The Shepherd's Song in Oxford , Oxfordshire

The Shepherd's Song Self-Catering

It's fair to say that this isn't your typical English village getaway. For a start, the interior design is more boho than rustic, with the preference for patterned tiles, weathered materials and shelves packed full of trinkets making it rather unique around these parts. The gargantuan kitchen was designed by a chef of thirty-five years and is a culinary whizz's dream, while there's also a grand piano for the more musically inclined. Four of the bedrooms are upstairs, but the fifth sits in a shepherd's hut at the end of the garden complete with a lounge and kitchenette. Inbetween this cute set-up and the main house lies the outdoor space, which is both large and split up into designated zones — a patio with an alfresco dining table (on wheels so you can move it to follow the sunshine), a deck with a corner sofa and a well-maintained lawn that's ideal for a game of croquet. The timber-framed home is located only twenty minutes' drive from Oxford, but Blenheim Palace and its sprawling grounds can be seen from some of the bedroom windows and is reached in five minutes' walk.

Home truths:
*There's off-street parking available for up to five cars
*Guests are given a twenty-four-hour emergency contact number to call in case of any issues
*A weekly linen change is provided if your stay is longer than ten nights