logo
'I stayed on a historic estate and fell in love with the place'

'I stayed on a historic estate and fell in love with the place'

Daily Mirrora day ago
I lost my heart to this beautiful part of the country and now I can't wait to return
Tucked away in the undulating hills of Suffolk, The Wilderness Reserve offers a quintessential English summer experience. I recently had the pleasure of spending a weekend there and was utterly charmed by this tranquil corner of the county, bathed in the glow of a June heatwave sun.
The walled garden was a riot of colour as I watched a couple tie the knot, and while enjoying elderflower cocktails, I felt like I'd stepped into a Merchant Ivory film. But it wasn't just the stunning venue that captivated me to be honest, the entire region truly stole my heart.
Suffolk, with its gently rolling hills, expansive skies, and patchwork of fields, meadows, and ancient woodlands, epitomises rural England. The 8,000-acre private estate near Saxmundham is just one of many highlights in the area, with attractions such as Framlingham Castle, Sutton Hoo, RSPB Minsmere, and Yoxford Antiques Centre and Gardens all within easy reach.
Scattered with picturesque villages, timber-framed cottages, medieval churches, and quiet lanes, much of Suffolk is designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
Then there is the stunning Suffolk coastline with its mix of sandy beaches, rugged cliffs and pretty seaside towns. Southwold is known for its beautiful beaches, iconic lighthouse and Victorian pier, while Aldeburgh Aldeburgh offers a more artistic atmosphere with its historic high street and rich cultural heritage, including the famous Aldeburgh Festival.
Nearby, there lies the 12th-century Framlingham Castle, while the town of Woodbridge is home to the impressive Tide Mill and a charming blend of Georgian buildings and independent shops. While a visit to the Wilderness Reserve was a delicious treat, there are so many other ways to explore the region, along with a multitude of places to stay.
Take Winkle Cottage for instance - a fishermans cottage bathed in Aldeburgh's seaside charm. This classic fisherman's cottage offers snug living spaces and can comfortably accommodate five guests. It has been praised by visitors as "a great place to stay."
The village of Campsea Ash also hosts an ideal spot for larger family reunions, offering a glorious barn conversion on a private estate. Quill Farm Barn is touted as a "delightful" holiday home, nestled away in "the perfect setting." Then there's the Sea Tower, a chic apartment boasting sea vistas that has earned accolades as "a special place" or the grand Holly Lodge - a robust five-bedroom countryside house capable of hosting group getaways for up to 10 individuals.
For something completely different, the Pound Farm Mirror Houses in Framlingham offer contemporary dwellings in the heart of the countryside. An upscale alternative to traditional 'tiny homes' each house comes with its own hot tub.
Booking.com boasts a diverse array of accommodation options in Suffolk. The Swan Hotel in Southwold, a four-star establishment nestled within a historic building just 200 metres from the seafront, is one such gem. For those seeking a more traditional vibe, The Ship at Dunwich serves up home-cooked fare and real ales in an authentic inn setting.
Adventure-seekers drawn to RSPB Minsmere will find Moonlight Lodge an ideal retreat close by. Available through Holidaycottages.co.uk, it's set against the backdrop of Dunwich beach and surrounded by woodlands - a nature lover's dream.
For a touch of grandeur, The Great House in Orford stands as a majestic Grade II-listed holiday home right in the village's heart. This quintessential country haven sleeps 12 and has been hailed as "a stunning house" and "absolutely perfect for larger parties" by visitors.
The tranquil beauty of Suffolk has garnered thousands of glowing reviews on TripAdvisor from enamoured visitors. One tourist said: "Loved our afternoon in Southwold especially the pier! Such a pleasant surprise to have a clean characterful pier with a brilliant quirky water fuelled clock at the end! The beaches looked amazing, beautiful clean sand and so pretty with the huts behind!".
Another visitor, charmed by Aldeburgh, shared: "It was a dream in July to swim in the early hours of the morning and have fish and chips looking out to sea."
Of course, the accommodation is key to any memorable holiday, and Sykes Cottages are dazzling holidaymakers, boasting a 4.6 out of five-star rating. One chuffed guest remarked: "We wanted a quiet weekend getaway and we found exactly that in Suffolk. Perfect for young and old...the cottage we booked we know it's a fabulous place and beautifully presented."
Another satisfied customer shared: " Suffolk in the sunshine. This was an important family holiday following my dad being very unwell last year, our holiday with Sykes gave us the quality time we needed and the chance to make some wonderful memories."
However, not all feedback was glowing. A less impressed guest posted a three-star review: "Sykes offer a vast range of holiday accommodation. From experience so far, the description and photos of accommodation are fairly accurate, however, the cleanliness of the accommodation is another matter. It is difficult to get hold of anyone from Sykes by telephone."
But praise continued with another beaming five-star critique: "We were looking for pet friendly cottages in Suffolk, Sykes cottages came up with the goods. A nice cottage plenty of details about the cottage giving us all the details we needed. So many thanks looking forward to our holiday."
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

National Museum of Scotland named one of the world's best
National Museum of Scotland named one of the world's best

The National

timean hour ago

  • The National

National Museum of Scotland named one of the world's best

The National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh was named alongside other popular international spots like the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology in Canada, which was crowned the best. To create the ranking, the researchers trawled through 200,000 visitor reviews to find the world's top-rated. Discussing the Scottish spot, which was ranked number seven in the world, InsureandGo said: "The museum displays Dolly the sheep, which is the first mammal ever cloned from an adult cell, and visitors can even enjoy panoramic views of Edinburgh from its rooftop terrace. "The Victorian building is over 150 years old and offers dinosaur-themed workshops for schools, as well as a dinosaur trail. "While there are fewer dinosaurs on offer here than some of the others in the global top 25, it earns its spot for its wide-ranging exhibits, from furniture to planes, to dinosaurs and fashion." The National Museum of Scotland named one of the best in the world for its dinosaur exhibits The museum in Scotland has received a lot of praise on Tripadvisor where users gave it 4.7/5 out of 22,590 reviews. One person dubbed it a "great place" to visit and commended its ability to keep their child occupied. They wrote: "Great place to visit, and it is completely free to go. "We spent hours in here, and our four-year-old loved it. Especially the interactive part in the science area and the explorer section, where the little ones can look for dino bones." One person who enjoyed the Scottish location warned others planning a visit to prepare for hours of walking. They added: "Free and full of history, the National Museum of Scotland features a diverse number of displays (dino skeletons, Tibetan prayer wheels, medieval tapestries, and more). Recommended Reading: "Wear comfortable shoes and plan to stay at least half a day to get acquainted with the layout. I went from opening until lunch the first day, and again the next day, and still did not see it all!" A third person penned: "There was everything from dinosaurs to traditional Mexican clothing to red telephone boxes and even a Lego display. Lovely little gift shop." Another simply added: "So huge, so much to do, full of beautiful exhibits."

The 'excellent' Scottish manor hotel you can book for better than half price
The 'excellent' Scottish manor hotel you can book for better than half price

Daily Record

time2 hours ago

  • Daily Record

The 'excellent' Scottish manor hotel you can book for better than half price

The accommodation has been described as "lovely". A Scottish manor house can currently be booked for cheaper than half price. It has been described as "lovely" and "excellent" by previous visitors. The Grange Manor Hotel is situated near Falkirk, between Glasgow and Edinburgh. Dating back to the late 19th century, it is a country house retreat encircled by well-kept gardens that preserves many original Victorian features. At the moment, guests can book an overnight stay for two at the hotel for £89 through Wowcher —plus a £3.99 admin fee. A one-night break at the Grange Manor Hotel is usually priced at £215, resulting in a discount of 59 per cent. All of the standard rooms at the hotel come with a seating area, hot drink-making facilities, a television, and an en-suite bathroom. Guests will also receive a glass of Prosecco each upon arrival. Also included in the Wowcher deal is a free breakfast in the morning. Meanwhile, there is the option to upgrade to include a two-course dinner at the Grange Manor Hotel's restaurant. The Cook's Bar and Restaurant offers a varied menu that includes dishes such as steak pie, breaded wholetail scampi, lasagne, and risotto. There are also 'Flavours of India' dishes designed in partnership with twice Michelin‐Star awarded Atul Kochhar, including lamb rogan josh and cauliflower makhani. Meanwhile, guests can also enjoy afternoon and high teas in Rosie's Tearoom. These include freshly made sandwiches, homemade cakes, scones with strawberries, and a cup of tea or coffee. There are other hotels to choose from in the surrounding area if the Grange Manor Hotel does not appeal. These include the luxury four-star Macdonald Inchyra Hotel and Spa and the Orchard Hotel with a bar and restaurant. In terms of things to do, it is just a short walk from Grange Manor Hotel to the iconic Kelpies sculptures and Falkirk Wheel. The latter is the world's only rotating boat lift, connecting the Forth and Clyde Canal to the Union Canal 35 metres above. Another nearby highlight is Beecraigs Country Park, which is comprised of 370 hectares of woodland walks and mountain bike trails. The country park is also home to a play area, a café, and more. On travel website Tripadvisor, guests have mostly given the Grange Manor Hotel positive feedback. The accommodation has an overall rating of four out of five on the site based on 1,000 reviews. One visitor shared: "Great stay, we had booked a luxury room, but on arrival was told there were none available, so we stayed in a garden room. No issues with this, great sized room. "Breakfast was fabulous, the dogs even got a breakfast sausage. Hotel was super dog friendly, and all the staff were lovely to deal with." On the other hand, a negative review reads: "Stayed in this hotel as my son was attending a competition on the Sunday. Room was dated, TV remote did not work but worst thing was the noise coming from the function room." Meanwhile, a four-star review states: "Quaint manor, staff very helpful. We were suffering terrible with jet lag and staff were able to get our room ready a bit earlier, so grateful. Dinner was next door and highly recommended. Bed was comfortable, room was spacious."

Scotland's best beach crowned in Times and Sunday Times guide
Scotland's best beach crowned in Times and Sunday Times guide

The National

time3 hours ago

  • The National

Scotland's best beach crowned in Times and Sunday Times guide

Other Scottish beaches featured on the list include Rhu Point, Vestey's Beach, Achininver and Melvich in the Highlands, Spey Bay and Cullen Bay in Moray, and St Cyrus in Aberdeenshire. READ MORE: Tony Blair's staff took part in 'Gaza Riviera' project, reports say Chris Haslam, chief travel writer for the Times and Sunday Times, picked the UK's top 50 beaches from a total of 756 during a month-long campervan tour of the British and Northern Irish coasts. In his description of Seacliff, Haslam wrote: 'Hidden at the west end is the smallest harbour in the British Isles. 'About the size of a hotel pool, it's a steampunk fantasy cut out of the sandstone using a steam engine and a compressor in 1890 by laird of the manor Andrew Laidlay. 'Seacliff is the beach you wish you'd found when you were ten: a Scottish stageset where you can be a medieval knight, a Victorian explorer, a ghostbuster or even James Bond.' The guide ranked UK mainland beaches based on an 11-point checklist which included water quality, cleanliness, accessibility, parking, lifeguard presence, restroom hygiene, and dog-friendliness. The overall UK winner was Portstewart Strand in County Derry, Northern Ireland. The Times and Sunday Times' Best Beaches in Scotland Seacliff, East Lothian Rhu Point, Highland Vesteys Beach, Highland Achininver, Highland Melvich, Highland Spey Bay, Moray Cullen Bay, Moray

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store