English Cottage Vacation

Call Directions Website Contact the hotel

English Cottage Vacation An exclusive, culturally immersive, English experience. Completely all inclusive and stress free!

👩‍🍳 Imagine having your own private chef for your entire English countryside vacation…No grocery shopping, no cooking, n...
23/10/2026

👩‍🍳 Imagine having your own private chef for your entire English countryside vacation…

No grocery shopping, no cooking, no washing up and no wondering where to go for dinner. Just delicious, freshly prepared food, made especially for you, every single day.

At English Cottage Vacation, our wonderful Laura is your personal private chef throughout your stay at Well Cottage, our beautiful 18th-century thatched cottage in Dorset. 🇬🇧

Before you even arrive, Laura takes the time to learn about your favourite foods, dietary requirements and personal preferences, creating menus for you to enjoy throughout your vacation.

From a hearty English breakfast to freshly prepared picnic lunches enjoyed in beautiful countryside locations, afternoon treats, canapés and delicious three-course dinners, there’s always something to look forward to!

Whenever possible, Laura also uses seasonal vegetables and herbs grown right here in our cottage kitchen garden. 🌿

And in the evening? You’ll return from a wonderful day exploring England to find dinner being prepared and a beautifully dressed table waiting in our Garden Room.

The best part? It’s all included in your stay. ❤️

Because a proper vacation should mean taking a break from the everyday chores, too!

📖 Love Laura’s cooking? Bring a taste of Well Cottage into your own kitchen!

Laura has created her very own cookbook, English Cottage Kitchen Recipe Book, featuring over 80 delicious recipes, including comforting English favourites, breakfasts, afternoon teas, indulgent desserts and even Nathan’s signature cocktails!

Available in both a beautiful hardcover edition and an instant digital download, it’s perfect for recreating your favourite Well Cottage dishes at home.

👉 Explore Laura’s cookbook and purchase your copy here:
www.everything-england.com/collections/recipe-book

Would you love to have your own private chef looking after you for a week?

Discover our fully hosted, all-inclusive English countryside vacations through the link in our bio.

22/10/2026

🇬🇧 The England you can’t Google…

You can Google England’s most famous landmarks, find the prettiest villages on a map and read endless lists of places to visit.

But some of the loveliest parts of England aren’t found in a travel guide.

They’re the quiet country lanes lined with hedgerows, the little villages you’d never think to stop in, the unexpected views around a bend in the road and the fascinating local stories that bring a place to life.

They’re the moments you stumble upon when you’re not rushing from one attraction to the next.

And they’re often the memories that stay with you longest. ❤️

At English Cottage Vacation, this is the England we love sharing with our guests.

Of course, we visit the magnificent castles, historic houses, beautiful gardens and famous landmarks that make England so special. But it’s everything in between that we enjoy just as much.

With Nathan as your personal chauffeur and guide, there’s always an opportunity to discover something you might otherwise have driven straight past, along with the stories and history that make each place interesting.

Because seeing England’s famous sights is wonderful. Getting to know the England between them is something else entirely. 🌿

What’s your favourite hidden corner of England?

20/10/2026

🐦 A little birdwatching at Well Cottage! 🌿🏡

There’s something so lovely about watching the birds hopping, fluttering and playing amongst the thatch on the roof of our 18th-century cottage.

Our thatched roof isn’t just one of Well Cottage’s most charming features; it’s also a favourite little gathering place for our feathered visitors, who seem perfectly at home exploring the straw!

It’s these simple moments that make life in the English countryside so special. The sound of birdsong in the garden, the gentle rustle of the trees and the pleasure of watching nature go about its day.

And for our guests, it’s all part of the peaceful surroundings waiting to welcome them to Well Cottage in beautiful Dorset.

Sometimes the loveliest entertainment is happening right above your head! 🐦❤️

Have you ever stayed in a traditional English thatched cottage?

🏰 The unmistakable silhouette of Highclere Castle…Rising above the rolling Hampshire countryside, those magnificent towe...
20/10/2026

🏰 The unmistakable silhouette of Highclere Castle…

Rising above the rolling Hampshire countryside, those magnificent towers are instantly recognisable to anyone who has watched Downton Abbey. But seeing Highclere Castle in person is quite another experience!

Designed by Sir Charles Barry, the architect behind the Houses of Parliament, this spectacular country house is every bit as impressive as it appears on screen. Beyond its grand interiors, visitors can discover beautiful gardens, sweeping parkland and a fascinating connection to the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb.

For guests staying with us at English Cottage Vacation, Highclere Castle is one of the wonderful excursions available through our 7-Night Exquisite English Gardens & Stately Homes itinerary, subject to the castle’s seasonal opening dates.

Nathan takes care of the driving and sightseeing arrangements, leaving you free to enjoy the history, architecture and beautiful surroundings.

And for Downton Abbey fans, there’s something rather special about finally seeing those famous towers appear on the horizon!

✨ Have you watched Downton Abbey? Would you love to visit the real castle?

Discover our English countryside itineraries through the link in our bio.

19/10/2026

September in an English cottage garden… and summer isn’t quite finished with us yet! 🌸🇬🇧

I thought I’d take you on another little tour around the gardens at Well Cottage to show you how everything is looking as we head towards autumn.

What an extraordinary summer we’ve had! It’s been incredibly hot and dry, but September has continued to surprise us with some really beautiful weather.

Temperatures have still been reaching into the twenties, the vegetables are still growing, the flowers are still providing plenty of colour, and our guests have even been able to enjoy sitting outside in the garden during the evenings.

But things are definitely starting to change.

The evenings are drawing in, the light is becoming softer, and there’s that unmistakable feeling that autumn is slowly creeping up on us.

I absolutely love this time of year, when the garden still has so much to offer but you can begin to see the seasons changing.

So, here’s a little four-minute wander around our English cottage garden in September. I hope you enjoy it! 🌿

And if you’ve ever fancied staying at Well Cottage and experiencing one of our fully hosted, all-inclusive English vacations, you can find out more at:

🌐 EnglishCottageVacation.com

📧 [email protected]

What’s your favourite season in an English garden?

From luxury yachts in the Caribbean to a beautiful thatched cottage in the English countryside… what a journey it’s been...
15/10/2026

From luxury yachts in the Caribbean to a beautiful thatched cottage in the English countryside… what a journey it’s been! 🎙️🇬🇧

We’re delighted to share that our very own Laura Kurton was recently invited onto Tales from a Luxury Yacht Chef, hosted by the wonderful Chef Lisa Mead Lisa Mead !

And this isn’t just any podcast interview…

Laura and Lisa first met years ago while working as part of a yacht flotilla in the Caribbean, long before English Cottage Vacation was even a dream.

Now, they’ve reunited to catch up on quite the adventure!

After spending a decade working aboard luxury charter yachts, travelling the world and creating unforgettable experiences for guests, Laura and Nathan decided to bring their passion for hospitality back home to England.

The result?

English Cottage Vacation — a completely personal, fully hosted countryside experience, where guests are welcomed into their beautiful 18th-century thatched Well Cottage in Dorset.

In this special podcast episode, Laura shares the story of their transition from life at sea to creating something truly unique on land.

It’s a wonderful opportunity to get to know the people and the story behind English Cottage Vacation, and discover how years of luxury hospitality experience helped shape the way we welcome our guests today.

A huge thank you to Lisa for inviting Laura onto the podcast and for the lovely opportunity to reconnect after all these years! ❤️

🎧 Listen now: Tales from a Luxury Yacht Chef with Lisa Mead — Chef Laura Kurton

Available on Spotify and other major podcast platforms.

YachtLife PrivateChef EnglishCountryside Dorset WellCottage BehindTheScenes EnglandTravel

14/10/2026

One magical week in the English countryside. One room remaining. And an extraordinary 50% OFF! 🎄🇬🇧

Have you ever dreamed of experiencing England at Christmastime?

Picture an 18th-century thatched cottage dressed for the festive season, roaring fires, twinkling Christmas lights, wonderful food and beautiful winter days exploring the English countryside.

Well, we have a rather special opportunity for you…

Our Winter Wonderland Special Offer is here!

For 7–14 December 2026, we’re offering an incredible 50% discount on the final available room at Well Cottage.

You’ll enjoy seven nights of our fully hosted, all-inclusive Festive Winter Itinerary, with Nathan and Laura taking care of everything from the moment you arrive at Heathrow Airport.

Think festive markets, historic villages, magnificent country houses, Corfe Castle, Salisbury Cathedral, Longleat and Stourhead, all beautifully woven into your English winter experience.

And after each day’s adventures?

Return to the warmth of Well Cottage, where Laura’s delicious cooking, cosy fires and all the little comforts of home await.

The special offer:

🎄 7–14 December 2026

🎄 Bedroom One — king bed and private en-suite

🎄 1 or 2 guests

🎄 50% OFF the usual price

🎄 Double occupancy: $7,650 USD total for two

🎄 Single occupancy: $5,700 USD

Your accommodation, meals, drinks, private chauffeur, guided excursions, tickets and Heathrow transfers are all included.

Three lovely guests are already looking forward to this festive week, and we’d love for you to join them!

One room. One wonderful week. Half the usual price.

Visit EnglishCottageVacation.com or email [email protected] to explore the full Winter Wonderland Special Offer and enquire about booking.

Available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Dorset ChristmasGetaway AllInclusiveVacation EnglandTravel WellCottage VisitEngland FestiveTravel

12/10/2026

Sometimes the most memorable experiences in England are the ones you won’t find in a guidebook. 🇬🇧

Our guests recently enjoyed a visit to a traditional English country fair, where they discovered this wonderful piece of British heritage!

On display was a beautifully preserved Dean fairground organ, originally built around 1912 — a magnificent mechanical instrument that once helped bring travelling fairgrounds to life.

Before recorded music became commonplace, fairground organs provided the soundtrack to Britain’s travelling fairs, filling the air with lively melodies played through rows of pipes, drums and other percussion instruments.

And they were designed to be heard!

Their powerful music attracted visitors from across the fairground, while their colourful, intricately decorated fronts were attractions in themselves.

More than 100 years later, it’s wonderful to see these remarkable machines being preserved and celebrated.

And this is one of the things we love most about sharing England with our guests.

Of course, there’s Stonehenge, Bath, beautiful castles and magnificent country houses.

But there’s also the England of village fêtes, country fairs, local traditions and communities keeping centuries-old customs alive.

These are the experiences that give you a real glimpse into everyday English life.

At English Cottage Vacation, we love incorporating local events and unexpected discoveries into our guests’ itineraries whenever the opportunity arises.

Nathan takes care of the planning and driving, so you can simply enjoy whatever wonderful things England has in store.

Because sometimes the best memories are made in the places you never knew existed.

Discover a more personal way to experience England via the link in our bio.

EnglishCountryside AuthenticEngland Dorset VisitEngland EnglandTravel HiddenEngland AllInclusiveVacation SlowTravel

Address

Well Cottage, Bedchester
Shaftesbury
SP70JW

Telephone

+19543768628

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when English Cottage Vacation posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Hotel

Send a message to English Cottage Vacation:

Shortcuts

Share

Category