1 - Vintage Glamping at La Rosa, Whitby, Yorkshire
Way before the “glamping” revolution, a campsite near
Whitby started putting people up in vintage caravans, ranging from an Elvis-themed period piece to an authentic chrome Roma full of etched glass. The kitsch factor proved so popular they’ve now opened a hotel in town and stuffed it full of high-camp Victoriana – think Naughty Nineties meets eBay – with themed rooms dedicated to everyone from Bram Stoker to Angela Carter.
Planning your trip to Yorkshire? Don't miss our guide to the best things to do in Yorkshire.
2 - Appleton Water Tower, Norfolk
The Victorians were a clever bunch. Instead of wasting their energy on a heating system to stop water towers from freezing, they just re-routed flues from below, channelling hot smoke up through the centre of the tanks. But as the ornate iron railings and twisting staircases of Appleton Water Tower in
Norfolk attest, they still had a taste for fanciful design. When you gaze out over the Sandringham Estate from your warm octagonal bedroom, you might just thank them for it.
3 - Livingstone Safari Lodge, Kent
Stick your neck out of Livingstone Safari Lodge at Port Lympne Wild Animal Park and you might see a giraffe sniffing around in the early morning light. Here, in the hundred or so acres of
Kent countryside that rolls away from your private veranda, there are herds of grazing wildebeest, zebra and antelope. Keep your eyes on the glistening watering-holes and you might even spot a hippo poking its nostrils above the surface. The accommodation is fairly basic, but who cares when you’re waking up to one of the best views this side of Africa?
4 - Old Railway Station, West Sussex
There used to be a time when train travel was fun, even glamorous – and a far cry from today’s dreaded commuter run. At the Old Railway Station at Petworth, near
Chichester, the golden age of rail lingers on, from the gorgeous vaulted guest hall, once a busy ticket office, to the chocolate-brown Edwardian Pullman carriages, which house colonial-style guest rooms. All that’s missing, in fact, is the railway line, which closed in 1966. So drop your bags, stop for a cream tea, and thank God you’ve got nowhere to go.