New Year’s. A time to be grateful for the year previous. A time to be hopeful about the year ahead. A time to set resolutions to continue good practices, change undesired traits or behaviours and accomplish personal goals.
But many of us find ourselves setting the same New Year’s resolutions each year but… never really stick to them for one reason or another.
So, for 2023, we thought why not shake things up a bit and create opportunities to really cement these habits into our daily lives?
That’s why we’ve rounded up 10 of the most popular New Year’s resolutions and offered suggestions for a 2023 getaway that will only strengthen our commitment to these habits.
From trying to eat less meat to trying something new, from spending more time with family and friends to having a digital detox, we promise that we’ve got you covered.
Read on below to find out where you should visit this coming year based on your New Year’s resolutions.
Resolution: Dry January
Enjoy a remote Scottish getaway, away from any civilisation
Those brave enough to give ‘Dry January’ might enjoy a remote getaway, away from all temptation, and the Scottish countryside is the perfect place for this with plenty of cabins and bothys to retreat to.
Pine Marten Cabin is nestled in the towering pine forest of Leckmelm Wood, in the Scottish Highlands, and is completely and utterly remote. The ideal place for eliminating all temptation, the local village is two and half mile cycle away and instead, you will be surrounded by nothing but Scottish Highland wilderness and a loch, which is but a short walk away.
Sleeping four guests in two bedrooms, Pine Marten Cabin is the perfect place to eliminate the temptation of pubs, meaning that visitors here won’t be enticed to give up their dry New Year’s Resolution anytime soon.
Resolution: Digital Detox
Stay in a remote Scottish bothy with no connection to society
In today’s increasingly digital world, we find ourselves always ‘on’ and contactable at all times through wifi, phone reception and social media. So, anyone considering cutting back on their digital use in the new year can really amplify this by taking a trip to the remote Scottish Highlands where it’s almost impossible to be contacted.
Laggan, on the Ardnish Peninsular, offers the rare opportunity to get back to basics and enjoy the Scottish wilderness where you will be in complete isolation. Only accessible by boat or hiking, Laggan offers complete seclusion from the outside world and leaves no room for spending a stay on your electronic devices.
With no wifi or electricity, the property is the perfect destination for a digital detox this new year and sleeps up to five guests across three bedrooms. Forget Instagram and Facebook and instead fill your time collecting driftwood, cooking hand-picked mussels on the beach and bonding with loved ones over board games.
Resolution: Be More Environmentally Friendly
Enjoy a stay in a sustainably-built eco-barn
More and more people are becoming conscious of their carbon footprint and this awareness often filters into people’s new year’s enthusiasm. If anyone is looking for a January getaway but is keen to keep their impact on the planet minimal, we suggest opting for an eco-property.
For example, Bower Bank EcoBarn has been constructed with environmental principles at the forefront, with insulation made from natural fleece and the main heating for the property being generated from a ground source heat pump. All energy used to fuel the home is 100% renewable and its toilets are even flushed using collected rainwater!
Sleeping eight people across three bedrooms, its eco-friendly credentials do not mean that those staying at Bower Bank must forego luxury as it has been refurbished to the highest standard whilst retaining many original features and embracing sustainable principles.
Resolution: Increasing Your Step Count
Visit the Peak District, the UK’s original national park that spans 555 square miles
For those hoping to amp up their step count this new year, there is no better destination than the beautiful rural countryside of the Peak District. The national park offers some of the country’s most phenomenal walking routes, which you have prime access to whilst staying at Maigold Cottage.
A delightful single-storey holiday cottage near Bakewell. Its stone-flagged entrance porch is the ideal place for putting your muddy boots and coats before retiring to the large sitting room with a large log burner to soothe your aching legs. The property sleeps four guests across two people and even welcomes four-legged friends.
With picturesque villages, woodland walks, and stretching valleys on your doorstep, there’s no doubt you’ll increase your step count in no time!
Resolution: Spending More Time Outdoors
Stay within the confines of the UK’s largest National Park
Appreciating nature and spending more time outdoors is often a resolution high on many people’s lists in the new year so, if it’s on yours, why not take a trip to the largest National Park in the UK? The Scottish Cairngorms stretches a whopping 1,748 sq miles and is a prime location to venture out into and reconnect with nature.
Nestled in the majestic Speyside landscape, with the Cairngorms National Park only a stone’s throw away, there’s ample opportunity to explore the wilderness of this Scottish natural wonder during a stay in Weiroch Lodge. The property sleeps up to eight guests in three en-suite bedrooms and is typically decorated with tartans and tweeds.
You’ll want to spend the majority of your time here outside though, as the area has so much to offer including hiking, biking, kayaking, wildlife tours and even winter sports. You really can’t get much close to nature.
Resolution: Spend More Time With The Family
Take a whole family holiday in a property big enough to host you all
It’s easy to succumb to the hustle and bustle of the daily grind and, as a result, neglect to spend quality time with those who mean the most. So, for anyone wanting to spend more time with their family in the new year, why not start as you mean to go on with a big family getaway?
Lavender Barn is the perfect place for large families as it hosts up to 12 guests across six bedrooms. The 200-year old property offers the opportunity to bond and form memorable experiences with plenty of activities to take part in. These include a games room, an indoor heated pool, an outdoor hot tub and spacious grounds, as well as boasting cycling routes and other group activities nearby.
Not to mention that it was awarded a coveted 5-star Gold award from Visit England and also has a host of impressive eco-friendly credentials. So, if you’re looking to reconnect with family and friends in the coming year, this Somerset property is the ideal way to start.
Resolution: Do More Cooking
Visit the Lake District, one of the UK’s top foodie destinations
For anyone looking to develop their culinary skills, why not take a trip to one of the UK’s top foodie destinations? As the county with the most Michelin stars, Cumbria is the perfect place to escape for a getaway surrounded by fantastic cuisine.
Whilst here, stay at Heron Beck, a four-bedroom property sleeping eight guests in Grasmere, Cumbria. The large property offers a modern, open-plan kitchen where you show off your own cooking abilities and a spacious dining room where everyone can sit down together to enjoy whatever delicacy has been rustled up.
Within walking distance, you can also enjoy the Michelin-star food of The Forest Side restaurant as well as lots of other reputable restaurants and cafes in the village – the perfect place for anyone looking to expand their culinary prowess.
Resolution: Veganuary
Head to Brighton, the city with the most vegan restaurants in the UK
As the UK city with the highest density of vegan restaurants, Brighton is a vegan foodie’s dream! So, if you’re doing veganuary or are committing to veganism indefinitely, the city offers a great mix of venues from plant-led fine dining to mock-meat junk food,
2 Moatside Cottage is only a mere 25-minute drive from the city’s town centre and offers a stylish holiday home for four people with a contemporary and welcoming feel. The quaint cottage sleeps four guests across two bedrooms and is a comfortable retreat for any time of the year.
Those choosing to stay in its blissful countryside setting are never far from the assortment of delectable restaurants and eateries on offer – with many meat-free, of course!
Resolution: Read More
Stay in a property right from the pages of a literary classic
When it comes to making New Year’s resolutions, many typically commit to one that relates to reading through concepts like ‘52 Books in 52 Weeks’. And, anyone looking for a new years getaway that will complement their literary resolutions should consider a trip inside a classic novel.
Inspired by Edith Nesbit’s ‘The Railway Children’, Railway Cottage in Dunster, Somerset, allows you to rediscover your inner railway child with a unique property right next to a train line. This holiday cottage is a literary lover’s dream as you’ll feel you’ve come straight from the pages of the literary classic when you spot vintage trains chugging past your window.
Sleeping up to six guests in three bedrooms, the nostalgic building was even designed by the famous engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel.
Resolution: Try Something New
Take an adventure holiday and put yourself out of your comfort zone
The new year is a time when many decide to put themselves out of their comfort zones and try something new, whatever it may be. So, for those challenging themselves to this in 2023, an adventure holiday could be just the ticket.
23 The Cottages in Wrington, Somerset, is a fantastic option for anyone looking to broaden their horizons thanks to it being a stone’s throw away from the Mendip Hills and Mendip Activity Centre. Here you can enjoy horseback riding, caving, kayaking and even skiing in the colder months.
The two-bedroom end of terrace sleeps up to six people in two bedrooms and provides the utmost comfort after a long day of activities including White Company towels and a Nespresso coffee machine.
