Our trips to England almost always begin or end in London, where we typically spend several days staying near St James’s or Westminster, and occasionally farther north into Mayfair. In years past, we greatly enjoyed The Stafford London and the St James’s Club Hotel, both just off St James’s Street. Sadly, Covid was not kind to the latter, and neither property would have been well suited to a recent family trip, so we began looking farther afield.

We were delighted to discover both The Goring Hotel and the Mayfair Townhouses.

The Goring, tucked just behind Buckingham Palace in Belgravia, stands out for its exceptionally attentive and friendly staff and for its wonderful bar — a place where one can always find tea sandwiches, even after proper tea time has passed.

If you do get yourself organized for proper tea time, it’s served in the adjacent conservatory that overlooks the back garden.

The Mayfair Townhouses better suit an adult adventure. Located on Half Moon Street, running directly north from Piccadilly, the rooms are bang up to modern standards with state-of-the-art lighting and in-room fridge drawers stuffed with bottled drinks and delicious snacks. It’s a bit edgy and supremely comfortable. Lauren really enjoyed it when we stayed there a couple of years ago in the autumn.

It also has a great bar (what, you think we don’t do anything but drink? We eat, too.)

After London, we generally turn to self-catering accommodation, which I source through several trusted purveyors. These include  Unique Homestays and Boutique Retreats, both largely focused on southern England, and Crabtree & Crabtree, whose portfolio leans toward northern England and Scotland..

I also spend time exploring the holiday rentals offered by organizations such as the National Trust, English Heritage, along with select country estates themselves — including Chatsworth Boltholes and Holkham Hall,  Most recently, I discovered that Chichester Cathedral offers a couple of apartments within their Cathedral Close. Who knew?

Many self-catering properties allow short stays of a night or two, though some require week-long bookings, so we plan carefully depending on what we hope to see and do. With The Cathedral Project now complete, I’ve been finishing my tour of Simon Jenkins’ one hundred five- and four-star houses (culled from his original thousand) and visiting a number of monasteries — some now ruins, others, more rarely, repurposed and still largely intact.

On a recent trip, we were travelling with another couple for part of it and needed accommodation for four. Broadway in the Cotswolds proved Ideal  Number 36 Broadway was within walking distance of the High Street  and beautifully appointed — comfortable, elegant, and perfectly placed for exploring the village.

Broadway is a lovely Cotswold town with lots of great places to eat within the town itself and within 20 minutes by car.

We enjoyed a drive to Chipping Campden one evening and dined at The Fig at the Cotswold House Hotel, which was very good. It was bucketing rain, so we were not inclined to wander around the town, but it’s well worth another visit.

The house was compact and thoroughly up-to-date. It had only one washroom, so suitable for a couple of days, but the four of us might have found it cramped if the shared visit was much longer.

We had a delicious meal at The Swan in Broadway, and the best part was the three Golden Retrievers sitting with their owners at the bar. I always miss our guys terribly whilst on holiday, so it was lovely to get a doggy top-up. England is so civilized—dogs go everywhere and are accustomed to people and know what’s expected of them—hence they’re very well-behaved.

From there, Glenn and I headed down to the Isle of Wight, which we had never visited. We only had two nights, so we elected to stay at a hotel rather than set up housekeeping again. The George Hotel is very near the Ferry terminal, and our room had a beautiful view over the Solent.

First thing in the morning, the lights on the pier were still on.

The hotel is old and quirky. Yes that staircase really is that slanted. You are not losing it.

It would have been helpful if the reception staff had deigned to assist with our baggage, but we got the carefully averted gaze as we lugged our suitcases “just up the stairs and to the left”.

I had a quiet word with the restaurant manager (there is no front desk manager) and suspect that the assiduously avoidant non-help will be dealt with for future guests.

Teddy, Gustus and Daisy, our sheep from the Goring, loved the window seat in our room.

The food was superb, and the restaurant staff could not have been more charming. It’s a family-friendly hotel, and I bet it’s just hopping in the summer.

While on the Isle of Wight, we visited Osborne House, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s summer house and a fabulous semi-ruin, Appuldurcombe House.

Our final accommodation was near Arundel, chosen for its proximity to the Goodwood Members’ Meeting.

Set in the exquisite village of Amberley, Olea, — the Boutique Retreats cottage — is something of a hobbit’s den.

Delightfully quirky and unapologetically eccentric, every inch is filled with kitsch, and the photographs truly do it justice.

There is, however, only one bathroom, and the second bedroom is a loft arrangement reached by a staircase, with privacy provided by a curtain drawn across the balcony. It worked for our short stay, but Olea is far better suited to two guests than four.

What it lacks in practicality, it makes up for in atmosphere. And the village itself is a joy. The local pub, The Black Horse, is excellent — warm, welcoming, and entirely without complaint.

As with many of our stays in England, Olea reminded us that the best places are not always the most perfect, but the ones that suit a moment: close to where you want to be, full of character, and memorable long after you’ve moved on.