For those with the ready cash, a luxury U.K. vacation can be an incredible experience. Whether spending your nights in a beautifully renovated castle or enjoying the luxury of a top-class yacht, it seems money really can buy everything you need.
Many castles and other historic buildings in the U.K. have been turned into the best luxury hotels, meaning you can stay in absolute comfort, while surrounded by history, nestled in beautiful grounds and scenery. Dining is available with restaurants offering the best cuisine and a range of excellent wines.
One such hotel is hidden away in a Tudor castle nestled in the countryside of the Cotswolds in south Gloucestershire. The Cotswolds have been designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and for good reason, making it the idyllic spot for a luxury U.K. vacation.
Thornbury Castle was built some 500 years ago and is a perfect luxury retreat. The interior offers luxurious furnishings with sheer comfort on offer and the castle is surrounded by beautiful and historic landscaped gardens where guests can partake of a rich cream high tea, followed by a stroll in the Secret Garden pictured at the top of this article.
To offer a little of the history of Thornbury Castle, construction began back in 1511 and originally the building was to be the home of the Duke of Buckingham. However, in 1521, just as the Duke was ready to move into his new home, he was accused of treason by his distant cousin, King Henry VIII and quite literally lost his head, while his beautiful home was confiscated.
Henry VIII took advantage of the confiscated castle some 14 years later and stayed there with Anne Boleyn as part of their honeymoon at the start of their ill-fated marriage.
According to Communities Digital News, the castle was converted into a luxury hotel in 1970. Now, Thornbury Castle is available to us common folk, as long as we have the money available for a luxury U.K. vacation of course.
Not only does the hotel offer an exclusive restaurant with the finest cuisine, but you can also take advantage of a relaxing massage in your luxuriously appointed suite.
Take a tour of this beautiful luxury hotel in the video included below.
If castles are a bit too stuffy for one’s tastes, there is always the opportunity to enjoy salty fresh air in a stay on a luxurious yacht down in Cornwall, England. Here it can be discovered that it is not necessary to head to the Mediterranean Sea to enjoy a luxurious sailing adventure.
With gorgeous beaches, quaint villages and beautiful scenery, Cornwall does the trick quite nicely for a luxury U.K. vacation on the water.
Cornwall is popular with sailing enthusiasts and many excellent yachts are available to charter with sufficient berths to suit most groups or families.
While sailing along, beautiful backdrops make for the best views, with castles and other historic buildings and pretty towns like St. Ives, Padstow, Falmouth, and Penzance to visit along the way. As part of a sailing luxury U.K. vacation, the Isles of Scilly are also great to visit, as is the famous Prussia Cove, or Smuggler’s Cove as it is also known.
The U.K. is not renowned for its weather, but according to Luxury Bespoke Travel, Cornwall does tend to be a little warmer than the northern climes and probably the best time to indulge in a luxury U.K. vacation on the water is between May and September each year.
So go on, spoil yourself. Enjoy a luxury U.K. vacation and stay in sheer luxury, history, and style.
[Images: Thornbury Castle CC BY-NC 2.0 vgm8383 / suite CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 Brett Tully / Padstow, Cornwall CC BY 2.0 David Merrett / Smuggler’s Cove CC BY 2.0 Anne-Lise Heinrichs ]
