Forget about business like an aristocrat in the English countryside

If you get a few days off during your business trip, it will be the perfect opportunity to give your weary body a treat and your overworked brain some solace. Well, look no further, we have exactly what you need. How about roaming the English countryside to experience some well-deserved royal treatment in a spa, or rid your mind of stress in a stately manor? Check out our guide, get in your rental car and enjoy some well-deserved downtime.

Erase the painful memory of your exhausting 17-hour flight

Barnsley House, only a 30-minute drive from Swindon in Gloucestershire, is a dreamy countryside retreat in the gorgeous village of Barnsley. Your stiff neck will become a distant memory after receiving a massage at the secluded spa. Later, from the outdoor heated hydrotherapy pool, and wrapped up in a fluffy robe, you can quietly call your assistant about your travel arrangements. 

Barnsley House, Barnsley, Cirencester GL7 5EE

Forget about non-stop HR conferences with stressful scenarios

Why don’t you rent a car in Poole or Bournemouth and come back to the real world? Thanks to South Dorset’s stunning landscapes, your tired mind will welcome some vital fresh air along the Jurassic Coast. Your getaway can start down in East Devon and extend as far as the Old Harry Rocks. You can admire the 252-million-year-old cliffs, then take a break at Durdle Door, an imposing rock arch over the sea. Chilled out, you can then return to your car and tackle more meetings.

The Jurassic Coast, South Dorset 

Indulge in your passion for high-style English gardens

The RHS Garden Wisley, about 10 km from Guildford, is just what the doctor ordered. The 90 groundskeepers keep the lawns immaculate and the flowerbeds exquisite. You can also enjoy its dense wooded trails and marvel at its giant greenhouse, the size of ten tennis courts. Filled with new ideas for your own garden, we bet you will splurge on a new wheelbarrow.

The RHS Garden Wisley, Wisley Ln, Wisley, Woking GU23 6QB

Take comfort in a regal spot after you sang off-key all night at the karaoke work party

Some say Ullswater, about 50 km from Carlisle in Cumbria, is the most beautiful lake in England. Surrounded by mountains on one side and gentle hills on the other, it is the ideal location to sail, fish, stroll and brush off last evening’s cringe-making memories.

Lake District National Park Ullswater, Beckside Car Park, Glenridding CA11 0PD

Put your phone away and travel back in time

Bowood House in Wiltshire, around Bath, is the home of the Marquis and Marchioness of Lansdowne. With its 4,000-acre estate, family chapel, Sculpture Gallery and 300 artefacts from the dynasty’s history, their stately home is like a fairy tale come true. A gentle warning though, after that lovely escape, chances are you might not want to return to your desk. 

Bowed Hotel, Spa and Gold Resort, Old Rd, Derry Hill, Calne SN11 0LZ

Swap your working suit for a casual but preppy look

Picture a pretty fishing hamlet tucked along the North Yorkshire coastline, not far from Middlesbrough. Throw away the tie you wear 260 days a year, walk along Staithes sheltered harbour, explore the village winding streets and admire its charming cottages of all shapes and sizes. You won’t even care if your hair is messy and your boots are muddy.

Staithes, North Yorkshire