Suffolk

The thinking and years of dedication behind this group of vacation rental properties is pretty impressive: For over twenty years, owner Jon Hunt—known for founding and selling the real estate firm Foxtons—has worked with landscape designer Kim Wilkie to restore a 4,500 acre property of farmland back to the wild. Along with creating a conservation area for hundreds of species, they’ve also restored and built a scattering of period homes as vacation rentals all across the property. Whether it’s the 12-room restored Georgian manor house, the 3-bedroom Suffolk-style barn, or the tiny electricity-free “Hex” Cottage for two, top-notch hotel-style catering, activities, and housekeeping are all available according to the group’s needs. The surrounding coastal areas are stunning for a country drive, though there’s plenty to do in and around the reserve, too: Bird-watching, clay pigeon shooting, fishing, sailing, waterskiing and more can all be arranged.