We LOVE remote working – gone are the days of 6am starts and nine hours spent in a gloomy office. What’s more, working remotely has suddenly opened the doors to easier long weekends, with morning spent clearing the inbox and afternoons out exploring. As Hertfordshire is just minutes away from London by train but surrounded by gorgeous countryside and incredible places to stay, it’s got to be on your list for your next staycation.
The Grove
We’re starting with the bucket list location to reel you in! As one of the most luxurious hotels around, The Grove’s 300 acres estate is where we want to spend our long weekends. Book up one of their winter stays and you’ll get to check in to one of the beautiful boutique bedrooms, before taking those Teams calls in one of the many lounges and restaurants, all providing the perfect relaxed setting to beat the work blues. Once you’ve signed off for the day, we recommend trying your hand at one of the many masterclasses, from cocktail and mocktail classes, to lessons in pizza making.
Sopwell House – St Albans
Welcome to your home from home. Sopwell House offers 12 acres of grounds to be explored, 4 star luxury and all within easy reach of St Pancras. The rooms themselves are gorgeous, but for a little work-cation we recommend setting yourself up in of the Mews Suites, complete with fireplaces, sofas, four poster beds and private terraces – can you think of a better place to login to OWA? Once you’ve closed that laptop Cottonmill Spa is calling, or we recommend heading to the market town of St Albans. Discover the area’s Roman heritage at the Verulamium Museum, be awe-struck by the architecture in St Albans Cathedral, or sip and sample at some of the many, many restaurants and bars. Trust us, The Waffle House is an absolute must!
Tewinbury Farm Hotel
This is one of our favourite places for a retreat, and trust us, plan a work-cation here and you’ll soon see why. It starts with the 700 acres of countryside this former dairy farm rests in – that’s got to make even the most tense email exchange seem like a breeze – and it continues with the wide range of beautiful accommodation on offer. We’re talking cosy, luxurious hotel rooms, shepherd’s huts, lake-side lodges and woodland retreats, all with WiFi, all with outstanding views, and some with alfresco tubs! And because these work-cations are all about making the most of your time, we recommend booking a break for when they have one of their fantastic festivals on for live music set in the great outdoors. Better yet, flex those creative muscles and enroll in the cookery school for the afternoon – trust us, delicious homemade treats will soon eclipse a morning of Asana woe.
Down Hall
This Italianate mansion is a just perfect for a weekend away. The luxury interiors, the 110 acres of woodland, beautiful food prepared from ingredients grown in the vegetable garden…this place is pure bliss. For true peace and quiet we recommend a stay in a Patio Room, where French doors open out onto the patio and garden – can you imagine – coffee and a catch up set out in those beautiful grounds. When you need a change of scenery, The Garden Room Restaurant or The Fox Bar are some of our very spots to kick back and relax with a drink.