Special Places to Stay - More than a bed for the night

Imagine opening the doors of a wood-cosy cabin to lakeside decking and Suffolk's big skies. Owners Andrew and Sarah have created a lake from scratch, then added four beautiful retreats, with chill-out decks for barbecues and hot tubs for the stars. Inside: soft oatmeal carpets and toasty oak floors, hand-made mattresses on emperor size beds, sparkling floor lights for romantic bathrooms and lots of lovely space. The attention to detail is amazing, from the board games, binoculars and wildlife books to the Smeg double ovens, Kenwood food processors and batterie de cuisines that will keep Nigellas smiling. (And there are the Bryces' free range eggs and high-welfare meats to buy – no excuse not to excel.) Andrew can arrange sailing, cooking, painting, fishing, clay pigeon shooting, spa treatments, whatever you fancy, even a private chef should you be planning a party. After a day's wandering Suffolk's medieval villages and summer-soft beaches, it's bliss to come home to the warmth of the wood-burner, the scent of the pine, the hoot of the owl and the lake that laps you to sleep.