Last Minute Romantic Cottages  

Last Minute Romantic Breaks in ENGLAND

In England, the countryside is never far away… in no time at all you can find yourself nestled into rolling hills and flowing streams. Rent one of those quaint little country cottages you read about in books or see on TV and take a few days out of a busy schedule to soak in some natural healing courtesy of Mother Nature. Country cottages take you back to the past…to memories of childhood days when nearly every home in the neighbourhood would be filled with the fragrant wafts of a roast dinner being lovingly prepared on a Sunday morning. The days when there were no computers or shopping malls to lull family members away from the fold.

Across the length and breadth of England, those thatched little country cottages wait to create some new and exciting holiday memories for you. But if your perception of a cottage holiday is one of an old fashioned little house you will be in for a big surprise. Yes, traditionalists love such features but if you are a modern- day family who has kissed goodbye to tradition and prefer to spend your holidays in a property which has broken all ties with the past, there are hundreds of country cottages in England which are proud to live up to the adage ‘out with the old and in with the new’.

Whether you choose family friendly cottages, dog friendly, green getaways, hot tub heaven or cottages with pools…all have one thing in common…the moment you follow the curvature of the path leading up to the front door you are greeted by something unique, a feature which stands out and makes you feel most welcome, it could be something as simple as a heart shaped window on the front door or a garden filled with fragrant country blooms…one thing is for sure…these cottages know how to roll out the welcome mat. As you step into your new home you will also sense this ‘welcome’ continuing…the interior will feel as soul satisfying as your favourite over-sized woolly sweater on a cold winter day as you enter a whole new age, courtesy of the thought, creativity and skill ploughed into renovating many of the UK’s historic treasures into modern day chic so as you…the holiday maker can settle into present day luxury surrounded by old world charm. Yes, the foundations may have been set back in time but the interior is certainly very much based in the present…

As you walk into the kitchen, your eyes will be treated to a mish-mash of worktops each donning those warming barks entwined with soft neutrals. Yes, you will release a sigh of relief as you feast your eyes upon those present day mod cons which blend with a blast from the past… Place some red mugs on the kitchen table or fill a fruit bowl with blushing red apples and you will create a meeting place where you and your holiday guests can gather for stimulating conversation…the cottage kitchen is the heart of the home…the place where you will feel warm and cosy…the spot where creativity can flow from your soul…

Now it’s onto the dining room…feel the warmth drawing you in…those creamy, dreamy walls are not quite the same colour as the cream you would pour into your coffee but they are equally as satisfying…providing a neutral backdrop to emphasise those deeper, more intense, warming woodier finishes. In the centre of the room…you may find a deeply varnished dining table standing bold and proud…beckoning good conversation to sit alongside good food. The pictures hanging from the wall are mainly of orchard fruits and country settings…the potted plants dotted here and there invoke that ‘come dine with me’ feel… Imagine a large candelabra placed right in the centre of that dining table…creating the perfect ambiance for a plate of something warm and comforting as you wind down after a busy day out and about…and the dresser…a holiday cottage no matter how modern would not be complete without a dresser…you just have to clutter it with lots of bits and pieces…no need for neat and tidy as haphazard is the country cottage way of doing things…

If you prefer to eat outside, fling open the French doors and step out into the garden…resonate with the sweet natural scent of honeysuckle…and for a moment or two the world will stand still as you stop to take everything in… Even on colder months you can step out onto the patio and fill your lungs with a good heathy dose of fresh country air. Those fingers and toes will still stay warm and toasty as they sink into a hot tub or warm against an open outdoor fire… Or you may just want to sit on the porch at the end of a long summer day with a glass of lemonade and a slice of peace and quiet…

And when the evening sets in…you can retire to the living room… imagine how warm and cosy this room will look and feel in winter. Those long over generous curtains spilling down to the floor, closed tight to block out the snow. A cosy log fire serenading you with warm crackles…the calming, comforting odour of fresh burning wood… your hands clasped tightly around a steaming mug of chocolate as you snuggle up on the sofa…those flames making your eyelids feel heavier and heavier as you focus on the crimson and orange flames swaying before you…pirouetting in their golden gowns…lightening those dark spots in the room, warming your heart, soothing your senses…relaxing those muscles…

Nudge nudge…wakey, wakey…Yes, a holiday cottage can be as modern or as traditional as you want it to be…but either way, both styles provide those warming rays of warmth which emanate from their soul and… each one is waiting for you, the lovely holiday maker to warm to its charms…

Discover amazing places with your love in England