted cabins, treehouses, and shepherd’s huts stretches from the Lake District to the Welsh hills. Each one is designed with minimal impact and maximum charm.
Imagine: waking in a treetop cabin to birdsong, making pancakes on a wood-fired stove, soaking in a solar-heated outdoor tub, then curling up with a book beneath a starlit roof. Many sites are run by independent hosts who rewild their land, plant trees, or run farm-to-cabin delivery baskets. Whether you're staying in a Scottish geodome or a Herefordshire cabin with floor-to-ceiling views of rolling hills, you’ll leave better than you arrived.
Sustainability score: ★★★★★
From: £120/night
👉 www.canopyandstars.co.uk
🍁 6. The Pig at Bridge Place, Kent
For music, manor houses and garden-grown feasting
The Pig’s Kentish outpost is a Jacobean manor that once hosted Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd — and now grows its own beetroot. Quirky, lavish and grounded all at once, The Pig at Bridge Place is part boutique hotel, part smallholding. The menu changes by the hour, depending on what’s pulled from the garden or landed by local fishers.
You’ll find velvet sofas, claw-foot tubs and vinyl records in your room — plus a kitchen garden tour if you’re curious. Despite the indulgence, their approach to sourcing, waste, and energy is refreshingly progressive. It’s heritage without the heaviness, a country weekend that knows how to rock out — and rein in.
Sustainability score: ★★★★☆
From: £225/night
👉 www.thepighotel.com
In a time when “escape” doesn’t just mean a change of scene but a change of pace and values, these countryside retreats offer more than luxury — they offer meaning. You can slip into a heated spa or lounge in a meadow knowing that your presence supports conservation, local growers, and greener design.
Summer and autumn 2025 are shaping up to be golden — in every sense. Just be sure to book early. The wild is waiting.