Where to have a good night's Kip this Summer?

We regularly lust over the holiday properties on the Kip Hideaways Instagram account, so we were thrilled when co-founder Liz Simpson agreed to an interview. Here she is, chatting about the best of British holidays, secret beaches, new properties with summer 2021 availability, and our client Cynefin Retreats – a bucolic hideaway in the Wye Valley.

How did the idea for Kip Hideaways come about?
We spotted a gap in the market for a travel membership club offering a very curated selection of properties compiled by industry experts, and also a gap for a site that only focused on small, super stylish and great-value hideaways. Most of the other sites out there have hundreds, if not thousands, of listings, which vary wildly in quality, size and price: we realised from our own experience that searching for a holiday had begun to feel like a chore rather than the sheer pleasure it should be! Our hideaways are the sort of places we'd search to find for our own holidays – off-the-radar ones, with bags of style, personality and exceptional attention to detail.

Why did you decide on a membership fee?

Rather than charge users a very high 'booking fee' at the final stage of booking, which seems rather disingenuous to us, we wanted to be upfront about being a club with a membership fee. Joining is super affordable though  (£14 per year) and gives people access to more than 130 amazing hideaways that we've personally selected. Users also get access to great perks and discounts from other independent brands we love, so the membership quickly pays for itself (in one booking or simply by taking advantage of a member discount).Joining Kip and finding properties through us also means entirely commission-free bookings for our owners, so 100% of their booking profits go to them, so they can reinvest in their business. We're supporting the travel industry at grass roots level, and championing small, independent businesses.

How do you source your properties?

Through thousands of hours of constant research! We are always looking for fabulous under-the-radar properties and exciting new openings.

Have you stayed at any of the properties, and do you have a favourite?

We're slowly working our way around. Lockdown slowed us down, but we're on the road as much as we can. We recently took a trip together to Scotland to visit a few Kip properties and were both absolutely blown away by The Wilderness Cabins in Oban (kiphideaways.com/hideaways/the-wilderness-cabins-oban). Secluded on the side of a freshwater loch, there are just two eco cabins in the most magical of settings, with utterly beautiful yet simple interiors. A stay here is entirely off-grid and back to nature: we were lighting fires to boil kettles for coffee, cooking seafood over the fire grill, wild swimming in the loch... we slowed right down and reconnected with nature and it was so regenerative and special. 

Given that we're all (mostly) about to have a Great British Summer, we'd love to hear more about Kip Hideaways with access to water! Do you have any properties with private access to lakes, beaches – or just amazing outdoor baths and showers?

Loads! At least half of our properties have an outdoor bath, shower, or wood-fired hot tub and we’re both huge fans of watersports and bathing outdoors. We've put together a special wild swimming collection, featuring places near lochs, lakes, rivers and the sea  (kiphideaways.com/collections/wild-swimming). Some of them are private stretches of water, some public, but we always look for quieter beaches and settings.

I adore the Wye Valley so can't wait to stay in these incredible pods (kiphideaways.com/hideaways/wye-valley-pods) and go swimming and kayaking along the River Wye, then home for a hot tub!

What are your favourite British Beaches, and are there Kip Hideaways nearby?

We love the quieter places. Godrevy Beach in Cornwall is an absolute gem and we were so excited to find this beautiful house there (kiphideaways.com/hideaways/godrevy-escape-cornwall). In Wales, the Ceredigion Coastal Path passes some spectacular, unspoilt beaches such as Llangrannog, Penbryn, Aberporth and Tresaith. This 18th-century thatched cottage is perfectly placed to visit them all; you wander through woodland to get to the coastal path (kiphideaways.com/hideaways/coastal-cottage-ceredigion).

What's your favourite get-away-from-the-crowds property for a summer holiday?

So many of our properties are beautifully secluded as it's something we really look for so it's hard to choose! I personally love to holiday in Wales and Scotland, for utterly spectacular scenery and a real lack of crowds, and West Coast Cabin Skye would be perfect for a week with my family (kiphideaways.com/hideaways/west-coast-cabin-skye).

Do you still have any summer availability and, if so, which properties should holidaymakers rush to get their hands on?

We launched The Airstream in Devon on Friday June 18 and it is absolutely epic; I stayed last week. Brand new to market, it had full availability for 2021 at launch. It's stunning, quirky, and has incredible views from the outdoor shower. You can walk right out onto rugged Dartmoor, see wild ponies and find secret wild swimming spots, or you can whiz to beaches (kiphideaways.com/hideaways/the-airstream-devon). 

What's your tip for the next big British destination?

I feel like Ireland is opening some really special new places set in breathtaking scenery, so that's one to watch. Also, Northumberland; it’s so beautiful. 

And, lastly, where would you go – and which property would you stay in – for a failsafe British break (for couples/families)?

For romance, this cabin in Devon is incredible, and its covered verandah means you'd be happy whatever the weather. I recommend this place to everyone for a minimoon/special anniversary (kiphideaways.com/hideaways/hulder-cabin-devon). For a family break, Whitstable Beach House has it all – superb style, loads of space, games for rainy days and the beach on your doorstep for flying kites, swimming and walking all year round. Plus, it's such a cute town with loads to do and great restaurants (kiphideaways.com/hideaways/whitstable-beach-house).

To see more Kip Hideaways, visit kiphideaways.com.