What To Book Around The UK This Season
THE RESTAURANT:
Lyla, Edinburgh
Stuart Ralston’s Edinburgh restaurant Noto is one of our favourites in the country, so we were excited to hear news of his fourth spot, Lyla. Set in a grand Georgian building on the Royal Terrace, Lyla is a 28-cover restaurant offering a 10-course tasting menu, celebrating the best of line-caught seafood and produce from across Scotland. The menu draws on Stuart’s international experience, blending Asian touches with the finest seasonal ingredients, while the accompanying wine list developed by award-winning sommelier Stuart Skea revolves around small-domain wines from both the old and the new world. Lyla is Stuart’s most personal project yet, culminating an exciting year which also saw him release his debut cookbook – Catalogued Ideas and Random Thoughts. New for the group, which also includes Tipo and Aizle, there are bedrooms above the restaurant, courtesy of 21212.
Visit LylaEdinburgh.co.uk
THE EVENT:
Yoxman, Suffolk
Following sell-out events over the past two years, Yoxman, the one-of-a-kind Michelin-starred dining experience at Wilderness Reserve in Suffolk, is back with two weekends announced for 2024. Against the backdrop of the 8,000-acre estate of Wilderness Reserve, the culinary event will showcase food, drinks and entertainment hosted by six of the UK’s most acclaimed chefs – who have an impressive 10 Michelin stars between them. For the event’s inaugural winter edition (26th-29th January) chefs on board include Alex Dilling, Raymond Blanc and Tom Aikens; for the spring version (17th-20th May), James Knappet, Nieves Mohacho and Claude Bosi will take charge of the kitchens. Tickets include everything from breakfast and Bloody Marys to fire feasts and seasonal grazing lunches, live music and entertainment, lakeside dining, nature walks and wild swimming in the lakes. To attend Yoxman, guests must book accommodation at Wilderness Reserve. There are a variety of house sizes available for exclusive use including one to eight-bedroom options.
Visit Yoxman.com
THE ART SHOW:
Manchester Art Fair, Manchester
If you’re looking to add some character to your home, Manchester Art Fair – one of the UK’s largest and most significant art events – is set to return to Manchester on 17th-19th November. Selling modern and contemporary paintings, sculpture, photography and editioned prints from a diverse mix of galleries and independent artists, the event is a key date in the cultural calendar, attracting visitors from across the country and beyond. Sitting alongside Manchester Art Fair is The Manchester Contemporary, a collegiate platform for young galleries, artist-led spaces, charitable organisations and partner institutions providing a critically engaged environment for artistic exploration and development.
Visit ManchesterArtFair.co.uk
THE ESCAPE:
Outbuildings, Dorset
There are some new arrivals at luxurious adult-only farm-hotel Outbuildings Dorset. The family-owned escape is designed for couples, groups of friends and family (including the dog) after a countryside staycation. Accommodation can be found in seven (soon to be nine) beautifully designed ‘outbuildings’ (think converted chicken coops, pig styes, cider presses and granary stores), sleeping between two and six people, each with their own rustic look and feel, with contemporary kitchenettes, elegant bathrooms and plush furnishings. For on-site entertainment, there’s the Hay Barn Cinema and 'Bubbles in the Woods' wood-fired hot tub and champagne bar, which means you won't have to leave the farm. A relaxed check-in service and a brief tour of the grounds eases you into ‘farm’ life and encourages a relaxed state of mind. For food, guests can head to The Cart Shed supper club, set in an intimate barn with farm tables, or The Baaaa for drinks. Alternatively, guests can ‘Text for a Tipple’ and a drink of their choice, made from locally sourced ingredients, will be delivered anywhere on the farm.
Visit HolidayOutbuildings.com
THE EXHIBITION:
Fair Ground 2023 at Glyndebourne, Sussex
Glyndebourne has announced the return of its annual autumn exhibition of Sussex-based artists, Fair Ground. The exhibition opens on 11th November to coincide with the start of six weeks of opera, concerts, recitals and masterclasses taking place as part of the opera house’s autumn season. Featuring a diverse array of artworks by 22 contemporary artists from across Sussex, Fair Ground will be available to view to ticket holders for autumn events at Glyndebourne, by appointment and online. Among the artworks on display will be bold and vibrant paintings, expressive drawings and sculpture. The artists featured include Faye Bridgwater, whose 2021 solo Glyndebourne exhibition, Ritual and Repetitions, sold out within 24 hours, and Janie Longmore – whose work was selected for the RA’s Summer Exhibition this year – which explores the humble and domestic in her still-life book stacks inspired by writers and poets from Sussex.
Visit Glyndebourne.com
THE FASHION WEEKEND:
The Fife Arms, Scotland
The glorious Fife Arms in the Highlands will launch its inaugural Festival of Fashion, taking place at the hotel from 17th-19th November. The weekend will offer a full fashion immersion against the backdrop of the mountains of The Cairngorms National Park. Festival of Fashion has been curated by Anna Garner who is familiar with the worlds of both fashion and design having started her career as assistant to André Leon Talley at the Paris offices of Vanity Fair and Vogue USA, and most recently founder of fine craft website The Garnered. From exploring the world of couture with eminent fashion journalist Tim Blanks and acclaimed international designer Simone Rocha, to a fashion illustration class with celebrated designer Giles Deacon, guests will be transported to the centre of the global fashion community. The line-up will also feature a panel discussion exploring the role of craft in design sustainability, with Glasgow based April Crichton of La Fetiche and Scottish craft champion and founder of Bard Scotland Hugo Macdonald. Fashion News and Features Director for The Telegraph, Bethan Holt and Kirsty Hassard and Co-Curator of V&A Dundee’s current exhibition Tartan will be discussing Identity Through Fashion.
Visit TheFifeArms.com
THE NEW ROOMS:
Updown Farm, Deal
This autumn, Updown Farmhouse, one of our favourite restaurants with rooms, launches The Gate House, a self-contained two-bedroom cottage on the farmhouse’s sprawling grounds for families or couples to enjoy a secluded getaway. Over the last few years, founders Ruth Leigh and Oliver Brown have been carefully restoring the farmhouse and grounds to house four rooms and two cottages, the most recent of which is The Gate House. Tucked away on the grounds, The Gate House is the most luxurious of Updown’s suites, consisting of two bedrooms, a master with a king-sized bed, and an additional room with bunk beds, perfect for those with small children. The interiors have been thoughtfully designed by the pair, with several natural and pastel shades complemented by a selection of brighter, bolder colours via paintings from Jose Campos of Studio Lenca in Margate.
Visit UpdownFarmhouse.com
THE SEASIDE STAY:
The Seaside Boarding House, Dorset
The Seaside Boarding House is a celebrated and distinct hotel, restaurant and bar overlooking the sweep of Lyme Bay in Dorset. Less than three hours from London or the Midlands, it’s a place to relax and recharge by the sea – just the thing to book before the madness of Christmas. The Seaside Boarding House is looked after by Mary-Lou Sturridge, formerly MD of the renowned Groucho Club, where she spent 20 years – so safe to say, she knows better than most what constitutes a good drink and great service. Head chef Seldon Curry (who previously worked with Mark Hix and at his own Wallfish Bistro) leads the restaurant kitchen, serving a menu of fresh seafood and local produced. There are nine bedrooms, each within sight and sound of the sea and looking out either straight across the water or along the cliff tops to Golden Cap or the isle of Portland. Bathrooms are bright and luxurious, with either a large claw footed bath or shower. If food is your thing, browse the team’s calendar of guest chef suppers, which has included evenings with the likes of Quo Vadis’s Jeremy Lee and Jikoni’s Ravinder Bhogal.
ED SHOFIELD
THE UK OFF-SHOOT:
Permit Room, Brighton
This month, Permit Room by Dishoom will open its doors in Brighton, drawing inspiration from the permit rooms of 1960s and 1970s Bombay. The Permit Room will feature an entirely new food menu (the first for the brand), offering bar snacks including crunchy chakli with fried spiced flours of rice and gram and makli fry (marinated mini squid), plus a selection of irresistible curries such as Aunty’s Anda (egg) curry and cauliflower moilee, a South Indian curry of coconut milk, turmeric, curry leaves and spices. More than half of the dishes on the Permit Room’s all-day menu are vegetarian or vegan across bar snacks, chaats, patties, salads and ruby murrays, and no red meat will feature. The bar-café will also be open for those in need of breakfast, serving naan rolls, great coffee, piping hot chai, fresh juices, Bloody Marys, martinis and mimosas.
Visit PermitRoom.co.uk
THE WINTER WEEKENDER:
The Treehouses at Elmore Court, Gloucestershire
Elmore Court has launched six chic treehouses, overlooking the 1,000-acre estate’s newly formed wetland area with views out to the River Severn – and this time of year offers a special time to be high up in the canopy. Each treehouse has a deck with a brazier/firepit as well as snooze chairs and blankets to keep guests warm, plus there are stylish Röshults outdoor kitchens with combi-oven, fridge and dinner set sits under shelter and William & Holland tin and copper baths – extras aimed at maximising time spent outdoors. Sleeping two, three and four people, each has a super king-size beds, organic mattress and soft linen and there are thoughtful details such as homemade dandelion cordials, Commune bath products, a clothes steamer, Bluetooth speaker with DAB radio and super-fast fibre wi-fi. Each is well-equipped for self-catering, or guests can order local food and drink from the Rewild Things kitchen, including breakfast hampers, gourmet ready meals, wine, beers and soft drinks. Guests can also book private swimming and sauna experiences in Madam’s Pond, foraging excursions, mindful photography and nature walks with local experts.
Visit RewildThings.com
THE RETREAT:
Farncombe Zen, Cotswolds
The 500-acre Farncombe estate has launched a new wellness hub that elevates the existing offering, with a weekly schedule of activities, talks and workshops, hosted by local experts and practitioners across nutrition, sound therapy, life coaching, breathwork and more. The programming runs alongside the popular Farncombe Adventures and mostly takes place in The Zen Den, an earthy, comfortable space utilising sage greens, natural brick, whites, hessian and natural fabrics, surrounded by plenty of hanging plants, foliage and branches. Guests will be able to socialise in the Zen Den, with a range of coffees, juices, energy balls and other healthy snacks. Guests can book reflexology, reiki and physiotherapy sessions throughout the various venues. The Zen experiences are bookable per class for hotel guests, while local residents are able to purchase monthly bundles.
Visit FarncombeEstate.co.uk
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