A Very English Cottage Vacation

With more people wanting to discover a more authentic side of the UK, English Cottage Vacation offers those looking for a luxury, off the beaten track, a personalised holiday they will never forget. Abode2 wanted to know more from Nathan & Laura Kurton about their uniquely luxurious bespoke experience.

After having spent much time on the water on luxury charter yachts, why do you have such a strong passion for the British countryside and why specifically Dorset?

While we enjoyed living and working on luxury yachts all over the world, England was always our home and we returned at least once every year to see family and friends. We were both raised in a small rural town, surrounded by fields and only accessed by small roads so living in the countryside comes very naturally to us. We love not being able to hear any major roads from our cottage and only hearing walkers and horses’ stroll past. We looked at a lot of houses before we purchased Well Cottage in no less than 4 English counties, and Dorset was by far the most beautiful and the perfect location- close to so many of England’s famous landmarks, stunning areas of outstanding natural beauty and the Jurassic coastline.  ‘Home is where the heart is’.

You offer full and well-rounded packages, including meals, excursions, and even a driver and luxury car to name but a few. Why did you choose to create fully inclusive packages?

During our time working as captain and chef onboard luxury yachts, we provided fully inclusive, bespoke vacations to our guests. By speaking to them we realised that the level of customised personal service and attention to detail that they received exceeded their expectations. However, they wished it wasn’t just limited to yacht vacations - so English Cottage Vacation was born. Most folks who have visited the UK explained that they had not seen the real England. They felt did not get away from other tourists, they missed out visiting the perfect countryside pub and they did not get see the wonderful countryside or know where to walk. We realised that we can offer everything- a traditional yet high spec accommodation, bespoke planning, luxury vehicle and chauffeur service, private chef, and endless local knowledge- the list goes on!

As a couple you create a very personalised package.  Do you think that the relationship between you and your guest is important to create a truly personalised experience?

In our experience it is us, your hosts, that truly make the experience. You arrive as our guests and leave at the end of your stay as friends. From the moment you enquire and book right through to the end of your stay with us everything is personal- there is never a standard reply or a stone left unturned. We have a purpose built room and bathroom downstairs at Well Cottage so we can always be available for our guests no matter what hour but we also understand when to disappear and give our guests time on their own. We know what our guests want, sometimes before they do!

Out of all the amazing services you provide which one is your personal favourite to experience and which would you suggest to your guests?

Wow this is an open question, because no two weeks are the same as our experiences are all bespoke based on guests preferences which are provided well in advance. One thing we do love to do is walk directly from the front door straight out onto footpaths and across fields, and we are more than happy to put our boots on and act as guides. We also adore Bath, it is a beautiful roman city with lots to offer, we were both brought up close by so it has a place in our heart and we know it very well. We do offer a sample itinerary on our website which provides some of our recommendations, and they are all within a 1 hour journey from Well Cottage.

Visit englishcottagevacation.com/ to find out more and book an amazing vacation