England

In past lives, this limestone-clad, neo-Jacobean mansion served as a police academy and maternity ward. English-country-house obsessives, rejoice: In 2021, after a total reimagining by Ennismore, the brand collective responsible for Hoxton Shoreditch and Gleneagles, Estelle Manor opened as a five-star hotel and members club. While some parts of the property are members-only, non-members won’t feel a shortage of space. Guests enjoy the bright brasserie, weekend dim sum in the billiards room, an arboretum, a living room bar, and 60 acres of open land, stables, and padel courts. Classical Roman tepidariums inspired the spa, which features five thermal pools and treatments that draw on ancient healing traditions. The property is technically family-friendly, and there are activities suitable for all ages, but it should be noted that some bedrooms are off-limits for kids under 13.

Coined “The Bradden Method,” Sarah Bradden’s signature cosmetic acupuncture facial is both a spiritual reset and a sculpting face treatment. Each treatment is tailored to your needs (and every visit is different) and includes a mix of acupuncture (for face, neck, ears, or body), Reiki, reflexology, massage, LED light therapy, and activated oxygen therapy. You’ll leave with a goddess-like glow and a restored sense of balance and relaxation.

London-based Fatma Shaheen’s treatments at the flagship Matchesfashion’s townhouse in Mayfair are booked months in advance (fans include Naomi Campbell, Naomi Watts, Candice Swanepoel, and Irina Shayk). Her most-popular facial, the SDL Facelift, is pricey, but worth it, with ultrasound, vitamin peels, radiofrequency, and something called a Glow Pen—which combines microneedling with electroporation, a form of microcurrent designed to deliver active ingredients into skin. The results—lifted, glowy, sculpted skin—are unmatched. Skin Design London also offers services at John Bell & Croyden and 180 Health Club in London. And in January, they will also be offering an exclusive treatment, called The Freeze Glowlift during a 3-month residency at Selfridges.

Sister property to South Africa’s Babylonstoren, the Newt in Somerset is a country hotel on an 800-acre cider-making estate. The gorgeous limestone main house—the Hadspen—was originally built in the seventeenth century and remodeled for Georgian sensibilities in the next. Half a mile away in the Farmyard house, accommodations are a little more rustic, but still luxurious and considered. There’s a private cabin, too, built into the stone wall that surrounds the property. The restaurant menu features Babylonstoren wine and whatever is fresh picked from the garden, and the spa offers yoga, sound baths, a hammam, and a very cool indoor-outdoor pool.

Thirty-five minutes from London, Boys Hall is a restored 17th-century manor with seven charming bedrooms, each unique (three more are in the works). The property is in town but feels farther afield; the grounds are quiet and large enough to feel private. By day, sit out on the terrace with a book and a bottle from the hotel’s extensive wine collection—or book a winery excursion nearby (Chapel Down, Woodchurch, and Chartham are all good). At night, guests can settle into the dining room for slow-roasted vegetables and locally farmed meat and fish by a roaring fireplace.

Gordon’s, rumored to be the oldest wine bar in town, sits on the banks of the Thames. You’ll have to fight through the crowds and be prepared to sit tightly packed outside on the terrace or inside the subterranean wine cave. But like everyone else in town, you’ll love it. While the wine list is justifiably famous, the best part is the cheese bar: You choose whatever wedges of Parmesan or creamy, melty mounds of Délice de Bourgogne that take your fancy, with warm baguettes to scrape the plate with.

The Hoxton Southwark, just south of the river, is newer and buzzy enough to satisfy the trendiest of travelers. It goes heavy on smart design. Millennial-leaning amenities—like custom cool-spot maps, kombucha on tap, and complimentary breakfast in a bag on your doorknob—are the norm. Best of all, it means there’s an affordable-ish hotel within easy reach of the Tate and Borough Market with a bar that booms every night and a lobby that welcomes laptops all day.

Over forty years ago, in the bucolic expanse of England’s Cotswolds, Daylesford became one of the first high-profile adopters of organic, sustainable farming practices. The name has become synonymous with a distinct kind of English eco-chic (to see why, just take a look at the beautifully designed shop, which sells seasonal produce, baked goods, and kitchen supplies), and visitors come here for the quintessential British countryside experience. The Wild Rabbit, a pub that owner Carole Bamford opened just down the road in 2013, incorporates the same philosophy and aesthetic. This isn’t a typical English pub—this one was awarded a Michelin star in 2016 and serves wellness-friendly options, like a heritage carrot entrée with spelt and Swiss chard from the garden, and several fish dishes accompanied by foraged mushrooms and all manner of organic veggies. It also puts on one of the best Sunday roasts outside of London—or in London, for that matter. This one uses grass-fed local cows for the roast beef and dairy products. Each of the fifteen guest rooms is named after a local critter that roams the surrounding woods (the Hedgehog, the Badger, the Fox, etc.)…

We’re always up for a beer at a London pub. But a family-run Irish pub that swaps fish and chips for spicy pad see ew (proving that authentic Thai is best paired with a pint)? That’s the kind of pub that makes us regulars. A spin around the bar here reveals the rich family history behind Mc & Sons: Every inch of available wall space brings you face-to-photograph with members of the McElhinney family, whose patriarch, Jack, opened its doors in the ’70s. The next generation—Ryan, Joanne, and Johnny and his wife, Lailar—now runs the show. The interior was designed and built by the brothers; Ryan’s artwork is peppered throughout the pub; and the menu was created by Lailar, inspired by her Southeast Asian heritage. Those may be the delicious, design-driven details that make that make the pub a good-looking place to eat and drink, but it’s the authentic Irish spirit and hospitality (they show rugby games at 10 a.m.) and the extensive beer list that make this unlikely Irish ale-meets-Thai kitchen a goop favorite.

Not to hate on food delivery, but the sevices we really want on demand lean more to the mani, pedi, waxing, and spray tanning side of things. This is where the Salonettes come in. They’re a team of beauty therapists spread out all over London. And setting up an appointment couldn’t be easier: Create an account online, select your service (or services? Nice!), pick a date and time, and give LeSalon the address for your home, hotel, or office. (Fun fact: goop’s VIP guru Kelly fell in love with LeSalon after one of the Salonettes rushed to goop Lab London to fix her failing manicure just in time for an event). Founder Natasha Pilbrow empowers the team to manage their own hours and work when it works for them, so LeSalon’s hours of operation stretch from early morning to late-late. Another reason we love the company and concept: Among Pilbrow’s priorities is making sure the Salonettes enjoy the high commission rates, regular training, and financial stability that are not easy to come by in the freelance beauty therapist industry. If you’re waiting for the catch, it’s not coming—treatments use…