English Cottage Vacation—A Different Way to See England

Do you, like us, want to see more of England than just London? Are you, unlike us, a bit nervous about driving, navigating, and in general, living in more rural England? Are you uncertain about finding a clean, modern cottage to live in, and even if you do, a local grocer, or how to use European appliances? Do you need more information on places to go in the English countryside? Do you just want an English vacation where everything is taken care of for you?  If those questions got you nodding your head, we may have identified an option for you to consider.

Nathan and Laura, the proprietors of Well Cottage and English Cottage Vacation. Image copyright 2023, EnglandforAllReasons.com

A few weeks before our most recent visit to England we received an email from Nathan and Laura, the proprietors of English Cottage Vacation. Laura asked if we did any sponsored postings at all. I responded to her that we do not do that because this site is just for fun, and we don’t have any advertising of any kind. We only review places we have visited. Laura then made an invitation to visit their cottage for a few days. Our plans for our most recent visit were already set, so we did not take up that offer, but we did have a chance that we could visit with them in person at their cottage, so we set that for a Sunday afternoon.

Nathan and Laura are very friendly, very outgoing people. They worked as charter yacht crew for ten years before going into the holiday cottage business.  Laura is an experienced personal chef and Nathan does the excursion planning for you, as well as acting as the chauffeur for your visit.

The cottage, Well Cottage (pictured above), is in Dorset, a few miles south of Shaftesbury near the village of Bedchester. It sits in a very quiet location on a country lane that is quintessentially English!  The cottage is a typical thatched cottage but with all modern upgrades for the guests, including private bathrooms for all three of the bedrooms, a warm cozy snug with an open, inglenook fireplace and a lovely, bright lounge beside the dining room.

The snug at Well Cottage. Image copyright 2023, EnglandForAllReasons.com

What makes English Cottage Vacation unique is that it is all-inclusive, and by that, they mean that EVERYTHING is included. Nathan will pick you up at the airport when you arrive and return you to the airport when your visit is done. He is the chauffeur for your excursions and Laura is the personal chef for your meals. The food is locally sourced, including some coming from Laura’s own gardens.

From the cottage, day trips can be arranged to the Jurassic Coast on the south of England, Stonehenge, Bath, Highclere Castle (if open), Salisbury, Stourhead, Sherborne, Cheddar Gorge, Wells, Glastonbury, Castle Combe, the Cotswolds, Oxford, and even Portsmouth. Nathan may be able to arrange for you to be able to walk among the stones at Stonehenge, if timing works out. They can even arrange for a day sail on a yacht along the Jurassic Coast, if you want! Basically, the sky is the limit. It is YOUR vacation, after all.

Laura, in her modern kitchen. Image copyright 2023, EnglandForAllReasons.com

Do you want a quieter vacation? Nathan and Laura can organize guided or unguided countryside walks and cycle rides in the Blackmore Vale, climbing, hiking, golf, horse riding, and even arts and crafts, if you desire.

I have to say that the idea of what Nathan and Laura are offering is thought-provoking. When you consider that they offer all-inclusive pricing, personal attention and lovely accommodations in a beautiful English countryside location, an English Cottage Vacation may be just the right ticket for you.