The Hadlow Tower

The word 'cottage' is used to cover all sorts of holiday properties in the UK but in the case of The Hadlow Tower (one of the tallest and best-preserved Gothic follies in England) it doesn't quite do the job – indeed if there is a more fairytale place to stay in England (let alone Kent) then we have yet to find it. This 50-metre-high Gothic tower – also known as 'May's Folly' – has been recently converted into a unique four-bedroom holiday home-from-home with genuinely 360-degree views over the Kent countryside from its Rapunzel-like heights.

An exhibition space on the ground floor has displays on the building's history and renovation – it was built in the mid-19th century as part of a grand Gothic castle by a charismatic and passionate landed merchant. The rest of the castle was demolished in the 1950s, but the Grade 1-listed tower received a stunning, multi-million-pound renovation.

The accommodation is spread over no fewer than five floors, connected by two spiral staircases and even an elevator that runs from bottom to top. There is a well-equipped kitchen and attached dining room on the first floor, a small bedroom, family bathroom and sitting room with log-burning stove and very high ceilings on the second floor, plus a twin bedroom and two further doubles with en-suite bathrooms on the upper two floors. The views are predictably fabulous from up here, and although you can't actually go to the top of the tower, this is open to visitors every Thursday between April and September (though these don't impinge on the holiday property at all). The property is surrounded by three acres of ground, which include a section of woodland and a boating lake, and the village is a pleasant place for a idle wander. There are also a couple of nice half-day loops you can do into the countryside beyond.

It's self-catering, with a welcome pack of basic grocery items to greet you on arrival, but you can also hire a chef for the night if you can't be bothered to cook. Owners Christian and Rebecca will also arrange for chilled champagne on request, or connect you with a local florist to provide flowers for a particularly special occasion – even lay on a string quartet or a magician for your entertainment or recommend laundry collection and delivery services.

Could there be a better or more romantic place for a impromptu – and surprisingly easy – escape from London?