Redefining Destination Stays
The Midlands’ Luxury Countryside Escape
A Boutique Countryside Retreat in Staffordshire
Sometimes the most restorative escapes are the ones closer to home. A staycation removes the stresses that often come with travelling abroad no early airport alarms, long security queues, flight delays, or the pressure of packing everything into a tight itinerary. Instead, you can arrive relaxed, settle in sooner, and spend more time truly unwinding. It’s travel without the rush, where the focus shifts from getting there to simply being present.
Set across two private estates in Staffordshire, The Tawny combines immersive accommodation, award-winning dining and thoughtfully designed experiences, appealing to travellers from Manchester, London and beyond. Guests seeking estate style escapes often discover that The Tawny provides a similar sense of escapism and elevated service.
Luxury countryside hotels are enjoying a quiet renaissance. Across the UK, travellers are seeking immersive estates, destination dining and design-led escapes that feel both intimate and indulgent. Properties such as Estelle Manor have captured attention for reimagining the British estate experience, but for those looking for a similarly elevated stay closer to home, The Tawny Hotel offers a compelling alternative, one of the Midlands’ most distinctive boutique countryside retreats.
Two Estates, one unforgettable experience
At the heart of The Tawny lies the Consall Estate, a stunning 70-acre landscape of lakes, woodland and architectural follies. This is home to the hotel’s main reception and its celebrated restaurant, The Plumicorn. Guests wander winding pathways between Victorian follies, Italian gardens and reflective lakes, creating a cinematic sense of place. Accommodation here forms the Wingspan Collection: shepherd huts, treehouses, boathouses, lookouts and retreats thoughtfully positioned to offer privacy and immersive views of the surrounding landscape. Guests are personally escorted by Land Rover to their secluded hideaways, heightening the sense of arrival and exclusivity.
A short ten-minute drive away, the Basford Estate offers rolling hills, complete seclusion and luxury serviced holiday homes known as the Fledglings. These properties combine the freedom of self-catering with the indulgence of a boutique hotel stay. Among them is Bath House, a fully renovated Grade II Listed retreat with private pool, a tranquil lake, cascading water features and a fabulous outdoor bath, the perfect setting for rest and rejuvenation. Inside, five beautifully appointed bedrooms, complemented by a sublime kitchen and interiors that blend fairytale character with refined contemporary comfort.
For travellers seeking their next getaway, this dual-estate structure offers a unique alternative. A layered experience where guests can choose lakeside immersion, woodland seclusion or rolling hill privacy, all within a single destination. The combination of the Consall and Basford Estates gives The Tawny a depth and variety that many single-estate properties simply cannot match. With many historical attractions and beauty spots nearby.
Indulgence and Elevated Wellness
Every stay includes a private Jacuzzi spa bath handcrafted by William Holland, transforming evenings into moments of indulgence. Wellness is woven throughout the estate, from the thatched cottage spa treatment room to the outdoor heated pool beneath open skies. Your next staycation becomes more than a getaway, it becomes a chance to slow down, breathe deeply, and reconnect with the rhythms of nature.
Whether you begin the day with a peaceful woodland walk, spend the afternoon unwinding with a restorative treatment, or end the evening soaking beneath the stars, every moment at The Tawny is designed to restore both body and mind. It’s luxury that feels effortless, immersive, and deeply personal the kind that lingers long after you’ve returned home.
Dining Rooted in the Landscape
A staycation also offers the chance to rediscover the beauty on your doorstep. From rolling hills and ancient woodlands to charming villages and quiet country lanes, the English countryside is rich with places to explore and moments to savour. Slower days spent walking, cycling, or simply taking in the scenery allow you to connect more deeply with the landscape, proving you don’t need to travel far to experience something truly special.
At the Consall Estate, The Plumicorn showcases refined British cuisine shaped by seasonality and provenance. Ingredients are sourced locally wherever possible or grown within the hotel’s own kitchen garden, Herb Hollow, creating a tangible connection between the countryside and the plate. Guests may also enjoy room service, bespoke hampers, or curated experiences such as lakeside picnics, stargazing evenings and floristry workshops, further enhancing the immersive nature of their stay.
A Midlands Alternative to the Southern Estate Scene
The Future of Luxury Country House Hotels in the Midlands
The renewed interest in estate-style hotels reflects a desire for more than just a room, guests want immersion, atmosphere, and experiences that feel transportive. The Tawny delivers all of this in abundance, offering a boutique countryside escape with layered landscapes, indulgence, and curated experiences that set it apart from larger, more conventional estates.
This commitment to exceptional hospitality and dining has also been formally recognised, with The Tawny becoming the first hotel in Staffordshire to be awarded three AA Rosettes, a prestigious accolade that celebrates culinary excellence and innovation.
For those inspired by the southern estate revival but seeking something closer, more varied, and quietly distinctive, The Tawny stands confidently as one of the Midlands’ most compelling hotels, a staycation alternative without the southern price tag for travellers from the North, Midlands, and beyond.