Whether you’re after a one-night city centre stay or a weekend break in the countryside, a relaxing and tranquil space, or a wild and eccentric adventure, everyone deserves to treat themselves to a getaway in 2024 – and these are some of my top picks.
Over the past couple of years, Jake and I have travelled up and down the UK, from Cornwall to York, often documenting our minibreaks through 24-48 hour travel guides. Got a day in Shrewsbury and don’t know where to eat, or are wondering the best value-for-money way to explore Stoke-on-Trent? I’ve got you covered.
I’m a big fan of a quirky stay. I’d much rather pay the extra and stay somewhere fun and exciting – because there’s nothing more soulless than a budget hotel chain, right?
In this round up we’ve got a number of hotels in prime locations for city centre adventures in Manchester, York and London, as well as a bunch of lodges and cabins for a more rural getaway, complete with pigs, sheep and even hottubs.
Here are some of our top staycation picks in the UK for 2024:
Hoar Cross Hall, Staffordshire
Those seeking an indulgent spa break will find everything they need to relax and recharge at Staffordshire’s award-winning Hoar Cross Hall hotel and spa, which recently underwent a£14 million renovation in 2021.
Nestled between the picturesque towns of Stafford, Lichfield, Uttoxeter, and Burton upon Trent, Hoar Cross Hall is one of the largest state-of-the-art spa facilities in Europe, boasting a range of wellness suites and relaxation areas, and not one, but two heated pools. The hydrotherapy pool is incredibly tranquil, with crystal clear water and jets and waterfalls that massage aching muscles, which leads through to a Nordic heat and ice suite, with hot and cold showers, salt steam room, sauna and the aromatherapy room.
The venue also houses a range of water massage areas like the Kneipp Foot Massage and body jets, as well as an icy plunge pool. Tucked away you’ll also discover the detox centre, with a Saunarium, Sauna and Steam Room, as well as experience showers you could make your way through, from cold mists to high pressure jets, before retreating to the heated loungers where the warming tiles relieve tension.
The spa also offers a selection of Elemis and Voya treatments including full body massages, facials and nourishing wraps, with a range of in-house restaurants catering everything from breakfast and afternoon tea, to three-course a la carte menues and cocktails. Read more about our recent stay here.
Naomi’s Shepherd Huts, Leicestershire
Located on her family’s farm, Rebecca Naomi Greenfield launched this unusual staycation spot in 2020 after returning home from travelling the world as a cruise ship dancer.
The shepherds hut, situated just outside Twycross, in Leicestershire, is completely private with it’s own woodland trail from the car to the gorgeous duck-egg blue painted holiday home. Outside, there’s a pallet sofa where you can sit and watch the sun set, as well as a fantastic fire pit for keeping warm in the evenings, and cooking food. There’s also a cast iron table and chairs perfect to sit and enjoy a morning cuppa and watch the some 1,000 sheep grazing in the next field.
Open the wooden double doors to the 18ft hut and climb the stairs to find to the left, a beautifully made double bed with a pure woollen blanket and bedding, scatter cushions and the most comfortable mattress and wool pillows. The kitchenette had everything we needed, including a kettle, toaster, fridge fully stocked with the BBQ and breakfast hamper we ordered, as well as a stunning basket of bread. The hut is Wi-Fi and TV free for a digital detox weekend, but it does have a DAB radio so you can unwind to your favourite station.
Rebecca had even bought a bunch of blooms for the kitchen – and it really was the finishing touches and attention to detail that made they stay all the more lovely. To the right of the hut was the bathroom with shower, a space to hang clothes, and a log burner for those cosy evenings snuggled up on the teal chair and woollen stool, there’s even underfloor heating which warmed up to a comfortable 20 degrees, which was just right as temperatures dropped outside the hut.
Cute, cosy and secluded, Naomi’s Shepherds Huts is a picture-perfect stay ideal for couples wanting to unplug from the world for the weekend.
Read more: Shepherd hut weekend getaway waking up to 1,000 sheep in Leicestershire
Deadwood Cabins, Lincolnshire
Located in the heart of rural Lincolnshire this all-American inspired glamping experience offers an unforgettable trip, inspired by Paris and her family’s travels through Tombstone, Arizona growing up. Complete with an authentic Wild West theme, there are three luxury log cabins to choose from – the more compact Rawhide and Longhorn cabins, priced at £155 per night, or the Sheriff’s cabin, costing £200 per night.
The Sheriff’s Cabin is the largest of Deadwood’s log abodes. Entering the spacious living room, there’s a welcoming open log burner with rustic leather arm chairs either side. A cowhide pelt fills the floor, with a breakfast bar table complete with card games, and a media cabinet with a vintage-style record player that also plays tapes and CDs, with drawers were filled with LPs.
There’s also an airing cupboard where you can hang your coats, and a fully fitted kitchen with everything you need, including a fridge, microwave, kettle, toaster and sink, with another door leading to the bathroom with a hot shower. Across the other side of the shack is the cosy bedroom, complete with king size bed, a dressing table and wardrobe.
Throughout the cabin is decorated in the style of a historic Western saloon, filled with souvenirs and antiques from the Wilkins’ family adventures around the globe, making for a really authentic and memorable experience. The living room also boasts a TV, complete with a Deadwood Netflix account, which means that we could binge watch the latest season of You in front of the log fire with a bottle of beer.
You’ll always be certain to be in great company at Deadwood, too, which is home to four gorgeous and super friendly kune-kune pigs named Dolly, Doris, Annie and Jane. The girls’ pen was metres away from our front door – they hold a great conversation and love a good scratch behind the ears. As well as the pigs, the farm is also home to five silkie chickens, four hens and four ducks, who you’ll no doubt see pottering around the Orchard during your visit.
Deadwood Cabins offers the perfect glamping experience for cowboy culture enthusiasts and anybody looking for something a little more adventurous – and they’re dog friendly, too!
Read more: Deadwood Cabins – an all-American wild west staycation in rural Lincolnshire
Moxy Manchester City, Manchester
Moxy Manchester City, on Atkinson Street, off Deansgate, is the younger, cooler sibling of the Marriott brand, and is ideal for guests who love music, cocktails and giant fluffy hotel pillows.
The lobby is uber chic, with bowler hats nodding to the building’s history as a hat factory, but bringing a moderness to it with Manchester pop culture, the lounge adorned with Morrissey cushions and The Smiths prints, as well as colourful cushions and a cosy projected fireplace. I quite often work in this communal space if I find myself in the city centre for work.
The rooms are bright and airy with little clutter or unnecessary furniture, grey and white walls offering a clean and contemporary finish. Beside the bed was a little haberdashery themed stool, and on the other, a quant reading seat – outside we had views of the Manchester skyline, overlooking garden terraces and city high rises.
In the bathroom, the shower, loo and sink were fairly compact, but offered everything we could need for the weekend, including toiletries. And at the foot of the bed attached to the wall was a huge flatscreen TV, which even had Netflix, meaning we could catch up on our watch list.
In the morning, breakfast is served from 7am to 11am, with checkout at 12pm. It’s a continental style breakfast with a great selection on offer, including fruits, yoghurts, cereals, pastries and cooked sausages, bacon, eggs, hash browns and beans. But there’s also a snack bar and grab and go drinks area if you’re peckish too.
One night stays in a Moxy Sleeper cost £154 for an April weekend, and it’s in the ideal location if you’re staying over after dinner and drinks on Deansate.
Hilton Garden Inn, Stoke-on-Trent
This stunning 140-room hotel forms part of Hanley’s Smithfield development – the £20 million hotel opened in October 2020 and became the first Hilton-branded location in the city.
The Hilton have used a number of local contractors to bring their rooms to life, including Lidr Contract Furniture, in Campbell Road, Stoke, and Tunstall-based Johnson Tiles. .
The King rooms are gorgeous, complete with a huge double bed and pillows that are so light it’s like sleeping on air. It has a generous open wardrobe space, a chaise longue, a main table, side table and desk area. Here I also discovered a mini fridge, a tea caddy, and a hairdryer, along with a menu for the restaurant hanging neatly in a leather-strapped shelf.
It’s the finishing touches that make the rooms extremely homely, though – with faux plants in wall-mounted planters, and framed prints nodding to the city’s heritage, including bottle kilns, maps and the mighty spitfire.
The bathroom was bright and modern with white tiles and a spacious shower. There’s also a great sink space with fantastic lighting for getting ready – I swear my makeup has never looked so good. The room is also fitted with an adjustable air-conditioning, a safe and has an iron and ironing board idea for business trips where suits need ironing, or for people like me to knock a crease out of a dress for dinner.
In-house Restaurant Six is absolutely beautiful, with tableware is from Steelite International, locally named cocktails and fantastic food.
After check out, there’s plenty to see and do in Staffordshire, so there’s really no need to rush off. There’s Hanley’s buzzing Cultural Quarter offering shops, eateries, music venues and two fabulous theatres. The Emma Bridgewater Factory is within walking distance, as is the new Spitfire museum at the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery. Stoke Rail Station and the Bet 365 Stadium are also nearby, and you mustn’t forget to try an oatcake while exploring the area.
Read more: Six proper Stokie things I found in the Hilton Garden Inn, Hanley
Read more: Spending 24 hours at the Hilton Garden Inn, Hanley
Riverside Cabins, Shrewsbury
Riverside Cabins, are located around 20 minutes from Shrewsbury town centre. The boutique self catering cabins are right on the River Perry, offering a cosy woodland escape that’s beautiful all year round.
The site opened in 2020 and has even been recognised in The Guardian’s top 30 cottages and campsites – and it’s so easy to see why. Individually styled, these hygge lodges each have their own ready-to-hop-in hot tub that’s maintained at around 38 degrees for the duration of your stay, so you can go for a dip whenever you fancy.
Inside our cabin – which sleeps four, but had the bank beds folded up for the weekend – there was a large double bed, balcony, galley kitchen, bathroom and a wetroom, which was perfect for showering off after getting out of the hot tub. All of the cabins have been named after the owner’s past and present Labradors, which I thought was adorable for this dog-friendly site. On this occasion, we stayed in the Winston cabin.
At the end of the night, you can follow the glamp-site path to the edge of the quarry where a log fire is lit, or relax with the latest season of whatever your watching on Netflix back at the accommodation.
Riverside Cabins is the perfect place to escape the everyday, offering a cosy, private and picturesque retreat that’s ideal for both romantic getaways or those long overdue catchup with friends. The woodland and riverside setting was peaceful and you can’t help but switch off.
Hedley House, York
Hedley House Hotel and Spa is a little independent accommodation a stone’s throw away from York’s bustling centre – and it’s the perfect place to lay your hat if you’re planning a trip to the walled city. Owned by Greg and Lou Harrand, Hedley House is a renovated Victorian house that’s been in the family since 1983.
The hotel boasts 26 en-suite rooms – each one unique with vintage-style decor like gold stand lamps and decorative fireplaces. There was plenty of tea, coffee, hot chocolate, milk and sugar to use with the kettle, as well as coffee pods for the Nespresso coffee machine.
And it wasn’t the only bit of tech that impressed us, as the Smart TV offered Netflix and YouTube, with a Bluetooth speaker system wired to the bathroom and free WiFi. In the cupboard, we discovered an iron and ironing board and a yoga mat, while the draw contained a hair dryer. There’s really everything you could possibly need.
The bathroom was spacious with a loo, basin, bath and shower, as well as fluffy towels, shampoo, body wash, handsoap and luxury skincare. While full of Victorian charm, the rooms are fully up to date, clean and tidy, and the perfect place to relax and get ready between a day out sightseeing and an evening of dining and drinking. All the little thoughtful extras made Hedley House feel like a home from home.
Downstairs, the restaurant offers a small but thoughtful menu which allows the in-house chefs to focus on fresh and seasonal ingredients that are all sourced locally, and it really shows in the flavours and quality.
Stress free, functional and homely, Hedley House covered all bases and the owners and staff really have thought of everything, ticking every single box. It’s the perfect place to stay if you want to spend the weekend exploring the city of York.
Read more: Hedley House Hotel and Spa – where to stay in York city centre
Hyatt House, London
Hyatt Regency London Stratford is a 20 minute walk to and from the purpose built ABBA Arena – or just one tube stop from Stratford to the DfL. Located in the midst of Stratford’s Westfield shopping centre, there are plenty of restaurants and coffee shops nearby, and shops to check out, if you don’t happen to have a Voyage ticket.
Inside are 225 guestrooms and 10 suites, each one spacious, with smart modern bathrooms and a wealth of facilities available throughout the hotel, including a restaurant, bar terrace, gym, room service and breakfast.
On the third floor is the Elondi Bar and Terrace where Jake and I enjoyed a glass of champagne to celebrate our engagement, as this is where we stayed following the proposal! A spectacle of Art Deco, with elegant fittings and bold, cushy, plush chairs, the bar is a vibrant, airy oasis in which to relax and unwind, which is carried through to the rooms, too.
The rooms are stunning, with big, beautiful bathrooms and the most comfortable feather pillows. We arrived to find balloons, a card, and a bottle of wine to congratulate us on our big news, which I thought was extremely thoughtful. They really pulled out all of the stops.
If you’re visiting for the Abba Voyage concert, it’s worth getting the bed and breakfast deal on the website. The continental breakfast is extensive, complete with cereals, full English componants, deli options, pastries and yoghurts and we thought it was fantastic.
Read more: From Borough Market to Covent Garden – how to spend a day in London
