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Alastair Sawday’s best places for luxury camping

Alastair Sawday is the go-to guide for characterful places to stay and Canopy & Stars is his carefully chosen collection of luxury camping spaces. They’ve just launched The 2012 Great British Adventure competition, which will send two lucky winners on a 1,270 mile trip through three countries in 10 days this summer. Naturally, there'll be a fair few eclectic beds to sleep in along the way.

To celebrate, Sawday has compiled this list of unusual and imaginative places to stay, so we can all wave ta-ta to our desks and set off, Hunters in hand, to off-the-wall accommodations in England’s less-trumpeted corners. 

We love...Center Parcs' spa suites

As soon as I found out that Center Parcs had a range of spa suites, I was all over it like a rash. I took the boyfriend to indulge in some full-on R&R in the heart of Elveden Forest in Suffolk. I love the finer things in life, but don’t like to pay too much for them so at £159 each, this was right up my street.

We love...The Gallivant Hotel in Camber

Hidden away on the East Sussex coast in 1066 Country, The Gallivant Hotel is just the place for a chic weekend getaway. I felt a million miles away from the bustling streets of London, when in reality I’d just caught the train from Kings Cross and had arrived in Camber an hour and a bit later. 

Our stay at the new LEGOLAND Hotel

Over a thousand LEGO models, mini-figures, pirates, knights, Vikings, LEGO-shaped potatoes, a whoopie cushion carpet and of course, millions of pieces of LEGO. That’s LEGOLAND Windsor Resort, the most amazing place ever, according to my sister, brother, niece…and me! 

We love...The Lighthouse in Bishopstone, Kent

We’d love to be the lighthouse keeper at this adorable mint-green hideaway. Snoozing on the cliffs of the tranquil seaside town of Herne Bay, The Lighthouse has a balcony that stretches around the octagon tower so you can sit down to tea, coffee or whatever takes your fancy and gaze out to the glittering sea.

We love...Seaspray Hotel for Valentine's Day

Crashing into our room with armfuls of stuff freshly bought on a spree in Brighton’s shopping haven, North Laine, we came face-to-face with Elvis.

Five magical places to stay with cottages4you

1. South Lodge, East Yorkshire

Resting in the grounds of Kilham Hall and surrounded by pristine green lawns is the 19^th century South Lodge. Perfect for a country escape with the family, kids will love splashing about in pool or bumbling about on the tennis court while you’ll find it hard to leave the comfy four-poster bed or whirlpool bath.

We love...The Cary Arms

Torbay is known as the English Riviera and it is easy to see why; with the sun soaking the seashore, it could easily be mistaken for somewhere in the Mediterranean.

Nora Maki, our social media executive, spent a weekend there, basing herself in The Cary Arms, a luxury beachside hotel. Here’s her straight-to-the-point story.

England's B&B Triumph

 

It’s official - England is home to the best B&B’s in the world! Well, five of them at least, out of TripAdvisor’s Top Ten, as announced in their Travellers Choice Awards...