For those who’ve long hankered after a treetop hideaway, the Deer Park Country House Hotel’s thatched tree house offers a magical escape from the stresses and strains of every day life. Perched between two majestic trees within the grounds of this handsome Georgian mansion, near Honiton in Devon, this cosy eyrie—complete with an enormous bed, a log burning stove, a lavish teal-velvet upholstered sofa, a roll-top bath and a waterfall shower—is the perfect place to spend your wedding night or a special anniversary.
What’s more, as the tree house is just a short walk away from the hotel, guests can choose between fine dining in the Loxton’s dining room—we enjoyed a fantastic five-course meal featuring such delights as crab raviolo and succulent venison with salt baked beetroot and pickled blackberry jus, with wine flights to match each course—or ‘tree house room service’, which allows you to relax in your fluffy white bathrobe without stepping outside the sanctuary of this secluded haven. From £650 per night, including dinner, bed and breakfast (01404 41266; www.deerparkcountryhotel.co.uk).
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A well-connected rural playground with 23 acres on the edge of the South Downs National ParkOld House Farm is an impressive family home with a wealth of amenities that would inspire any rural passion.
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The UK gets its first ‘European stork village’ — and it's in West SussexAlthough the mortality rate among white storks can be up to 90%, the future looks rosy for breeding pairs in southern England.
