Getting

Getting
into the holiday spirit can be difficult without getting
away from everyday life. The demands of a desk job, the routine of
running a home, and the responsibility of kids or a relationship
don’t stop just because the festivities start. Which is why we
suggest you reset this year by booking one of these pre-party
weekend getaways, sure to have you in the right frame of mind
before the tree goes up and the family arrives. After all, what’s
Christmas without a little treat for yourself?

Cosy up in the country: The Cotswolds, England

Nothing says ‘it’s Chriiiiiistmas’ quite like the Cotswolds. The
picture-postcard part of the world, favourite of Kate Moss and her
rock ‘n’ roll squad, is like something straight out of The Holiday.
Spanning five gorgeously green counties – Wiltshire,
Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire – it’s
hardly surprising that these lush rolling hills have been
designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Good taste extends to the houses, too, all honey-coloured hues
and Farrow & Ball accents, while the shops are boutique, the
restaurants Michelin-starred and the clientele like something
straight off the catwalk. Plump for plush pillows to bed down on at
The Wild Rabbit in Kingham, set in an original 18th-century inn,
with luxuriously appointed bedrooms and a remarkable restaurant
serving strictly organic food.

Even better, go with a group of friends and book The Chicken
Shed, a stone outbuilding that serves as a cosy and intimate
private dining room with its own wood-fired oven. The pub,
meanwhile, has everything you need to evoke Christmas charm,
including a roaring open fireplace to snuggle beside, leather
armchairs to sink into and artisan beers to sip. Close by is sister
venture Daylesford Organic, a knowingly middle-class
supermarket also owned by the Wild Rabbit, where you can peruse all
manner of premium produce to take back home so you can play host
with the host. Sure to help you replicate a little rustic charm
back in the city.

Up your shopping game: Copenhagen, Denmark

There’s something supremely stylish about the way Scandis do Christmas. White-washed décor.
Understated table settings. Gorgeously wrapped gifts. And nowhere
is it more sleek and sophisticated than in Copenhagen, where the
historic Tivoli Gardens – an amusement park originally opened in
1843 – come alive with no less than 60 stalls selling sugar, spice
and all things nice during the months of November and December.

Set against a beautiful backdrop of twinkling fairy lights and
jaw-dropping light shows, it really is the season to eat, drink and
be merry as you wrap up in chic, cosy woollens, buy gifts you just
can’t get back in the UK and stroll hand-in-hand with someone
special. Afterwards, slip between fine thread-count sheets at
nearby Nimb, a majestic five-star stay whose palatial exterior is
clad in hundreds of dazzling lights. It’s like staying in one big
Christmas tree, only this time you’re the star. Opt for a suite
with a fireplace for toasting toes after a day pounding the
pavement then flit between the huge number of restaurants and bars
on-site. Our favourite is the glamorous cocktail bar, where you can
sip a crisp flute of vintage champagne beneath dazzling crystal
chandeliers, while the brasserie will warm your cocktails with
seriously elevated comfort food: the Danish crown sirloin on the
bone to share is sure to reignite the flames of passion.

Escape the crowds: Bryher, Scilly Isles

There’s seclusion in spades on the Scilly Isles, a unique
archipelago off the Cornish coast, where just five of its islands
are inhabited – and even then, the chances of spotting other people
(let alone Santa) are slim. Head to Hell Bay on
Bryher, the smallest of the islands, which you’ll need a train,
coach, plane, mini-bus and boat to get to. But it’s worth it
because, once there, you’ll be welcomed by complete peace and
quiet, the tranquillity echoed by calming cream and blue interiors
and white-painted windows that look out onto the Atlantic. Set in
its own cove, there isn’t much else to see on the island – save for
a smattering of New England-style houses – so there’s nothing else
to do but enjoy some long walks along the craggy rocks and grassy
knolls before returning to the hotel to refuel on local crab and
lobster at the restaurant. Switch off your phone and switch off
your mind – there’ll be the chaos of Christmas to get back to at
home.

Kickstart the party season: Brighton, England

There’s no point in starting a fitness regime before the
festivities. So take the opportunity to indulge in all-out hedonism
from now until New Year, completely guilt-free, with a break in
Brighton. Dubbed ‘London-on-Sea’, it is a city largely dedicated to
the pursuit of pleasure – and not just for students. The recent
arrival of the British Airways i360 (www.britishairwaysi360.com), a
138-metre observation tower on the seafront, has recently
reinvigorated the interest in this historic seaside town. Ping up
for sweeping panoramas of the British coast and enjoy a glass of
homegrown bubbles in the Nyetimber Sky Bar.

Once the sun has set, it’s on to dinner at The Set, a
restaurant dedicated entirely to seasonal, British food across
three set menus. Treat yourself to number ‘three’ (£36) with
highlights like plaice, parsnip, cheddar and egg; partridge,
beetroot, red cabbage and chocolate; and cereal milk, spelt granola
and milk-ice cream. Once dinner is done, head downstairs to the
low-lit basement setting of The Curious Mr. Hanbury, a
speakeasy-style cocktail bar serving drinks until the small hours.
With both restaurant and bar housed in the Artist Residence hotel, it would be remiss not
to retreat to one of its rooms post-party. The sea-view rooms are
the best of the bunch and feature king-size beds and roll-top
baths. So even if you do pop the cork on one too many bottles,
you’ll still be feeling fresh for the forthcoming festivities.