Spring is less about going far and more about going well. As British staycations continue to boom, fuelled by a desire for slower, more meaningful escapes and memory-making closer to home, this season’s hotlist is all about curating those moments with style.
Think countryside hideaways designed for families to truly switch off, Riviera-inspired home pieces, and beautifully crafted ways to hold onto it all. Spring feels as much a destination as it does a feeling, fresh, joyful, and just a little bit indulgent. This is what we’re loving in this week’s Citizen Enfants hotlist.
BOOK A SPRING STAY HERE The Owlets, The Tawny
For a countryside escape that feels both wildly free and quietly luxurious, book into The Tawny Hotel’s newest family-ready hideaway, The Owlets, a cluster of beautifully reimagined farm cottages set deep within the rewilded Basford Estate. With a heated outdoor pool, woodland trails and BBQ suppers, its an ideal spring getaway. Ranging from one to four bedrooms and named after British butterflies, each cottage offers the space and privacy of a self-catering stay with all the perks of a hotel including access to the acclaimed Plumicorn restaurant and curated experiences like gardening kits and pottery workshops. Beyond the estate, families can hop aboard the nearby heritage railway, roam the Peak District or dip into the thrills of Alton Towers. But with 70 acres of lakes, gardens and secret corners to explore, you may find you never want to leave.
TRY THIS Tweedy’s Massive Circus: The Big Number 2
Make a day of it this spring as beloved circus star Tweedy The Clown rolls into the countryside with Tweedy’s Massive Circus: The Big Number 2 – a joyfully chaotic, laugh-out-loud show set inside a charmingly “little” big top that pops up in idyllic farm locations across Oxfordshire and the Cotswolds. Following a smash-hit tour, Edinburgh Fringe acclaim and London success, this family-friendly spectacle (perfect for ages 3–103) follows Tweedy and his troupe as they attempt to stage the greatest circus ever with wildly optimistic ideas, a tiny tent and predictably hilarious results. Expect a whirlwind of clowning, physical comedy, music and mischief, with plenty of things going gloriously wrong along the way; bursting with heart, surprises and silliness, it’s the kind of outing where you can picnic, explore and then tumble into an hour or two of pure, feel-good mayhem.
BUY THIS H&M HOME'S Riviera Summer Stories
The new Riviera Stories home collection from H&M brings that effortless coastal chic straight into your travel-ready life with pieces that feel as breezy and beautiful as a Mediterranean holiday. Inspired by stylish beach clubs and sun-drenched sea views, the range blends soft stripes, relaxed linens and playful design accents across beach towels, pillows, robes and outdoor accessories that elevate every seaside picnic or terrace lounge moment. From matching striped deck chairs and parasols to chic beach bags and terry blankets, it’s a collection that turns your alfresco days into curated scenes worthy of a summer story. And for little adventurers, H&M has dreamed up a delightful Miffy summer collection that channels the spirit of an imaginary beach club, with adorable terry towels, matching bags, capes, mugs with lids and straws, plastic cups and robes in joyful colourways, plus beach tennis sets, lunch boxes, coolers and picnic blankets that make outdoor family days even more fun and stylish.
CREATE THESE MEMORIES Pixory Books
In a time where holiday memories live (and get lost) on our phones, Pixory offers something far more chic: a way to turn fleeting moments into beautifully bound, design-led keepsakes you’ll actually want to display. Think glossy, curated Assouline-style photo books that feel less like scrapbooks and more like coffee table art – that remind you of sun-drenched beach days, ski trips and family escapes that you can display and revisit for years to come. With an intuitive, style-conscious platform that lets you customise everything from layout to typography, Pixory makes it almost too easy to elevate your travel photos into these timeless keepsakes that quickly become part of your home’s aesthetic.
TAKE A DAY OUT HERE Crystal Palace Park
The brand-new dinosaur playground at Crystal Palace Park is a roaring success (pun intended) brilliantly reimagining a perfect spring London day out. Set beside the park’s famous Victorian dinosaur sculptures, it is home to the world’s first life-sized prehistoric animal sculptures, created in 1854 and inspired by fossils uncovered by Victorian palaeontologists. Now, in 2026, a new generation can be inspired all over again. The space invites kids to a hands-on adventure, climbing over skeleton frames, scrambling along a dinosaur’s tail, bouncing across stepping discs and digging for “fossils” in a giant footprint sandpit. Thoughtfully designed with accessible equipment and plenty of room to explore, it’s not just a playground but a full family experience where learning, play and a bit of prehistoric magic come together, making it an easy, free, and genuinely exciting day out for all ages.
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