This is a curious summer, and with different parts of the world slowly opening, thoughts inevitably turn to travel—be it near or far. We are seeing several trends; we focus on these to inspire you. Naturally, there has been a boom with English staycations (Scotland and Wales are still on pause for now) whilst the lifting of quarantine restrictions has led to a rise of interest for France, Spain and Italy. Further afield, it seems as though people are keen to explore their homelands in greater detail and are seeking out private adventures and solitude. Explore the below, and we hope this sates your wanderlust.
Where to stay
Grantley Hall, Yorkshire, England
Located in the heart of the rolling Yorkshire Dales just a couple hours outside of London, this property features 47 rooms, a Japanese garden, three restaurants and extensive spa and wellness facilities. They have recently launched their week-long staycation package—receive a room upgrade, gift bag and couple’s spa treatment amongst other benefits when booking through Quintessentially Travel.
La Bastide de Gordes, Gordes, France
The prestigious palace-classified property is introducing several exciting new initiatives for the summer including complimentary e-bike rental, stargazing sessions with the hotel’s resident astronomer, rooftop yoga at the Sisley spa, open-air cinema evenings and a new ‘Le Petit Voyageur’ challenge for all younger guests.
Also, exclusive wine and olive oil tasting experiences are available to book at their sister property, the exquisite Château d’Estoublon estate just an hours’ drive away. A 200-hectare working estate since 1489, Château d’Estoublon produces its award-winning organic wines and olive oil which La Bastide guests can discover through a tour of the estate, a tasting and a delicious lunch at the new La Table d’Estoublon restaurant from the highly-acclaimed Dutch chef, Wim Van Gorp.
Grand Hotel Tremezzo, Lake Como, Italy
Grand Hotel Tremezzo is preparing a warm welcome for its much-missed guests this season with a selection of new offers. Packages highlighting adventures around the lake, complimentary daily ‘woga’ sessions beside the hotel’s ‘water on the water’ swimming pool.
The hotel will also be launching its new T Beach club, complete with sandy beach, chic sun-loungers and cocktail bar, welcoming both hotel guests and day visitors. They will start this season at reduced capacity throughout the hotel, spa and restaurants. All guests will also be gifted their own exclusively designed Como silk face mask and refreshing pocket-sized hand sanitiser.
A Quinta da Auga, Galicia, Spain
Housed in an 18th-century paper factory just five minutes’ drive from the historic centre of Santiago and surrounded by breath-taking, rolling green scenery, A Quinta da Auga Hotel Relais & Châteaux is genuinely the most idyllic place to unwind and embrace the essence of slow travel. The stunning floral grounds, elegant events space and stylish interiors seamlessly blend old with new, making it the ideal location for a picture-perfect Spanish wedding. If you’re one of many couples who’ve needed to postpone their honeymoon, enquire about their special mini-moon package.
Book club
Splash: 10,000 Years Of Swimming by Howard Means
This is the perfect book for those that have missed their swimming fix during these past few months of lockdown. This definitive guide to swimming combines sporting anecdotes with social history, describing how it spans many different sectors in everyday life including fashion, architecture and public health.
Barcelona Days by Daniel Riley
At the mercy of a volcano eruption and cancelled flights across Europe, an American couple finds themselves stranded in Spain. Deeply emotional, this novel investigates the notion of the identities we embody when far away from home, delving beneath the surface of a relationship prior to impending nuptials.
What to eat and drink
Heckfield Place’s resident chef, Skye Gyngell, shares a homemade pasta recipe for Hand-Cut Tagliatelle with Nettles. First, learn how to forage the nettles here to use in your tagliatelle.
What to listen to
Lily Allen — Alright, Still
Lily Allen’s debut 2006 album is full of classic London summertime songs. Breezy pop, it has undercurrents of ska and reggae and is rooted in the characters, late-night activities and sunshine of England’s capital during the summer season.
For more information on the above or to book a different adventure, contact the experts at Quintessentially Travel.
