Grandma hobbies – aka boring itineraries – are the new luxury. With more of us than ever seeking in-person connection and less screen time, luxury hotels and lifestyle brands around the world are shifting to offer wholesome, screen-free experiences that foster new skills.
In a world of instant gratification and always being switched on, activities such as pottery workshops, cold-water swimming and bird walks are offering travellers a much-needed mental reset. As these old-fashioned crafts enjoy a cultural revival, burned-out city dwellers are swapping digital overload for foraging workshops and knitting clubs in idyllic pastures.
Foraging Walks, Lime Wood
The opportunity to go foraging is a rare luxury to come by, but many hotels are tapping into the meditative pleasure of this slow pastime by adding foraging walks to their roster of activities. Lime Wood, for one, has its own resident forager, Sammie Longhorn, who has a deep passion for reconnecting people to the edible and healing qualities of native plant life. Those staying at the hotel can take part in group walks or tailored, one-to-one strolls with Sammie, who’ll share her encyclopaedic knowledge of which plants to harvest and how to identify them safely.
Wildlife Walks, The Bower House
Located in the heart of Shipston-on-Stour, The Bower House is one of many hotel brands tapping into the growing appetite for slow, hands-on creativity as an antidote to modern digital life. Craft-led experiences are met with immersive nature walks, designed to help guests slow down and switch off. The Bower House bird and bat walks, hosted by Andy Warren – a highly esteemed Member of the Chartered Institute of Ecology – introduces guests to Warwickshire’s feathered friends, including Red Kites, Fieldfares, Kingfishers, Warblers, the Great Spotted Woodpecker and the rare Barbastelle bat. To add to its roster of grandma hobbies, Bower House also hosts pottery and ceramics masterclasses with local artisans, as well as foraging walks and botanical painting workshops at Kiftsgate.
Flower Arranging, The Real Flower Company
Flower arranging is one of the many old-fashioned crafts experiencing a revival, and through seasonal workshops, The Real Flower Company is inviting guests to reconnect with traditional floristry on their Hampshire farm. The experience is open to all levels, starting with a guided walk with Rosebie, the company’s founder. “Smell is deeply tied to memory and mood” according to the florist and founder, who draws inspiration from her grandmother’s and mother’s gardens. The guided walk is rounded out with an informative flower-making workshop with Rosebie, showing guests how to create intricate hand-tied bouquets.
Bread Making, Knitting and Board Games, Atlanta Trevone
Slow down and enjoy life’s simple pleasure on Cornwall’s wild north coast. Bread making classes, long walks and coastal bike rides are all part of the itinerary at Cornwall’s Atlanta Trevone. Days unfold between windswept cliff walks, wild sea swims, coastal bike rides to St Agnes and leisurely afternoons playing scrabble. Long lunches flow naturally into a meditative knitting session by the hotel’s crackling fire, or a quiet read with a pot of tea.
Wild Swimming, Haddington House Hotel
Once a simple coastal ritual, cold-water swimming is re-emerging as a modern hobby. Long associated with woollen hats and serious swimmers, sea swimming has taken on a life of its own, appealing to travellers seeking grounding, screen-free experiences rooted in nature. Wondering where to start? Haddington House Hotel offers doorstep access to the Irish Sea, where guests are encouraged to swap the mundanity of doom-scrolling for a restorative morning swim, no matter the temperature.
Pottery Workshops, La Darbia and São Lourenço do Barrocal
Gen Y and Z may not yet have understood the meditative pleasures of craftsmanship, but it’s never too late. At Crafted at Powdermills in East Sussex, pottery masterclasses are available alongside foraging and printmaking. Situated in an area of Italy’s Piedmont, La Darbia’s Artisan Experience invites you to meet with talented local craftspeople, many of who have played an integral role in the design of the hotel: step into a ceramicist’s studio and watch the artisans in action.
São Lourenço do Barrocal in Portugal’s Alentejo region practically invented the grandma-hobby trend; days here revolve around convivial, multi-course meals, followed by horseback riding, beekeeping or a therapeutic wool-making workshop. There’s an element of education in each activity, which can be humbling and hugely rewarding. Some of the equestrian workshops teach guests how to care for the estate’s Lusitano horses, while future activities might range from candle-making to herb foraging from the estate’s organic vegetable garden.
Literary Retreats and Bookish Stays, The Francis Hotel
Literary retreats are having a moment, bringing literature fans together from all over the world. The Francis Hotel in Bath is at the forefront of this movement with the launch of its new Readers’ Retreat package, created in partnership with Mr B’s Emporium, Bath’s award-winning independent bookshop. During a two-night stay, each guest receives a handpicked book curated by Mr B’s Emporium, which is carefully chosen based on a short questionnaire. The pleasant surprise of finding your book wrapped and ready on arrival sets the tone for an immersive and culturally rich literary escape.
Lead image: São Lourenço do Barrocal
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