STAY
Begin your vacation with a stay at the Raffles London at The OWO, a new hotel occupying the grandiose Old War Office, a cupola-topped landmark that housed Winston Churchill’s office when he was Secretary of State for War and was the birthplace of British spy agencies. This opulent property impresses with its warm staff, timeless décor and strong sense of place. Raffles Suites (and categories above) are especially recommended, since they are decorated with the same grandeur as the hotel’s common areas.

DINE
With nine on-site restaurants, you need not go far to dine well. Chef Mauro Colagreco’s Saison serves creative Mediterranean dishes in an attractive space with trellised walls. Other venues at the Raffles offer Italian, Japanese, French, Milanese and classic British menus.

EXPLORE
Positioned opposite the Horse Guards on Whitehall and a short walk from Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, St. James’s Park and Trafalgar Square, the Raffles is ideally situated for first-time visitors to the city. Back at the hotel, book a treatment at the Guerlain spa, where an enticing pool is flanked by fireplaces, and stop in for a drink at Spy Bar, a subterranean James Bond-themed speakeasy situated in former interrogation rooms.

STAY
It takes about an hour and 20 minutes by car to reach Oxfordshire, a region northwest of London marked by verdant woodlands and rolling hills dotted with quaint villages of thatched cottages. Opened in 2023, the fashionable Estelle Manor hotel and country club is ensconced in 3,000 acres of parkland. The accommodations within the Jacobean Revival mansion feature a fin de siècle-inspired design rich with silk damask furnishings and antique wood paneling.

DINE
The dim sum at the Billiards Room restaurant is excellent, and the “curry night takeovers” hosted in the Glasshouse dining room on Monday evenings are especially memorable.

EXPLORE
Try your hand at ax-throwing, archery and air-rifle-shooting, or consider booking a falconry session to get up close to the native Peregrine falcon. You can also take advantage of Eynsham Baths, the hotel’s Roman-inspired spa, comprising a vast marble-clad bathing hall, three frigidariums, a caldarium and a hay sauna.

If you want to get off-property, consider a day trip to the prestigious university town of Oxford, 25 minutes from Estelle Manor. Bibliophiles should stop by the Bodleian Library, one of the oldest libraries in Europe, at the University of Oxford. A trip along the River Cherwell aboard a punt, a traditional flat-bottomed boat propelled with a long pole, makes for a lovely outing on a sunny day. But no trip to the city is complete without a visit to one of its historic pubs. The Bear Inn dates to 1242 and is distinguished by its collection of thousands of ties framed on the walls. The Kings Arms, a local institution, is probably the best spot to enjoy the company of Oxonians in their element. And the Turf Tavern is a well-hidden pub that rests on remnants of the old city walls, wedged in a narrow alleyway that runs between Holywell Street and New College Lane.

STAY
From Oxfordshire, it is a two-and-a-half-hour drive to The Newt in Somerset, a 40-room hotel spread across 900 acres of native woodlands, cultivated gardens and pastures. Along the drive, make a stop at Avebury, a UNESCO World Heritage site containing the world’s largest prehistoric stone circle. Consider hiking the Windmill Hill trail followed by a restorative pint at a pub in the center of town before continuing on your way.

DINE
The restaurant within the hotel’s main Hadspen House features estate lamb, locally sourced produce and addictive West Country cheese-and-oat cakes. There is also a more rustic dining option in the Farmyard complex.

EXPLORE
The Newt in Somerset is heaven for garden enthusiasts, and roaming the estate’s crisscrossing paths is a delight. Start at the threshing barn to partake in a cider tour before heading down to the baroque-style apple-tree maze in a walled garden. Next, wander through the flower and kitchen gardens and up to the deer park to observe fearless animals gathering on the grassy meadow. The Story of Gardening building invites visitors to discover the herbs and flowers of the estate, as well as the botany of South Africa’s Cape Winelands, where the owners of The Newt have a second property. The paths also wind past a dovecote, a natural grotto, a duck pond and the Four Seasons garden — a set of green plots designed for each time of year.If you can spend three nights, add in an excursion to the affluent town of Bath, an hour’s drive north, to discover its original Roman bathing complexes.

STAY
For your final stop, head back toward London to be closer to the airport. While you can choose to end your trip at a hotel in the capital, it’s perhaps more relaxing to stay at Beaverbrook, a popular weekend getaway located about 90 minutes from downtown London in Surrey Hills. This 19th-century mansion was formerly the home of Lord Beaverbrook, a Canadian-British press baron who achieved fame during World War II when he acted, for a year, as the minister of aircraft production for Winston Churchill, who visited regularly. The room dedicated to Churchill features the original sink, writing desk and even a secret passageway.

DINE
Several dining options include the whimsical Mrs Beeton’s Restaurant for classic British cuisine, a Mediterranean option and a Japanese grill that offers a seasonal “balloon dining” experience, where stationary hot-air balloons float above wicker pods. The casual deli in the spa serves creative pizzas in the evenings Wednesday to Sunday.

EXPLORE
Upon arriving, perhaps relax in the hotel’s bar decorated with Victorian artist Marianne North’s magnificent paintings of exotic plants and flowers from around the world. You can armchair travel through the jungles of South America to the gardens of the Taj Mahal with a cocktail in hand. And if you can identify the painting that appears twice, the bartender will offer you a special treat. The next day, consider playing a round of tennis or taking a hike to the grassy meadow where Winston Churchill would land his plane – though time lounging in the contemporary spa and its outdoor pool can feel just as rewarding. Since Beaverbrook is just 40 minutes from Heathrow Airport and 30 from Gatwick, this bucolic hideaway makes a fine end to any English itinerary.