Dittisham Hideaway

You think you know what a treehouse is – and then you clap eyes on the stunning accommodation at Dittisham Hideaway and do a double-take. This is real 'Grand Designs' territory, definitely not the sort of thing your Dad might have knocked up in the garden (unless your Dad is Kevin McCloud). We're talking wooden roundhouses in the sky – hugely spacious lodgings with their own private, wraparound deck which has more space than your average back garden. There are hammocks, seating, outdoor games (including table football), a barbecue area, and a wood-fired cedar hot tub – heck, you could run Olympic marathons up here. Indeed, you're invited to think of each treehouse (there are four) as your own private resort, and it's really not wide of the mark. Inside, there's a king-sized double and a separate children's bunk room sleeping up to three little ones, two en-suite bathrooms, a serious kitchen, a wood burner and underfloor heating, and everything else from Nespresso machine to smart TV. Testament to what they've created is winning bronze for 'Glamping Business of the Year' at the 2023/24 Devon Tourism Awards.

They really are extraordinary spaces, and make for a stunning family holiday in a sunny, wooded valley just outside the lovely village of Dittisham. Couples, despair not, the Hideaway folks have you covered too, though you'll be on terra firma. Five bespoke 26-foot-long shepherds lodges in an old wildflower meadow look down the wooded valley, and while these are slightly more compact than the treehouses, they're very cleverly designed and no less charming. You get a full-size bed (Willow and Maple), a bathroom with a power shower, a kitchen area and a wood-burning stove, while outside there's a private terrace with loungers, hammocks, a dining table, fire pit and wood-fired hot tub. Two of the lodges (Cedar and Oak) also have a double sofa bed, meaning they sleep up to two adults and one child (or two smaller kids). And dog-friendly Beech has an adjacent 'mini-lodge' with bunk beds – in total, it sleeps two adults and up to four children (under 16 years). Or for a bit of vintage glam, the Hideaway reveals its final surprise in the shape of an authentic 1956 American Airstream caravan – all shiny chrome, walnut-finish cabinets, and orange leather seats, together with all the mod cons and plenty more outdoor space. Two people can spend a very cosy time here, happily going nowhere in a genuine 'King of the Road'.

Away from the Hideaway, this gorgeous part of Devon awaits. It's a mile to the local pub and village shop, and 10 minutes in the car to the lovely old port of Dartmouth. Riverside cafes, beaches, old smugglers' pubs, coastal walks, seafood restaurants, historic houses and defensive forts – this really is the kind of location that will have you coming back year after year, to your own private resort, high in the sky or down among the butterflies and wildflowers of South Devon.