I have such fond memories of my holidays as a child. We never went abroad – rather hunkered down in the car underneath a sea of duvets and wetsuits and embarked on a six hour drive down to Cornwall. Or Wales, if we weren’t feeling quite so adventurous. We’d stay in holiday cottages or static caravans, go rock pooling and dangle our legs over the harbour-side while eating ice cream after ice cream. I vividly remember feeling as though I was in another country – without ever stepping foot on a plane.
I think that’s why I’m quietly pleased about not being able to go abroad this year. For the entirety of my adulthood, I’ve felt as though I should make the most of my annual leave by flying as far across the globe as possible within my allocated period away. Now? I’m being forced to enjoy the holiday destinations that little bit closer to home – and it’s making me feel nostalgic.
It would seem I’m not alone, because new data from Airbnb shows the ten holiday rentals that their users are lusting over the most – including an oak cabin in Hemel Hempstead and a windmill in Kent. The study reveals which ten properties which have been “wish listed” most frequently since the day lockdown began (that was March 23rd, FYI) – and there are some *seriously* dreamy entries. 70% of the list is made up of lodges, glamping options and cabins – and most of the properties have hot tubs.
The results compare to last year’s massively, when the most wish-listed homes for Brits were in far-flung destinations across the globe like Brazil and Greece. 2020 is seeing everyone look a little closer to home, for the childhood-like holidays they’ve been missing. We might not be able to stay in the Balinese treehouse we had originally dreamed of, but our wanderlust has been far from dampened.
Superhost Lilli who hosts the oak cabin that ranks at #2 said: “We are looking forward to welcoming guests wanting to relax in a cosy environment. Our cabin offers a perfect location for a staycation, allowing our guests to explore the beautiful British countryside.”
If you’re on the lookout for somewhere to stay with a large group of friends later in the year, you should make a beeline for Cleverley’s Beachfront House in Blackpool. It sleeps 14 guests but only costs £242 per night (read: roughly £17 each per kip) and has a cinema room, hot tub and rooftop terrace. We’re not kidding. It’s a five minute walk from Blackpool town centre – which might not be the quietest of places… but why would you ever need to leave your holiday house anyway?
If it’s a couples retreat you’re after, we’re obsessed with this romantic oak cabin in Hemel Hempstead. It’s super close to London, backs onto the National Trust Ashridge Forest and has a handful of cosy pubs just down the road. In fact, the back gate allows you to walk straight out into the woods to explore the 5,000 acres of deer-filled forest behind it. There’s also a king sized bed and a sofa each. Goodbye lockdown claustrophobia.