Blink and you’ll miss it. The entrance to Retreat East is
almost hidden down a quiet country lane, flanked by big skies, open fields and
horses proudly trotting around.
My boyfriend and I had some good news to celebrate so we
wanted somewhere private and quiet but not too far away. We booked a couple of
nights at Retreat East, which is just over an hour from our home by car (and
just over an hour from London by train), in the secret Suffolk countryside. It’s
a private members club which is opening its doors to non-members for a short
time, so we thought we would check it out.
We stayed in the Piggery – a beautiful one-bedroom barn
which had everything we could possibly want for a cosy, autumnal stay; a freestanding
bath, a log fire, an enormous bed and a well-stocked fridge. When we pulled up
outside our barn, I knew we were on to a winner.
Our kitchen was stocked with breakfast goodies – fresh
bread, eggs and butter, granola, yoghurt, fruit and meats for my non-veggie
boyfriend. You can eat in the Great Barn or in your own barn with their dine in
option – we did just that and we were not disappointed!
We booked massages one morning and they were incredible. The
spa rooms have little bunches of lavender from the farm, the comfiest beds and
our therapist, Tash, was a dream! There’s lots to do if you want to be sociable
– there’s a snooker table, bar, outdoor jacuzzi, sauna, the great barn and a
gym (where I loved doing yoga overlooking the fields) but equally if you want
to keep yourself to yourself, privacy is very much respected.
You can pick your own flowers, fruit and veggies from the
fields behind the barn, which also played host to some spectacular sunsets and
serve as a reminder why the east of England really is beautiful.
This mini
break confirmed that autumn really is my favourite time of the year – nothing
beats a country walk and coming back to a log fire, Sunday supplements, an ice-cold
gin and tonic and some hot food. Heaven!
So if you’re craving some peaceful time away and retreating
to nature, what better time to do it than during the most beautiful season of
them all?
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