Features

Irresistibly Romantic, Design-Led Retreats for Cosy Couples

29 March 2023

If you’re in need of an indulgent and richly romantic escape with your loved one (and really, who isn’t?) choosing a design-led retreat will add that little something extra.

What exactly do we mean by ‘design-led retreat’? One in which every last detail has been carefully and beautifully thought through – from luxurious location to idyllic interiors – by experts in their field.

In other words, a design-led treehouse won’t be just any old treehouse… it will be a heavenly sanctuary amongst whispering leaves, boasting superlative rural views and perhaps even an al fresco bathtub to help the stargazing go down!

Many design-led retreats are deliberately close to the bright lights of nearby cities; only their well-chosen settings will make you feel light-years away from civilisation. Perfect if you haven’t got a great deal of time to spare (or you simply hate travelling too far!)

What else can you expect? Snuggly sofas, hi-tech entertainment, beds dressed in opulent linen, and plenty of personalised touches that promise to elevate your break far away from the confines of a ‘normal’ holiday.

We’ve got plenty of design-led examples that show you exactly what we mean… though you may have to resist a strong temptation to block out your calendar with a well-deserved stay at each and every one!

Author: Nina Jervis
Main image: Nymetwood Treehouses | Devon

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

Nymetwood Treehouses

Crediton, Devon, England
Sumptuous Scandi-inspired hideaways with al fresco copper bathtubs, secluded amongst acres of Devon woodland, meadow, and apple orchard, with idyllic views over Dartmoor.
Bedrooms: 1 per treehouse
Sleeps: 2 per treehouse
From
£250 / night

Boutique Narrowboats

Market Harborough, Leicestershire, England
Explore the Leicestershire waterways at your own gentle pace, aboard your choice of luxurious ‘hotel suite’-style canal boat for couples.
Bedrooms: 1
Sleeps: 2
From
£126/nt

Little Poro

Bishops Nympton, Devon, England
A dreamy Scandinavian-inspired retreat, complete with a cider house, a firepit shelter, and a stargazing hot tub, all beautifully secluded in a Devon apple orchard close to Exmoor.
Bedrooms: 1
Sleeps: 2
From
£159 / night

Demeter Cave House

Santorini, Cyclades, Greece
A dreamily luxurious cave house with a romantic roof terrace and hot tub, blissfully secluded in a beautiful, unspoilt Santorini village.
Bedrooms: 1
Sleeps: 2
From
£200 / night

The Laundry Retreat

Llanrhaeadr, Denbighshire, Wales
Luxury log-cabin-style hideaways, surrounded by breath-taking gardens on a historic Grade II-listed property in North Wales.
Bedrooms: 1 per roundhouse
Sleeps: 2 per roundhouse
From
£145 / night

Villa Ca'Damare

Porto Venere, Liguria
An exclusive, architect-restored villa with a private Mediterranean garden, mesmerisingly secluded within the natural park of Cinque Terre for incredible views of the Gulf of Poets and the soaring Apuan Alps.
Bedrooms: 1
Sleeps: 2
From
£300 / night

HARTA retreat

Barnstaple, Devon, England
A sustainable sanctuary nestled amongst woodland and meadow on the scenic edge of Exmoor National Park, with the sweeping North Devon coast practically on the doorstep.
Bedrooms: Open plan
Sleeps: 2 per tipi
From
£125/ night

Tiny House Ballater

Ballater, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
A small, perfectly-formed retreat with big mountain views - and a wood-fired outdoor bathtub to enjoy them from! - gloriously positioned in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park.
Bedrooms: 1
Sleeps: 2-4
From
£137 / night

Miluna

Hormigos, Castilla La Mancha, Spain
Savour a star-sprinkled dream in nature, from the comfort of your own private ‘moon' set amongst wide open Spanish countryside, mere moments from the World Heritage city of Toledo.
Bedrooms: 1 per 'moon'
Sleeps: 2 per 'moon'
From
£237 / night

SeaBeds Luxury Lookout Lodges

Ballachulish, The Highlands, Scotland
A luxury, design-led ‘lookout' for couples and families, with an infinity hot tub and sweeping sea-and-mountain views of the Scottish Highlands.
Bedrooms: 1 Bedroom
Sleeps: 2 (+2)
From
£275 / night

Beacon Hill Farm Luxury Treehouse

Morpeth, Northumberland, England
A sleek, stylish and contemporary retreat set on an award-winning farmland estate, with unspoilt Northumberland country views and an indulgent spa just an amble away.  
Bedrooms: 1
Sleeps: 2
From
£525

The Captain's Cabin

Drimnin, The Highlands, Scotland
An elliptical, architect-designed retreat, rich in nautical style and elevated on the entire flat roof of an old chapel to showcase magnificent views over the Sound of Mull.
Bedrooms: 1
Sleeps: 2
From
£160 / night

Desert House

Gorafe, Andalucia, Spain
An architect-designed, TV-featured eco-retreat crafted from thermally insulated glass, uniquely purpose-built in the heart of Granada's spectacular Gorafe Desert for incredible natural views.
Bedrooms: 1
Sleeps: 2
From
£271 / night

Eastside Cartshed

Nr Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland
Escape to a blissful, detail-rich architectural hideaway with an effortless blend of old and new (and a wood-fired Finnish sauna!) beautifully surrounded by Scotland’s magical Pentland Hills.
Bedrooms: 1
Sleeps: 2
From
£910/week

The Ellis-Miller House

Ely, Cambridgeshire, England
Exceptional style lives and breathes in this award-winning, architect-designed Cambridgeshire holiday home for two, looking out over the romantically rural Fens.
Bedrooms: 1
Sleeps: 2
From
£404 / week

LV14 SULA Lightship

Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England
Escape to the water and enjoy a unique and scenic adult-only stay aboard a historic British Lightship, beautifully restored and enchantingly moored in the Gloucester Docks, in the Cotswolds.
Bedrooms: 2
Sleeps: 4
From
£166 night

Kabn Company

Loch Fyne, Argyll and Bute, Scotland
Two architecturally-designed, off-grid havens with floor-to-ceiling glass and minimalist Scandi-inspired interiors, dreamily nestled on the shores of Loch Fyne.
Bedrooms: 1 per Kabn
Sleeps: 2 per Kabn
From
£220 /night

Breac.House

Dunfanaghy, County Donegal, Ireland
Offering glorious architecture, exquisite hand-crafted furnishings and the rugged wilderness of North West Donegal, a stay at Breac House is sure to delight, indulge and inspire.
Bedrooms:
Sleeps: 2 per room
From
£318 prpn

Latest
Posts

Swipe left
to find out more

The UK’s Best Viewing Hotspots for the Northern Lights

Witnessing the Northern Lights is a serious bucket-list item: one that used to require expensive trips to the coldest, darkest...
Barge Aground heritage let St.Ouen's Bay, Jersey

Introducing Jersey Heritage – captivating, historic retreats with unique stories to tell

Jersey Heritage is a charity whose mission is to preserve and share the Island’s unique culture, through maintaining its major...

Uniquely Magical Stays with Availability for Christmas and New Year – Part Two

It’s time for Part Two of our Host Unusual retreats with festive availability! (If you missed Part One and you’ve...

End 2024 in Style! Unique Stays with Availability for Christmas and New Year – Part One

The beginning of winter can herald a strong sense of déjà vu. Days get shorter, shops heave with seasonal goodies,...

Unique European City Retreats for Christmas Markets and Winter Fun

There’s nothing quite like a European city break for submerging your soul in sparkling seasonal cheer. For one thing, the...