'I Just Had A Baby And This Is My List Of The Best Babymoon Destinations In The UK'
I can be a bit of a boomer when it comes to the millennial titles we've come up for different types of annual leave. Be it 'going travelling' rather than just 'on holiday', a 'minimoon' instead of a standard honeymoon, and worst of all, a 'staycation' in reference to taking a trip in old Blighty, the fifty-something year-old man that clearly lives inside my head can't help but bristle with annoyance.
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However, somewhere between the lockdown-mandated UK-only travel of 2020 and 2021, my wedding and subsequent mini and honeymoon of 2023 and now, two full term pregnancies on, my boomer man brain has given in, I've embraced the cutesy names we've whipped up including the, gulp, 'babymoon'. Slightly grating title aside the premise (much like my favourite, the 'push present') is something I can very much get on board with - an excuse to spend time with your partner and co-parent away from the piles of babygrows begging to be washed, being fed, watered and generally doted upon by attentive staff. I'm in.
So, at the end of my pregnant, I did some rigorous testing, and these are the best babymoon destinations the UK has to offer...
The Lakes by Yoo, Cotswolds
If you’re on the search for a lakeside haven surrounded by wildflower meadows and woodlands, and want to wake to the sound of birds tweeting from outside your open balcony doors, then a visit to The Lakes by Yoo is a must. Located in the heart of the Cotswolds, and just a short drive away from the town of Lechlade, The Lakes by Yoo is a cluster of waterside cabins and apartments that are ideal for parents-to-be wanting to escape the hustle of the city and indulge in some alone time before their little one arrives. With a woodburner fireplace in each accommodation, four-poster beds, a restaurant on-site, and lakeview accommodation, the estate also boasts the luxurious The Space by Yoo, which now includes a dedicated ‘Mum-To-Be Retreat’, which includes a Wildsmith Skin New Life Pregnancy Massage – a treatment for those in their second and third trimester – brunch in The Lakes Bar & Kitchen, and access to the spa’s range of zen facilities.
Cowley Manor Experimental, Cotswolds
Few things can prepare you for the beauty of Cowley Manor Experimental's grounds. The Grade-II-listed gardens, set in the rolling Gloucester countryside, were inspiration for Lewis Carroll's Alice and Wonderland and a wonderland it is. Including a lake, folly, chapel and water feature (where we spotted swans), you needn't leave the gardens during your stay.
Inside the Italianate stone house you'll find Alice-inspired interiors with a modern feel - checkerboards, hearts and clubs adorn the furniture, but it's far from gimmicky, in fact, it's incredibly sleek. We stayed in the Cowley Manor Suite, which came complete with a free standing bath, a wrap-around terrace and views of the lake.
Eating was, of course, a highlight, thanks to Jackson Boxer's exciting but classic menu, mounds of croissants were consumed at breakfast, fresh crudités at lunch and a perfectly roasted chicken for dinner.
If you're somehow still stressed out after resting on the four poster bed and hanging out in the moody bar, then try a dip in one of the two pools (inside and outside) or, of course, the spa.
Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, Oxfordshire
Far from being a hotel, Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons is another world entirely. With two Michelin stars to its name and a garden to table ethos that is evident from the moment you enter the grounds, staff joked to us that they made it their mission to overfeed their guests and let's just say they were succesful. From the welcome lemon drizzle cake in our suite through to the biscuits packed with our bags for our drive home, I have rarely been so full in all of my life.
Of course, the obvious stars of Le Manoir's show are both the seven course tasting menu that took us three hours to get through (the confit salmon with garden sorrel was mind blowing) and the charming gardens. However, the unsung heroes of the hotel are the attentive and friendly staff, who, despite the grand surroundings, offer a homely touch.
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