EDITION ESCAPES
RETREAT EAST A little over an hour’s drive from Cambridge on a quiet Thursday afternoon lands me in the rural heartland of Suffolk, navigating Tried & Tested: Privacy, peace and piggeries; Phoebe Harper escapes to a sanctuary for the city-weary
winding country lanes to the outskirts of the historic village of Coddenham. Here, in neighbouring Hemingstone, I park amid a sea of green and feel my shoulders sink back to where they should be on the short walk to the old shed buildings that house reception. Bags in tow, I shake off the city to a cacophony of birdsong while a pair of piebald horses graze idly in the next field. I have come to spend the night at Retreat East – a luxury eco resort that’s grown to attract a mammoth following, including a list of celebrity clientele, since the member’s club was opened to the wider public back in 2020. Originally beginning life in the 16th century as a working farm, today the estate encompasses 35 acres and a host of barns (including family-friendly and dog-friendly options), shepherd’s huts and a stunning farmhouse which houses everyone from wedding parties to solo escapees seeking sanctuary in the countryside, rather like myself. The Great Barn has earned a reputation on the Suffolk foodie scene from both residents and non- residents alike, while the on-site spa more than caters to those looking to de-stress with holistic massages and therapies by Elemental Herbology. The entire concept was originally conceived by owner Dominic Richards, a London-based architect who decided to take a gamble on a derelict dairy farm and reinvent it as a haven for the city-weary folk
of London looking to recover from the all- too-familiar burnout. Time for tea I head straight to the Great Barn, a Scandi- style open space flooded with natural light and dominated by a vast brick fireplace flanked with leather sofas – the kind you long to sink into on dark winter evenings. I’m here to sample the afternoon tea, which has recently been revamped by the retreat’s new pastry chef. Embracing the holiday spirit, I immediately upgrade by adding a glass of champagne (a sparkling afternoon tea costs £35pp, compared to the classic
TICKLED PINK The Piggery is a dreamy one- bed barn with wood burner and slipper bath, plus a large terrace
48 JULY 2024 CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK
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