Tue 29 April, 2014 RURAL JUNKIES Yes, we know Easter has just been, but with another bank holiday around the corner, we say pack your bags! But give the (easy) jet plane a miss. Urban Junkies has gone rural. Read on for our roundup of the best new country escapes. CROMLIX HOUSE, DUNBLANE, SCOTLAND Live the Highland life in the little town of Dunblane, Scotland. The Victorian mansion turned luxury boutique hotel may be owned by tennis star Andy Murray but don't expect any racket kitsch here. Instead, think tasteful grandeur, from the Michelin head chef at its restaurant, Chez Roux (yes, it's overseen by Albert Roux of Le Gavroche) and sweeping rooms and suites to its own private loch. And if you feel the call of the great outdoors, the 34-acre estate allows for deer stalking, archery, quad biking and game shooting. If you must bend it like Murray – there's also a court and practice wall, obviously. Cromlix, Kinbuck, near Dunblane, Stirling, Perthshire, Scotland, FK15 9JT. Rooms from £200 ELMORE COURT, GLOUCESTERSHIRE It's no secret – we're always in search of a good party pad. So when we heard about Elmore Court in the Cotswolds, we were practically en route. The owner, Anselm Guise, comes with hefty party credentials – he's a DJ and the founder of Glade Festival – and he's re-launched the house as an exclusive-use rental, meaning all eight suites (totalling nine rooms) are all yours. What we especially love about this house, besides the sound-proof ballroom, is its ornate interior circa Louis XVI. Elmore Court, Elmore, Elmore Court, Gloucestershire, GL2 3NT. From £2000 per night THE PIG ON THE BEACH, STUDLAND BAY, DORSET Get some sand between your toes at Dorset's latest addition, The Pig on the Beach. Set atop the cliffs of Studland Bay, The Pig has taken over the former Manor House Hotel, transforming it into a beach bolthole complete with boutique rooms, a greenhouse restaurant (serving up home-grown produce) and spa treatments. It's opening in June, just in time for summer sun (fingers crossed). The Pig on the Beach, Manor Road, Studland Bay, BH19 3AU. Rooms from £155, opens June 2014 NO. 131, CHELTENHAM Get away from it all at No. 131. Hoteliers Sam and Georgie Pearman have transformed a derelict 1820s villa into a 'restaurant with rooms'. Come here for the food (the restaurant, manned by Antony Ely has a best of British focus: think Cornish mackerel and Welsh wagyu) and drinks (highballs, juleps and sours) at their labyrinthine Crazy Eights bar. Sleep it off in the luxe and eclectic rooms: choose from Cosy, Very Good, and Excellent. There are only 11 of them, so get in quick. No. 131, 131 The Promenade, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL50 1NW. Rooms from £150 THE PORTER & HALCYON APARTMENTS, BATH Been there, done that in Bath? Think again. Newcomer The Porter is shaking things up with a member's club-style venue in a sprawling Georgian terrace. From a subterranean speakeasy and dance floor to a library, private dining rooms, and restaurant with Michelin starred Rob Clayton at the helm, it's got it all. Well, almost. The rooms are located next door, in The Porter's sister property, Halcyon Apartments. High ceilings, fireplaces and a mixologist on call? Check, check and check. The Porter, 15A George Street, Bath, BA1 2EN. Halcyon Apartments, 16/17 George Street, Bath, BA1 2EN. Rooms from £150 ST MAWES HOTEL, CORNWALL Take a trip to the seaside. The Cornish coast is getting a high-octane opening, with Karen and David Richards (the brains behind The Idle Rocks) throwing open the doors to a reinvented St Mawes Hotel next month. With hotel director Tim House (previously at Claridges, The Savoy and Cowley Manor), expect a high-end vibe on the harbour. St Mawes Hotel, 2 Marine Parade, St Mawes, Truro, Cornwall, TR2 5DW. Rooms from £110, opens June 3, 2014 BACARDI x CRAIG RICHARDS LAUNCH PARTY SEVEN AT BRIXTON Sponsored listing We love a bit of mid-week partying. Seven at Brixton and BACARDÍ are hosting a special event tomorrow night, Wednesday April 30, to mark the launch of their collaborative track produced with DJ Craig Richards. They'll be hosting the launch in a private area of the bar, and to gain access you'll need to download Chirp and head down to Brixton Market at dusk where all will be revealed. There are exclusive prizes up for grabs, including limited edition Craig Richards vinyls, Brixton Academy tickets, and Brixton pounds, plus there will be plenty of BACARDÍ signature cocktails and rum infused canapés on hand, too. BACARDI x Craig Richards Launch Party, 7pm, Wednesday May 30, Seven at Brixton, 7 Market Row, SW9 8LB But if you must leave the UK, all roads lead to Rome… DO NOT DISTURB The Rome Cavalieri In a Sentence A hotel fit for an emperor About Part of the Waldorf Astoria collection, The Rome Cavalieri is their first European hotel – and they've done well. Besides the prestigious postcode (perched on the hill of Monte Mario), the sweeping views of the Eternal City and Vatican make it a standout. Vibe Gold, opulence and marble everything may not be on our usual bolthole checklist, but if you want a throwback to the grand emperor era of the capital, this is the place. There are 345 deluxe rooms with private balconies and 25 luxurious suites with spacious marble bathrooms, both decorated in shades of yellow and royal blue, and when it comes to actually resting your head, well, there's a pillow menu with over 15 options. Highlights Boasting the world's largest private art collection in a hotel, expect paintings from 16th century Old Masters, Warhols and rare tapestries and antiques, all in one breath. The Grand Spa is equally as ornate as the rest of the hotel with marble Roman baths, Turkish baths (with hot and cold plunge pools), hydro massages, whirlpools… and the list continues… Eat & Drink The food in Rome needs no introduction: from pizzerias and osterias to Italian fine dining – you'll never go hungry. Pierluigi in the 16th century Piazza Dè Ricci is a great place for traditional Roman primi piatti, as is Primo al Pigneto. For an indulgent blow out, book a table at La Pergola, Rome's only three Michelin-starred restaurant, helmed by Heinz Beck and in the Cavalieri hotel itself. Expect dishes foamed and frothed, an extensive wine cellar (60,000 bottles) and dining mates from the city's glitterati. Top Tip If the budget allows, do as Leonardo (DiCaprio, that is) does and ask for the penthouse suite. Yes, it's big, but the pièce de résistance is the sprawling panoramic roof terrace, which includes a gazebo, a solarium and Jacuzzi. It may seem a bit over-the-top, but hey, when in Rome… Why Go Now Beat the summer crowds, because come June/July the tourists will be out in full force. Info The Rome Cavalieri, Via A. Cadlolo, 101 -00136 Rome. Nightly rates start at €240 per room, including VAT & breakfast. For further information or to make a reservation, call +39 06 3509 1 or visit www.romecavalieri.com * EasyJet flies from London Gatwick to Rome Fiumicino daily, with prices starting from £31.74 per person (one way, including taxes and based on two people on the same booking). All flights can be booked at www.easyjet.com. LINK TO THIS FEATURE: Travel by NN & CS DO NOT DISTURB BY CS LIKE SHARE FORWARD PREVIOUS EDITION (c) 2014 Urban Junkies. All rights reserved. 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