The Perfect Not-Far-From-London Getaway for a Sneaky End-of-Season Stint
If you’re in the UK, you’ll be aware that this summer ended exactly last Tuesday. The temperature dropped 10 degrees overnight, the sun called it quits, and it became instantly clear that the bright days and balmly evenings – such as we had very, very briefly known them – were done. With heads hanging low, we dug out the bed socks and cranked up the central heating. But then, this weekend just gone… a surprise reprise! It got nice again! An extra chance to stick on a T-shirt and get a slug of vitamin D.
So how to capitalise on summer’s last-chance saloon? How about an extra holiday? Go on, you've had crazier thoughts. You'll want somewhere easy to get to, with access to gently undulating countryside, outdoor swimming, terraces, wildlife, perhaps a sunset or two. But, just in case the weather doesn't hold, it would be great if it also had luxurious, capacious accommodation, indoor swimming, sofas, room service, perhaps a TV or two. Let me tell you, fellow lazy Londoners, I have found just such a place.
Having opened at the start of the summer, The Reeds – a group of luxury lakeside cabins on the grounds of South Lodge, a five-star hotel in Sussex – have the delightful feeling of being both thoughtfully designed and box-fresh. Each of the curve-backed, wooden-clad lodges, which sleep either two or four people, is sited on the edge of a wild swimming lake, with terraces (and an outdoor jacuzzi bath!) overlooking the glossy water. A couple of minutes’ walk away is South Lodge itself, part of the Exclusive Collection, which is set over 92 acres of fields and woodland overlooking the South Downs.
South Lodge – which is conveniently close to Goodwood, if that’s your bag, and certainly is a few people’s judging by the procession of helicopters heading that way on the weekend we visited – has several restaurants, each with its own vibe and selling point. There’s a trad one (Camelia), a flashy one (Ben Wilkinson at The Pass), an eco one (Botanica), and a casual one (The Billiard Bar). It also has outdoor tennis courts and an attractive spa and gym complex in a separate building, that has sauna and steam rooms, a hydrotherapy pool, an infinity pool, and offers a wide range of classes and treatments.
The lodges themselves are outrageously comfortable – kingsized beds, marble bathrooms, fully equipped kitchenettes, double-height living space with bifold doors to the terrace and a surprisingly un-naff fake-flamed electric fire. You can of course patronise any of the restaurants – I can vouch for the breakfast French toast at Camellia, and the plant-forward Mediterranean dinner at Botanica (I confess I didn’t even realise until afterwards that the restaurant is entirely dairy-free). But then we discovered…. The hatch.
Each lodge at The Reeds has a little hatch into which housekeeping can convey goodies (an awful word I know, but really the only one that suits). A hamper full of breakfast items – yoghurt, granola, fresh fruit, bread, charcuterie? How about a lunch, with sausage rolls, Caesar salads, more fresh bread, a selection of cheeses? It was a thrill every time we opened the little door, like getting a gift from Santa if he delivered by golf buggy instead of by sleigh.
All of which made for a surprisingly escapist treat, and a yah-boo-sucks to the encroaching autumn. As the weather turned at the end of a weekend, and the thunderclouds lurked beyond the tree line, The Reeds became even more of a safe haven from the real world, and all those boring things like work and school and other people. As the rain threatened, we put on our dressing gowns and went down to the lake for a swim. Maybe, if you just find the right digs, the summer isn’t over until you say.
Prices at The Reeds start at £1,400 a night, South Lodge, Lower Beeding, Crabtree, Horsham, exclusive.co.uk/south-lodge
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