What’s better than one bank holiday? TWO. We’ve been scouring the UK for the best minibreak ideas, so you can make the most of those glorious days off. Obviously, they’re all delicious too, so from fresh countryside produce to infinity pools in Manchester, take your pick from these new boutique boltholes.
Forest Side, Cumbria
For starters: Following an 18-month renovation, the people behind Hipping Hall have opened a new hotel in Grasmere. The 20 pastel-hued bedrooms in this Victorian pile are divided into ‘Cosy’, ‘Jolly Good’ and ‘Superb’; open your window to enjoy the fragrance of specially chosen plants, while insulation comes from the wool of Lakeland Herdwick sheep.
Mains and more: L’Enclume’s former sous chef and head forager Kevin Tickle heads up the restaurant. With 40 acres of forageable grounds, a walled kitchen garden and a 70sq m greenhouse at his disposal, expect anything from homegrown micro-greens and peaches to nasturtiums and oyster leaves on the tasting menu.
Sides: Have your own forage around the private gardens or visit the Wordsworth Museum and Dove Cottage. Load up on carbs at the Grasmere Gingerbread Shop then hike it off up Silver How for spectacular views. Or stay on the flat with a walk around the shores of Grasmere and Rydal Water.
Bill, please: Double rooms with breakfast and dinner from £299 a night
Contact: 01539 435250;
theforestside.com
King Street Townhouse, Manchester
For starters: In the words of Buzz Lightyear: “To infinity… and beyond!” There may be no “beyond”, but King Street Townhouse does have a seventh-floor infinity pool overlooking Manchester Town Hall’s gothic clock tower. The views continue from the terrace and bar, as well as from the 40 rooms of this not boutique (we’re told), but ‘baby grand’ hotel.
Mains and more: The King Street Tavern serves Brit fare such as fish pie and afternoon tea, or sample the city’s booming restaurant and bar scene, which includes Simon Rogan’s The French, Aiden Byrne at Manchester House, or the hip bars in the Northern Quarter, Manchester’s answer to Shoreditch.
Sides: Browse shops around King Street, take the tram to Salford Quays to look at The Lowry’s matchstick men and women, or check out the programme at the Royal Exchange theatre.
Bill, please: Double rooms (room only) from £120 a night
Contact: 0161 667 0707;
eclectichotels.co.uk
Padstow Townhouse, Cornwall
For starters: Rick Stein might have put Padstow on the map, but it’s young chef Paul Ainsworth keeping the foodie flame alive. His Padstow Townhouse offers six decadent suites with varying décor, including rich velvets and a marble fireplace. Suites come with access to a pantry for drinks and snacks.
Mains and more: Breakfast is fresh local produce served at Ainsworth’s Rojano’s in the Square. For dinner, it has to be the vibrant modern interpretations of classic dishes at award-winning Paul Ainsworth at Number 6.
Sides: Learn to surf at Harlyn Bay or go on a Padstow Sea Life Safari in search of dolphins. On dry land, cycle the 18-mile Camel Trail, with a stop for a glass of fizz at Camel Valley Vineyard. Alternatively, borrow a pair of the Townhouse’s Dubarry boots and strike off along the Cornish coastal path.
Bill, please: Double rooms with breakfast and dinner from £200 per person a night
Contact: 01841 550950;
paul-ainsworth.co.uk
Thyme, Gloucestershire
For starters: What could be more quintessentially English than the chocolate-box Cotswolds? A hotel in the Cotswolds celebrating all things English, that’s what – and this family-owned boutique bolthole simply nails rustic chic. Home to a 15th-century manor house, a medieval barn and a Norman church, the country estate has eight bedroom suites, three cottage suites and two cottages.
Mains and more: Breakfast is served in the barn, and includes produce from the kitchen gardens and eggs from the estate’s chickens, geese and quails, along with freshly baked breads and pastries. For dinner, take a short stroll to The Swan – a 17th-century village pub that’s also part of the estate – for rare-breed pork and Scotch eggs to die for. Head back to try a few of the botanical cocktails from Thyme’s drawing-room bar.
Sides: Get to grips with choux pastry and bread making in the Bulthaup kitchen of the cookery school, where you can
take a masterclass with
Quo Vadis chef Jeremy Lee on 4 June. Get up early for a guided walk to hear the dawn chorus, shoot a few clay pigeons or borrow a bike and explore the surrounding fields and woods.
Bill, please: Double rooms with breakfast from £260 a night
Contact: 01367 850174;
thyme.co.uk
Road tripping around the UK this bank holiday? Be sure to check out our UK top 100 restaurants
This article was first published in the spring 2016 edition of Squaremeal Lifestyle magazine