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Gidleigh Park, England
Hidden in a peaceful valley
on the edge of Dartmoor
National Park in Devon, this
postcard-perfect country
house hotel features Tudor-
style architecture and classic
English interiors (antique
furniture, wood panelling,
stone fireplaces). The 24
individually-decorated
rooms come with giant
marshmallow beds and
roll-top baths, while a
two-bedroom thatched-
roof cottage overlooks
the croquet lawn. There’s
a tennis court, bowling
green and 18-hole putting
course, but most guests
come here for the Michelin-
starred restaurant. The menu
features traditional, pared-
down British dishes, such
as salt-aged beef with
potato terrine and
cauliflower purée, with
seasonal ingredients often
sourced from the hotel’s
own vegetable garden.
Montali Country
House, Italy
High on a hilltop in
Umbria with views of
Lake Trasimeno, Montali
is a rustic country house
hotel with a difference:
Brazilian-born chef Malu
Musacchio serves purely
vegetarian cuisine. Sublime
dishes such as ravioli with
truffle and saffron risotto
will convert even the most
devout meat-eater, while soft
balls of mozzarella drizzled
with olive oil equals Italian
simplicity at its best. Nestled
among an olive grove, the
converted farmhouse has
nine comfortable rooms
with traditional stone walls
and tiled floors. Days are
best spent lazing by the
sun-dappled pool, with
occasional sorties to nearby
Perugia, Assisi and Siena.
Villa La Coste, France
Surrounded by 600 acres
of rolling vineyards, pine
forests and lavender fields in
Provence, this contemporary
hotel features artworks by
the likes of Damien Hirst
and Ai Weiwei. There are
28 villa-style suites with
all-white interiors, clean-
lined furniture and marble
bathrooms; 10 come with
private pools, while all have
muslin-draped four-poster
beds and private terraces
offering bucolic valley views.
Once you’ve settled in, head
to the sleek spa for salt scrub
exfoliations, mud massages
and frankincense facials.
All three restaurants serve
organic produce from the
in the country
