Best U.K. holiday?

[FizzyPink]

Just DP and I, middle of August. Never done a U.K. holiday before and would never normally consider it but if I don’t book something DP will still try to work even when technically on holiday

Main criteria are -
Luxurious hotel/B&B/cottage (Not keen on staying anywhere not as nice as our home)
Within a 4-5 hour drive of South East London
Lots to do if the weather is rubbish
Nice pubs/restaurants (not middle of nowhere)
Happy to stay at a couple of different places maybe for 2 nights each but overall trip will be 6 nights
Keen to go on a walk or two but don’t want that to be the main part of the holiday
Maybe a beach nearby?

It’s actually shocking how little of the U.K. we’ve seen due to always holidaying abroad so keen to get ideas of where we should go

I also have not seen much of the UK. Deliberately so. I wanted to travel the world and then when older do the rug on my knees coach trips around the UK!

Not what you are interested in but I am doing a one day trip to Bath next week and later on would like to go around the Cotswolds.

I am not much help as without a big lotto win I would not be doing a luxury holiday anywhere!

I do have fond memories of a weekend stay with a colleague in Norfolk and family holidays in the Isle of Wight - though the place I was at, run by Portuguese as a lot of hotels there are, they had no notion of what vegetarian food was. I suggested some meals but they got in a load of packet stuff! All a bit strange when I managed to eat veggie in Russia, Poland and Albania!!! Ok, they thought it was weird, but they managed!

Plenty to see and do in Oxford itself (id look on tripadvisor) but definitely the colleges, castle, river (punting or a boat), covered market, botanic gardens....and so much more!
If you fancy cocktails try to roof bar at the varsity club, it’s actually a much better view than the better know rooftop bars and restaurants at the new Westgate.
As pp, Blenheim Palace and Woodstock are lovely for a wander around (there’s a free gate into BP if you just want to walk the grounds).
If you fancy shopping Bicester Village is quiet at the moment.

Check out Harbour Hotels, I've stayed in a few of them and I think I be would be perfect for you. Last week I stayed at the one in Sidmouth and it was fab. We had a sea view room with a massive balcony, breakfast was on the terrace, order whatever you want. I recommend the eggs royale, we had our dinner in the hotel too and lunch in pubs and cafes on our days out. The hotel was right near a cab beach, we went paddle biarding, on a boat trip, a tour of Beer Caves, two massive hikes, some smaller walks, explored Exmouth (fab).
Last year we visited the Harbour hotel in Christchurch and that was also a great few days.

That is so bizarre you mention that @Nosuchluck After looking at the 14 day forecast this morning DP decided he’d much rather be near the beach so we settled on Brighton and have just booked into the Harbour hotel in Brighton for 4 nights!
I had loads of Expedia points saved so it was very reasonable and we’ll mainly use it as a base to do day trips to other places. I’ve also started booking restaurants as there’s loads that are signed up to eat out to help out in the area and we’re going Monday to Friday so lots of savings to be had!

Thanks for all the ideas everyone!

That's spooky!
That one is in a great location, I was just opposite it on Sunday on a day out. Perfect timing with eat out to help out.

Secret escapes has got some good staycation deals in quite luxurious hotels

My friends live in the Cotswolds,it's a lovely area;there's lots of lovely places to stay via canopy and stars and also air bnb.

Try a visit to Bicester village and dinner at the Akeman inn up the road.

If you want something different in Oxford there's the malmaison hotel which is a former prison and has rooms that were former cells.