For 40 years this tumbledown cottage was home to nothing more
than tufts of overgrown grass and a herd of mountain goats seeking
refuge from the harsh Irish winter. That is until a local family
rescued the ruins, gave the goats their packing orders (don’t
worry, they’re still grazing on the mountain) and polished the
red-roofed pad into somewhere we’d happily hunker down. Its timber
cladding was foraged from the nearby forest, the mud floor stripped
back and lime rendered while the concrete colour-matched to the
wild Treangarriv landscape. We can’t promise it won’t rain but,
when the clouds clear, Lost Cottage really does feel like the pot
of gold at the end of the wild County Kerry’s rainbow.

If you explored this 30s beach cabin’s postcode, you could
easily be convinced that it sits on the sandy swathes of Ile de Ré.
Spoiler: it doesn’t. Nevertheless, the surrounding chocolate-box
village of Rye is a worthy substitute, and Winchelsea beach is just
around the corner from the cabin. Inside it’s all rough-luxe
whitewashed wood, log-burning stoves and benefits from a terrace
that catches the morning sun. Ammonite is charming, informal and
overwhelmingly wholesome, which is exactly what you want from a UK
staycation with friends (and well-behaved dogs, who are also
welcome).

Plumping for a chalet in the Alps might not be everyone’s bag
(or vibe with everyone’s budget), but that doesn’t matter when this
riverside cabin in the Lake District is a dead ringer for some of
the chalets you’ll find in Europe’s showiest
ski resorts. Tartan throws, roaring fires and a hot tub
illuminated by festoon lighting facing Liddel Water nail the Alpine
look, while an outdoor barbecue is set up on the terrace should you
fancy roasting a marshmallow or two. If you’re lucky, it might even
snow.

At some stage of childhood, we all tried to assemble our own
treehouse (albeit one crafted from foliage). Here, The Treehouses
at Lanrick fulfil our childish fantasies, with their timber-clad
cabins and upcycled furnishings. Eco credits aside, this makes for
the perfect hideaway with your gang. Each lodge comes fully
equipped with all the essentials: a super king-sized bed, an
outdoor copper-plated bath and a huge log-burning stove. There are
five individually designed pads in all, of which we’ll be checking
in to the Flycatcher. Partly, for its stylish and snug decor, but
mainly for its rope-bridge entrance. Insider tip: nature
enthusiasts should bring their hiking boots for a stomp around the
nearby Trossachs National Park.

St Ives can be borderline chaotic at any time of year,
but we’ve worked out how to swerve the crowds and be one of the
first to hit the waves. Sitting just a stone’s throw from the sandy
shore, Three Mile Beach’s 15 candy-coloured beach houses make for
the ultimate staycay base. Each cabin sleeps up to eight guests
(cue the WhatsApp group notifications) and is decked out in
whitewashed wood, with turquoise accents and funky furnishings. The
best part? These hideaways come armed with their own hot tub, sauna
and gas bbq – we’ll let them do the talking.

There’s no denying the fact that the Cotswolds has a hypnotic charm. With this in
mind, we’re stuffing all the essentials into our carry-on and
making the 90-minute cross-country journey to Gloucestershire’s
undisturbed countryside. With 31 lakeside lodgings, each
overlooking 345 hectares of freshwater, meadows and woodland, this
place feels more like a community than a holiday resort. Outdoor
activities, workshops and watersports are available at your
disposal (we’re starting with the cocktail class). Bunk down at its
Marley Lake Cabin, whose decor has been carefully curated to create
a swish home away from home. Once experienced, it will be pretty
difficult not to make an annual pilgrimage back to this gorgeous
place.

Let’s be honest, the likelihood of you bumping into a former
flame at
Soho Farmhouse is very high and not what you want from a
weekend away with your current partner. Sidestep the flushed cheeks
and awkward intros and head to this idyllic bolthole instead.
Freshly baked croissants are delivered straight to your bedroom
door, bathrooms are stocked with Cowshed supplies and the bucolic
Macmillan Way can be joined right from the garden speckled with
wildflowers. Should you still be craving a Picante cocktail, then
Babington House is but a short drive away.

Sleeping in a rotten, drafty shed with a leaky roof and sub-par plumbing isn’t our idea of a great time, nor was it for the Burridge family. So, instead of going to bed wearing hats and thermals, owners Peter and Tracey decided to tear it down and start all over again. In the original hut’s place sits a design-centric cabin buried into the cliff nook with wall-to-wall windows, a hot-tub from which to wave-watch and an outdoor shower with views across Whitsand Bay. The only way to be more at one with the sea involves getting wet.

Portsmouth Harbour probably isn’t the first place that springs
to mind when you’re hankering for a weekend away with your other
half, but hear us out. Far removed from the boats and wannabee
sailors is a snug, boho cabin with unobstructed, million-pound lake
views. Seriously. This cabin is prime Portsmouth real estate.
Breakfast baps and brunch are served from the Salt Café on your
doorstep and paddleboards are available to rent. It’s an ideal spot
for if (when) your other half steals your toothbrush, simply give
them a gentle nudge overboard.

Knee-weakeningly adorable Little Eden sits on a wild and untamed
inlet on the glistening banks of Loch Lomond, miles away from the
nearest town and surrounded by little else than the odd osprey and
a tangle of Acer trees. Rise with breakfast in the secluded cove;
your evening will likely involve a glass of fizz in Little Eden’s
claw-footed tub. We’re struggling to think what could possibly be
more romantically whimsical than this moss-covered
Hansel-and-Gretel cottage.

Wannabee lumberjacks take note: this is not your DIY shed at the
bottom of the garden. At once ramshackle and refined, this Cornish
cabin was clearly constructed by someone who is a dab hand with a
whittle. A sprinkling of Texan ranch aesthetics – antlers, upcycled
furniture and a shower surrounded by corrugated iron – adds
character but not chintz. It’s perched on the fringes of
Newquay‘s wave-riding shores, so renting a board is a must –
novices can zip up their wetsuits at one of the many schools that
litter the sands. Should the storms set in, there’s ample vintage
reading material, classic board games and a hidden television.

Like an architectural ode to Enid Blyton’s Famous Five, this
rugged beach hut peers out from its own salt-lashed cove. Yet it’s
every bit a grown-up hideout: there’s no phone signal and certainly
no WiFi, so power down, swing in the hammocks and clamber up to the
ocean-view bedroom that’s accessed via a ladder. The cabin comes
stocked with all the weekend morning essentials (tea, coffee and
fresh milk) and you can arrange for an organic barbecue hamper
(packed with Devonshire produce) to be delivered. We think it’s a
wise idea, as the climb back up to reality is a steep one.

A cross between a submarine and a tardis plonked on the bonny
shores of Drimnin should be considered an eyesore, but somehow the
eccentric, slightly wacky AirShip 2 works. Raised off the ground on
metal legs, the sci-fi structure is kitted out with domed-glass
windows that peer across to the Sound of Mull. Inside, interiors
resemble a retro Airstream with aluminium fittings and porthole
windows – on a clear night the stars are visible through the ones
in the bedroom.

Campsites typically conjure up childhood memories of tinned
beans and stiff necks from sleeping on the floor. Kudhva is here to
change your mind. This millennial-friendly campsite throws in free
yoga sessions, foraging for wild strawberries (there’s an on-site
Kud book to identify any other edible wares), a spot of stargazing
and morning lake swimming. There are no tents, just wooden pods and
strings of rain-proof hammocks which sway between the trees.

Bothies have outgrown their humble beginnings. The once simple
abodes have been refashioned into a smattering of design-driven
lodgings that can be found scattered across the
Scottish Highlands. Keeping an element of the traditional
bare-bricked bothy without scrimping on the modern-day upgrades
(read: hot showers and a fully equipped kitchen large enough to
cook a decent meal), this smart bunkhouse sits in an pin-drop quiet
stretch of countryside that’s known for having the sunniest climate
in Scotland.

If Grand Designs created a sandcastle you could sleep in (albeit
one sculpted from concrete), this would be it. Mixing architectural
stamps you’d usually see in
Ubud or
Tulum – think rattan lamps, trough baths and foliage-studded
walkways decorated with fairy lights – along with British
countryside and windswept shores, this minimalist lodging suits
those looking to go (moderately) off-grid. Don’t expect a
cold-turkey digital detox here; there’s still a phone signal,
Netflix and a plethora of other urban amenities to hand.

The brainchild of Mary Arnold-Forster Architects, the striking,
pared-back design of the Black Shed’s exterior appears almost
futuristic. Interiors, fittingly, are chic and sleek: picture a
matt-black log-burner and low-hanging pendant lights.
Sustainability is at the forefront of every single last detail
here, from walls clad in Scottish timber to the place being
insulated by sheep’s wool from the owner’s own flock. Its
rural-farm location makes for few neighbours, besides the obvious
free-range chickens and Hebridean sheep. This is where we’ll be
going off-grid to nestle down with our other half (and favourite
rom com).