Bringing in the New Year at Bell Cottage Benington

I had planned to publish this review much sooner, but as we reach the halfway point of the year, it feels like a good time to reflect on how it began and where we want it to go…

With the state of the world and the economy, more and more of us are trying to find ways to get away… a bit closer to home. In this post, I share my first ever experience organising a UK staycation (also late in life, I know) and visiting a destination that was wonderful in Winter but, in my opinion, could be even better enjoyed in the Summer.

Let’s go back in time a bit. The New Year. A time of celebration, review and reflection. Many of us feel that inexplicable social pressure to do something to commemorate it. It must go off with a bang! This randomly assigned date, else did the past year even count?!

That beautiful year of 2025, I had no plans for the bringing in of 2026. It was the final days of November and I had mixed feelings. You go through enough New Years and your inner worth is not reflected by outside expectations anymore. Still, the tug and pressure to do SOMETHING remained.

So, I turned to my best friend T (the one who had sojourned to Greece with me) casually asking if her plans had been solidified. She had several offers in various parts of the country but she had the seed of another idea.

“I was thinking I might just go to some cottage in the countryside and bring in the New Year dancing with a glass of wine in hand.”

Well, this idea sung to me. It was perfect. At this point in our lives, still young, but no longer inexperienced, we had seen it all. Fireworks in Central by the London Eye (never again, more like grope central followed by sardine can mission to get home). The classic house party, an improvement on venturing into the city, copious drinks and socialising, crowding on balconies, or the humbler television to count down giddily together. A crowning past memory for me was Brazil on the beach, watching the sky fill with light above the ocean and the birds scatter across it.

But…. Failing going abroad, I wanted something different. Something quieter. Without waiting in the cold for an uber that was double the price and took half an hour to almost arrive then cancel. Without tossing about on someone’s sofa.

Instead of navigating small talk with strangers along with all the rest of that expectant executive dysfunction, something idyllic, special. Something different. T and I have been best friends for nigh on 13 years now.  We’d spoken about going away somewhere beautiful and isolated as a creative retreat, to focus on our writing in the countryside. Was there a more meaningful time to do it than the New Year? As the saying goes, it can set the tone for the entire year to come.

Now we weren’t planning on going anywhere exotic, Christmas time is expensive and we didn’t want to break the bank, but we still wanted quality. The search began. Nothing was quite hitting the mark, too isolated, too far, too expensive, couldn’t arrive the day before New Year’s Eve. No wifi (we were both working reduced hours remotely).

And then… there it was. Glowing at me from my computer screen.

The Bell Cottages in Benington.

You had your pick of one of two renovated cottages by the quaint cosy village of Benington. 10 minutes from Stevenage station by car. With Stevenage 20-30 minutes from Kings Cross station by train. So not too far outside London. It was set in beautiful scenic countryside, could fit up to 4 people, and at £233 total for two nights, was a steal, particularly for New Years Eve. In our case it equated to under £60 a night each, a group of 4 would be looking at under £30 a night.

Under Air BnB, the host had kindly provided us with the option of paying only £45 at the time of booking in November and the rest 3 weeks later. Very handy for anyone reading this who wanted to secure somewhere but needed a bit more time to have the full amount. And we could cancel and refund by the day before. Perfect.

I’ll be honest, as far as adulting has gone so far, AirBnB was not a service I had ever used before. Luckily for me, the process for signing up was simple. I needed a photo of either ID verification (driver’s licence, passport) or proof of address with a number and email and I was good to go. Waiting in anticipation, refreshing my inbox. Until, only an hour later we were accepted! Excitement could begin! The host Rashieda was lovely and prompt with messages via AirBnB, providing a number closer to the time.

Our very own country escape, it felt bougie, classy, like we were practicing for the life and freedom we deserved.

And so the day arrived, 30th December 2025. We opted to skip the train from Kings Cross to Stevenage. A taxi for us was only about 20 quid each so we thought “why not?”

The hosts were very responsive and let us know 20 minutes before arrival that they would leave the door open with the key inside. We had been warned that unfortunately what had formerly been a big attraction for this place, the Bell Pub directly next door, was now boarded up and closed. That being said, it did make for a quieter and more peaceful stay, which was, after all, the vibe we were going for.

As we came in, we were met with a stunning sunset trickling in through glass doors that looked out onto, what would have been the pub garden, and the seemingly endless fields beyond.  This warm light fell upon a charming and cosy living room. I loved the exposed wooden beams, and there was a small, slightly wonky TV in the corner, not like we planned on spending much time watching Telly. A round wooden table stood in the opposite corner with four chairs, and a little bowl of chocolates sat invitingly on the place mats.

The one issue? Our timing. It was Winter, there was flagstone flooring, and it was freezing. But the radiators did a good job of heating the place up and there were plenty of blankets provided. Something to be prepared for in the colder months but if you’re planning a UK staycation this Summer that’s affordable and straight forward to get to then you might well be in luck.

There was a compact, clean kitchen that led off the living room to the left, facing a bathroom on the right. With some fiddling, we figured out that there was heated flooring for the kitchen and the bathroom. Bounding up the stairs, we discovered that the loft had been converted into a bedroom.

There stood a spacious double bed. To the left of it a raised platform and a smaller single bed. Lying on the single at my height of 5ft9, I didn’t exactly fit. T is shorter so would have fit more comfortably but was worried about getting up and down the platform in the middle of the night. Why not share the double bed you ask? 4 words. Tall girl who starfishes. We discovered that the sofa downstairs was a fold out bed. And there were was your 4-person capacity. Everything was fair and comfortable enough for the price.  

We used the electric stove and utensils provided to cook up the pasta and packet sauce we’d brought with us. If you drive, then Stevenage town centre is close by for groceries. If not, I recommend bringing easy to cook bits like we did. We sat on the sofa as we enjoyed our meal and admired the beauty of the sunset. There was a door opening on to a small patio. But cautiously pushing the door, try as we might, we could not get it to open. The lack of curtains also left us feeling slightly exposed, particularly in the evening. I would advise having a word with the hosts about the door and enquiring about curtains as you will want that open in the Summer.

For our evening activity, we watched the footie. Arsenal won (of course…. From that moment we knew it was going to be our year and for the prem it certainly has been). Then we embarked on a new tradition you yourself might want to try.

The previous year, on New Year’s Eve, I had written a letter to myself that could only be opened the next time that day came around. T had joined me on this so we had our letters with us. We had planned to wait until the next evening to open them but just couldn’t help ourselves. I must admit that as I opened it, I only then recalled I was not exactly sober when I wrote this letter, and my writing skills certainly did not shine. In reading it however, I reflected on just how far I’d come in a single year. The poor habits and lack lustre connections I’d left behind, alongside some highlights I’d hardly thought of and cherished remembering. T’s letter was in far better shape, well written, neat and deeply contemplative.

I think it is a gift to stop and consider how far you’ve come and how much potential life has for change. Even more cherished when that gift is shared with a best friend. A good note to end the night on.

As with the sunset, the sunrise the next morning was something to behold, sparkling over the morning frost. We were still working a half day remotely on the day of New Year’s Eve and set up our laptops on the small table. There was good working wifi, but we did need to keep moving the table to avoid being blinded by the sunlight. I for one, could not wait to shut my laptop closed. And the weather was very much on our side.

It was the perfect day for a bracing country walk. The nearest pub within walking distance was the Lordship Arms. A rustic country pub where the staff was cheerful and the locals welcoming, happy to crack a couple jokes with us as we waited for our orders. They were only serving sandwiches that day, probably on account of the day, but there was a good selection of craft beers and we had an abundance of snacks waiting for us at the cottage. The sun was bright but on the turning point of it’s journey and signalled the time for our return.

We passed beautiful fields and woodland peeking through beyond houses and fences. I felt an itch in me to explore. As we continued one I noticed a sort of grassy alley and a faded footpath sign. T said she would wait, I just felt a pull to see where it lead. Within a 100m I felt as if I was transported to a pocket of peace in the middle of the nowhere. Fields lit by the sun, and woodland copses beyond. I spotted a few people walking down different entrances with the same idea, wondering through the waving grasses. Each path felt like an island where you were partially submerged. T was glad she heeded my calls so she could experience that same spot. We took it all in and out as our clouds of breath floated away into the cold.

The sun had truly began to descend now. It was time to turn back. Comfortably sat in the cottage, relaxing with a glass of wine each in hand, we reflected again on our letters and everything we wanted to achieve the following year. We pondered what we would write in our new letters and also agreed to an additional element. To write letters to each other. An annual promise now fixed. T and I then proceeded to wile away the evening taking turns listening to different songs, dancing around the living room in jubilation.

Phone calls poured in from family before the champagne was cracked open and we watched the countdown on T’s laptop, hearing the boom of fireworks from surrounding homes. 2026 had begun.

As we return to the present, I would definitely recommend The Bell Cottages for a Summer getaway (or further down the year if you're more organised than me).

Our New Year’s celebrations set the tone for the year we’ve had so far and maybe it can do the same for your Summer.

Click this link if you would like to stay at the Bell Cottages and check it out for yourself!

I would take this moment perhaps to reflect on what has happened so far this year for you? Are the hopeful dreams you had going into the New Year now finding fruition?

What are you hoping that your Summer will bring?