At a time when foreign travel can feel increasingly expensive and exhausting, travellers, holiday seekers and mini breakers are rediscovering the magic of places much closer to home. And few counties reward slow, immersive exploration quite like Sussex.
Sussex offers something refreshingly different: genuine escapism without the stress. Within a remarkably short journey, you can move from vineyard-covered hillsides to dramatic coastline, from medieval towns to ancient woodland, and from cosy country pubs to sea-view restaurants. Sussex is not longer simply about “staycations”. It has become a destination people actively choose because of the quality and richness of the experience itself.
A year of battles and bears
There has rarely been a more exciting time to explore Sussex. This year marks 960 years since the Battle of Hastings, with the county already building towards the Millennium Year of the Norman commemorations in 2027. Across Sussex, castles, abbeys, churches and landscapes connected to 1066 are being brought vividly to life through trails, events and immersive experiences.
From the ruins of Hastings Castle perched high above the sea to hidden and ruined Norman churches and ancient battlefields, there has never been a better time to step directly into the story that changed England forever.
At the same time, another anniversary is quietly capturing imaginations for a very different reason. 2026 marks 100 years since Winnie-the-Pooh first appeared in print, shining a fresh spotlight on the magical landscapes of Ashdown Forest that inspired the stories. Families, walkers and nostalgic grown-ups alike are rediscovering Poohsticks Bridge, woodland paths and villages that still feel wonderfully untouched by modern life.
Throughout the centenary year, celebrations will include immersive performances and guided walks on Ashdown Forest, special exhibitions at Nymans and afternoon teas at Pooh Corner, making Sussex an especially magical destination for Pooh lovers of every age.
Wine trails and slow travel
Then there is Sussex’s flourishing food and wine scene. English wine is no longer an emerging curiosity; it has become a genuine destination experience in its own right, and Sussex sits firmly at its heart. Vineyards across the South Downs now offer tastings, tours, seasonal dining and vineyard experiences that rival anything overseas, all combined with coastline, walking trails and historic towns.
But what truly makes Sussex special is the way it encourages a slower, more immersive style of travel. Increasingly, luxury is about settling properly into a place: a beautiful cottage, converted barn or coastal retreat that creates the freedom to shape your days entirely around your own pace and interests: sunrise coffee overlooking the Downs, long lunches from local farm shops, evenings wandering through vineyards or simply sitting quietly in a garden listening to birdsong.
The Bloom Stays way
And the idea of self-catering holidays has also changed dramatically. These no longer have to be simply practical holiday cottages. The best modern stays are carefully curated homes that become part of the holiday story itself: restored oast houses surrounded by vineyards, elegant countryside retreats with sweeping views, historic cottages hidden down ancient lanes or coastal homes flooded with sea light.
What makes this style of travel particularly special and unique is how personal it can become. A holiday home can transform into the setting for private dining with local chefs, wine tastings, yoga sessions, floristry workshops, photography days or history tours. Rather than fitting into the timetable of a hotel, visitors can build an experience entirely around their own interests and family dynamic.
That philosophy sits at the heart of Bloom Stays. Built on the idea that where you stay should feel every bit as memorable as where you visit, Bloom Stays offers more than simply beautiful properties. A stay becomes a gateway into Sussex itself. It is about drinking wine among the vines, walking in the footsteps of William the Conqueror or Winnie the Pooh, discovering hidden villages, meeting local producers and returning each evening to somewhere that feels both luxurious as well as connected to its surroundings.
Hastings View: above the rooftops
Hastings Old Town is one of Sussex’s most atmospheric coastal destinations, where winding streets climb towards the castle ruins above the sea and independent cafés, galleries and boutiques are set just back from the iconic fishing huts and boats on the shingle beach. It is a place of smugglers’ tales, cliff-top walks, freshly caught seafood and wonderfully bohemian charm.
Hidden just above the Old Town, Hastings View perfectly captures that balance between energy and escape. Inside, the open-plan living space feels calm and contemporary, with a real fire for cooler evenings and large windows framing views across rooftops towards the sea. But it is the private cliffside garden, complete with its own cave, that makes this property unforgettable: the kind of place where evening drinks stretch long into sunset as the sound of the waves drifts up from below.
You can view more details or book your stay, here: Hastings View
Masketts Barn: space to breathe
Once a medieval hunting ground, Ashdown Forest is now more than 6,000 acres of heathland, woodland and hidden glades, with sweeping views across Sussex towards the South Downs. It is a landscape designed for walking, wandering and slowing down completely. It is also the world of Winnie-the-Pooh.
Set within a 200-acre estate on the edge of the forest, Masketts Barn feels like a natural extension of the landscape itself. This restored eighteenth-century grain barn combines soaring ceilings, ancient beams and huge amounts of natural light with warm, inviting interiors. Days here revolve around simple pleasures: coffee overlooking the gardens, tennis before dinner, evenings by the fire and long conversations over local wine in the country kitchen.
You can view more details or book your stay, here: Masketts Barn
Hare Farm Oast: living history
In the heart of 1066 Country, between Battle and Rye, the village of Brede sits surrounded by rolling countryside, historic woodland and ancient legends. Nearby, visitors can stand on the battlefield where England changed forever or wander Rye’s cobbled medieval streets beneath the towers of Ypres Tower.
Set within a 500-acre sheep farm overlooking the Brede Valley, Hare Farm Oast offers a beautifully immersive connection to that landscape and history. Once used to dry hops when this part of Sussex was filled with hop gardens and hop pickers, the building’s original round kilns remain at its heart, now transformed into striking living spaces that blend historic character with understated luxury. This is the kind of place where mornings begin with coffee and birdsong overlooking the valley and evenings end beside the wood-burning stove with local wine or beer after a day exploring the surrounding coastline, castles and villages.
You can view more details or book your stay, here: Hare Farm Oast
Sussex offers something increasingly rare: authenticity, atmosphere, depth of experience and the chance to slow down properly.
If you’d like to know more or book your stay, visit: Bloom Stays
You can find out more about Ashdown Forest, Hastings and Rye, here:
