At This Luxurious British Nation Lodge, You Can Retrace Cameron Diaz’s Footsteps in ‘The Vacation.’ I Tried It for Myself

I’m not precisely recognized for my style in movies. And by that I imply, give me a tacky rom-com over an Oscar-winning drama any day. However one movie I do know is beloved by each “critical” movie critics and myself is The Vacation. In case you reside beneath a rock—or, extra fairly, detest Christmas movies and select to disregard the style utterly—the Nancy Meyers romance is a Hollywood basic. Starring Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet, it follows two single ladies who do a home swap over the festive season. Diaz, a movie editor, relocates from Los Angeles to the English countryside, whereas Winslet, a journalist, heads Stateside for the vacations. They meet males (Jack Black and Jude Legislation, in all his glasses-wearing glory), fall in love, and stay fortunately ever after. It’s a masterpiece, and I simply obtained to relive Cameron Diaz’s plot line on a visit to Beaverbrook (minus the falling in love with Jude Legislation half).

Photograph: Courtesy of Beaverbrook

Let’s set the scene. I used to be sitting at my desk in Vogue HQ, when my colleague Hayley pulled me into a close-by assembly room. My fast ideas had been, “Oh my God, I’m in bother,” however reader, I used to be not. As a substitute, on account of my being a “rom-com fanatic” (a really apt description of me), she requested me to assessment one thing referred to as Surrey on Movie: The Vacation at Beaverbook, a five-star property within the coronary heart of the Surrey Hills. I used to be, I discovered, to be whisked away for a two-night keep to “comply with within the footsteps of Cameron Diaz’s character, Amanda.” Signal me up.

Upon arriving on the sprawling property on a crisp November afternoon, I instantly WhatsApped the good friend who can be becoming a member of me on the resort a couple of hours later, “Holy shit, this place.” I can confidently say I’ve by no means stayed wherever fairly so luxurious within the UK—however you’re right here for The Vacation breakdown, so let’s start.