PoB Hotels has launched “PoB Breaks” in partnership with Porsche. A celebration of slow travel, these immersive breaks highlight the best of Britain, covering everywhere from the Scottish Highlands to the Channel Island of Jersey. The breaks are designed for those wishing to travel beyond the well-trodden tourist trail.
Those wishing to create their own bespoke break can use the interactive map on PoB Hotels’ website. Besides showcasing hotels, it details local activities and experiences, from coasteering in Wales to a sunset river cruise in Dedham Vale, on the Essex/Suffolk border. Guests simply need to decide where to travel, then plan their route depending on how long they want to spend in each place. For an even easier experience, guests can take a look at the dozen curated breaks.
There’s something for everyone: Foodies, spa-lovers, "culture vultures" or those who want to get active in the big outdoors. Inspiration includes information on who the break is suitable for, what they must pack, and the ideal time to travel. The suggested itineraries can be followed in full or in segments most appealing, adding individual ideas to make it the perfect road trip.
Guests can explore the South East, taking in castles through the ages—Anne Boleyn’s former home of Hever and the romantic Leeds Castle in Kent, before moving on to see Arundel’s medieval pile near the South Downs and the Highclere Castle, aka “Downton Abbey” in Hampshire. Or they can explore Wales on a three-week odyssey, going stargazing in the Brecon Beacons, spotting puffins on Skomer Island and bottlenose dolphins in Cardigan Bay. In between summiting Snowdon on foot or by rail and zip-wiring underground through an old slate mine, they can visit the Italianate village of Portmeirion and the medieval town of Conwy.
The PoB Hotels along the way are a key part of the experience. A journey through part of Scotland will allow travelers to take in a variety of properties. They can stay onboard the superyacht Fingal and explore Edinburgh, play a game of tennis at Cromlix, Andy Murray’s property in the Scottish countryside near Dunblane, and admire artwork by the likes of Picasso and Lucian Freud in Braemar’s The Fife Arms. Next, they can visit the lochside setting at The Torridon on the North Coast 500 scenic route.
Wine lovers can take a look at Berkshire’s Vineyard Hotel, with its floor-to-ceiling glass vault and 30,000 bottles of wine, pairing it with Michelin-starred Gravetye Manor less than two hours away in Sussex for the perfect epicurean treat.
For foodies, breaks can be arranged through a series of gourmet extravaganzas and Michelin-starred dining, including Hambleton Hall in Rutland, Northcote on the edge of the foodie paradise that is the Ribble Valley and Gilpin in Cumbria. For a spa break with a difference, travelers can choose from a range of northern hotels specializing in wellness, such as County Durham’s Seaham Hall or Suffolk’s Swan at Lavenham.
Connecting with the locals is always part of a slow travel adventure, and there will be plenty of opportunity for guests to do this, whether it’s meeting the fisherman that sell their catch at the quay in the Cornish village of St. Mawes or joining a forager on the hunt for food growing in the wild in Perthshire.
For more information, visit pobhotels.com/breaks.
Related Stories
Amsterdam’s Dance of Crass and Class
Eurobound Launches Ireland Self-Drive Package