The Best Holiday Retreats for Summer 2021

The Best Holiday Retreats for Summer 2021

With 2020 being spent chiefly indoors, weathering the storm of the covid-19 pandemic, many of us are looking forward to a summer where we can get out, see a bit of the world, and wake up somewhere new. Staying in a holiday lodge is one of the best ways to reinvigorate this sense of adventure that may need a bit of a jump start after more than 12 months of staycations.

 

A holiday lodge offers the perfect way to explore areas of natural beauty as they tend to be located in secluded bays, rugged coastlines, or nestled amongst rolling hills. Or perhaps you’re after a cozy place to spend a week reading a few novels while enjoying the view with the freedom and privacy to come and go as you please. With the pandemic not quite over, a quiet holiday lodge is perhaps the perfect retreat for a summer holiday in 2021.

 

And the good news is anyone looking for a summer retreat in 2021 is spoilt for choice. To help narrow down the shortlist, we’ve come up with three perfect retreats in the USA, the UK, Australia.

 

USA: Cougar Ridge Lodge, Utah

If the sound of wood beams, open stone fireplaces, and treks through rocky canyons sounds like the perfect retreat, then you’ll want to take a look at Cougar Ridge Lodge. Located at the mouth of the stunning Capital Reef National Park, Cougar Ridge offers self-contained accommodation for couples, families, and groups with a range of different structures.

The most iconic being The Lodge, described as a “sandstone masterpiece.” Capable of sleeping up to 13 guests, The Lodge offers a classic experience with the luxury of a 5-star hotel. After a day trekking the mountain paths, you can take a dip in the hot tub on offer, cook yourself a meal in the full-service kitchen, and then nip downstairs to go bowling or play some golf in the VR and private theater room. And before you retreat to one of the luxurious bedrooms, take a drink up to the Coupala, where you can enjoy 360-degree views of the beautiful mountains with a firepit to keep you warm.

The Lodge offers the ultimate base for adventure, Cougar Ridge offers a host of different accommodations depending on your group size and your budget. The location, the atmosphere, and the luxury make this an amazing place to visit.

UK: Gwel an Mor, Cornwall

Situated in the Cornish coastline that begets the tales of King Arthur, Merlin, and the round-table, Gwel an Mor is a fantastic choice for holiday lodges in the UK. The lodges overlook the picture-perfect fishing village of Portreath, with the sandy beach home to kayaking, windsurfing, and sailing year-round.

Gwel an Mor has a host of different lodges available, catering for everyone. There are eco-lodges that make use of renewable energy, sustainable materials, and clever construction to allow people to enjoy a retreat that doesn’t necessarily induce a high carbon footprint. There are also the more luxurious Scandinavian lodges available, with the lounge area upstairs affording stunning views, or the Lakeside lodges for those who want to wake up and observe still waters with their morning tea. All of the lodges feature hot tubs and a decking area for afternoons in the sun and evenings under the stars.

The name Gwel an Mor is traditional Cornish for “view of the sea,” and the appreciation-of-nature theme echoes throughout, with the resort winning multiple awards for its conservation work. While the surrounding countryside is a treasure in itself, for those times you want to unwind, the onsite spa, steam room, and sauna mean you’re guaranteed to return more relaxed than when you arrived.

Australia: Capella Lodge, Lord Howe Island

For those who really like to get away from it all, the Capella Lodge on Lord Howe Island offers the perfect holiday retreat for Summer 2021. With the island just a short easterly flight from the mainland, the Capella Lodge sits at the feet of the Gower and Lidgbird mountains, accompanied by expansive views of the beach and ocean.

With the island only allowing 400 guests at a time and the Capella Lodge only accommodating 20,  this is perhaps the ultimate way to fall off the radar for a while. Turn off your phone, forget about the Wi-Fi, kick off your shoes, and simply immerse yourself in the island’s relaxed atmosphere. Described as “barefoot luxury,” when staying in one of the nine lodges, you can expect to find spacious, bright interiors with natural materials used throughout, keeping the inside in touch with the outside.

Outside, you will find yourself greeted with sandy, white beaches, lush vegetation hugging rocky hills, and further inland rolling green grassland. This is quite literally paradise. And, keeping the luxury feeling going, you can expect only the finest cuisine when staying at the Capella Lodge resort with breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus all carefully crafted by head chef Cooper Dickson.

USA: Tenaya Lodge, California

With an extensive range of facilities and activities, Tenaya Lodge is a highly recommended retreat that serves as a brilliant base for exploring the Yellowstone National Park. The lodge is set amongst thick forests and blends seamlessly into the landscape, thanks to clever material use. Inside you’ll find timber-lined walls and ceilings, mahogany sofas, native American influences, rustic touches, and a tangible sense of quality throughout. Tenaya captures the character of a lodge retreat.

While the expansive views of hills give you the sense you’re out amongst nature, you’re certainly not roughing it when staying at the Tenaya Lodge. In fact, the room service, sporting activities, steam room, pool, and spa might make it a little difficult to drag yourself away to explore the National Park. The rooms in the lodge are private, comfortable,ble and offer various views, making each unique. Perfect for a retreat holiday.

Located just a couple of miles south of Yellowstone’s entrance, the lodge is also well within walking distance of the national park or a short car ride away for those who want to travel further afield.