Christmas Shopping? Unusual Retreats with Creative Gifts for Lucky Loved Ones!

When you combine a relaxing and creative holiday with stocking up on unique gifts, Christmas shopping transforms from a chore to a pleasure.

And so, these unusual places to stay offer a wonderful opportunity: to recharge your batteries in time for the festive season, and purchase beautiful gifts for your loved ones (or even just for yourself!) at the same time.

Better still, these aren’t presents you’ll find any-old-where. Many are lovingly – and exclusively – handmade, or expertly sourced from hard-to-find places. Sustainability is at the forefront, too, so you can rest easy knowing that your gifts won’t cost the earth.

(Perhaps, though, the very best post-break gift for your loved ones will be a chilled-out and happier you, freshly revived and ready to embrace the merry festivities with gusto!).

Browse our unique selection of extraordinary, gifting-ready retreats right here.

Author: Nina Jervis-Green
Main image: Colourful lampshades courtesy of Perry Pond Cabin, Exeter

Perry Pond Cabin
Perry Pond Cabin was inspired by my love of India, and I also sell gifts and homeware crafted by artisans from Jaipur (in store by appointment or online). Each product is carefully curated to ensure ethnicity and sustainability, and range from quilts, cushions and rugs to upcycled sari lampshades.

Perry Pond Cabin

Exeter, Devon, England

An oak-clad, sumptuously furnished retreat with an al fresco bathtub and rolling Exe Valley views, privately secluded by a stream-fed wildlife pond on a 23-acre Devon farm.

Bedrooms: 1

Sleeps: 2

From

£152 / night

Logie Newton Lodges
Discover the perfect blend of craftsmanship, sustainability, and natural beauty with our handmade alpaca bracelets, finished with elegant silver fastenings. Each bracelet is lovingly crafted right here, using luxurious yarn from our own alpacas – Willow, Shadow, and Ella – who are cherished members of our family.

Logie Newton Lodges

Huntly, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

Indulgent rural luxury on a blissfully remote, dog and horse-friendly family farm nestled in sublime Aberdeenshire countryside, with private hot tubs for stargazing and a wealth of natural wonder to discover.

Bedrooms: 1 or 2 per lodge

Sleeps: 6

From

£185 /nt (7nts)

Albion Nights
We’ve curated a beautiful collection of artisan gifts for guests to purchase and take home, bringing a little of the magic we’ve created into their own space. Gifts include hand-dipped beeswax candles, locally-made ceramics, sheepskins, inspirational books, British-made socks from Nordic Sock Company and blankets… plus the best hot chocolate, made in the UK by Harth.

Albion Nights

Bungay, Norfolk, England

A duo of hand-crafted, off-grid retreats (one an Amazing Space!) each with a sumptuous outdoor bath, peacefully secluded in a Norfolk wildflower meadow for a beautiful back-to-nature escape.

Bedrooms: 1

Sleeps: 2

From

£195 / night

Strawberry Lane Tree Tent
Dedicated to sustainability, we use high-quality offcuts from Tree Tent canvases to craft premium backpacks, soft furnishings, camping gear and more – so you’re quite literally taking home a piece of your stay! You can also buy almost anything you see on our site, from the wood-fired hot tub to the Tree Tent itself, all beautifully hand-crafted in our Sussex workshop.

Nuthatch Retreat
Our guests always ask about the beautiful art and objects we share during their stays, so we’ve teamed up with Wildwood Ceramics Studio and Calm Cocoa to create a bespoke hug mug and hot chocolate gift combo to add to the cosy nights around the fire pit. We also offer organic hand and body products, made with pure essential oils, which smell as good as the place does when you arrive!

Nuthatch Retreat

Blakeney, Gloucestershire, England

A soulful and sustainable mid-century haven with an al fresco soaking tub and lush foliage inside and out, peacefully secluded on a hillside in the Forest of Dean.

Bedrooms: 2

Sleeps: 4

From

£200 /nt

Warksburn Old Church
All of the artwork at Warksburn Old Church is by North East local artists. Their work is also shown in the first floor gallery area, where it is also available for guests to purchase during their stay. These include ceramics by Anne James – the owner and designer of the property. (There is an Open Gallery event on 26th November).

Warksburn Old Church

Wark, Northumberland, England

A globally-unique and ultra-luxurious Net Zero conversion of a 19th century church, in beautiful rural Northumberland close to Hadrian’s Wall and Kielder Water.

Bedrooms: 3

Sleeps: 6

From

£250/night

Sweet Donside Cabins
We sell our very own gin, deliciously infused with kaffir lime leaf, lemongrass, and black pepper. Order from our website, and your gin will be waiting for you when you arrive (postage can also be arranged).

Sweet Donside Cabins

Strathdon, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

Heavenly, hand-crafted hideaways with private hot tubs, beautifully secluded amongst nine magical acres of the Cairngorms National Park.

Bedrooms: 1 per cabin

Sleeps: 2 per cabin

From

£145 mid week

Brucefield Estate Schenbothies
Hang your hat on our spalted Scots hardwood coat hook, or take home one of our estate’s luxurious glass amber bottles – both make beautiful gifts.

Brucefield Estate Schenbothies

Forestmill, Clackmannanshire, Scotland

Sumptuous woodland hideaways, privately nestled on a magical Clackmannanshire estate that's teeming with rich heritage and diverse, protected wildlife.

Bedrooms: 1 per bothy

Sleeps: 2 per bothy

From

157 3 nights

The Windmill Suffolk
Our Supersoft Windmill Suffolk dressing gowns are the ideal Christmas gift, as well as a wonderful memento of your stay! These can be purchased on our website, or sent via post to the lucky recipient.

The Windmill Suffolk

Nr Lavenham, Suffolk, England

You'll be swept away to the height of luxury at The Windmill Suffolk - a glorious towering bolthole as seen on George Clarke's 'Amazing Spaces' and overlooking idyllic countryside, just two miles north of historic Lavenham.

Bedrooms: 2

Sleeps: 4

From

£425 / night

Treehouse Hideaway Spa
Why not order a personalised, hand-made oak heart as a reminder of your stay, or a beautiful gift for someone else?

Treehouse Hideaway Spa

Blean, Kent, England

A magical, adults-only retreat taken straight from a fairytale, elevated among the trees with a private hot tub and spa area by the Kent coastal town of Whitstable

Bedrooms: 1

Sleeps: 2

From

£258/night

Bethnal & Bec
Our famous Honesty Larder stocks locally-produced drinks, sweets, chocolate, and gifts, which are always very popular!

Bethnal & Bec

Cottered, Hertfordshire, England

Sustainable, adults-only Hertfordshire hideaways with al fresco baths, where city style and indulgent sensory treats meet pure countryside tranquillity.

Bedrooms: 1 per unit

Sleeps: 2 per unit

From

£180 / night