Morris to Mackintosh

Leave your home on an overnight flight to London.

Arrive in London, a vibrant city with a rich cultural history that spans nearly two millennia. Check in to our elegant 5-star boutique hotel, ideally located in beautiful South Kensington. Meet your Frank Lloyd Wright hosts and fellow travelers. We begin with the magnificent home and studio of painter Frederic Leighton. The lavish “private palace of art” is decorated from floor-to-ceiling by a wealth of artwork and sumptuous finishes of beauty — including decoration by Walter Crane and tiles by William De Morgan — and represents the highest ideals of the British Aesthetic Movement, out of which the Arts and Crafts Movement grew. Next, take a short walking tour to explore other Arts and Crafts-era houses in the neighborhood. Return to the hotel. In the evening, get to know your fellow travelers during cocktails and dinner at the hotel.
The Kensington, London | Dinner

After breakfast at the hotel, stroll to the nearby Victoria & Albert Museum, founded in the wake of the Great Exhibition of 1851 in celebration of the ingenuity of British manufacturers. Our visit starts with a brief look at the Medieval galleries — which served as inspiration for William Morris and his contemporaries — before exploring works by leading British Arts and Crafts luminaries whose work we will explore in-depth in the coming days. After viewing the beautiful William Morris-designed Green Dining Room, enjoy free time to have lunch, see more of the vast collection, or shop at the excellent gift shop. Then, depart by bus for the V&A East Storehouse to see Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1935-1937 office for Edgar J Kaufmann — one of the most celebrated twentieth-century objects in the V&A’s collections. It retains all of its original woodwork, furniture, carpets, and textiles and was thoroughly restored before installation.

Next, visit the William Morris Gallery, Morris’ family home during his teenage years from 1848 to 1856, to learn more about this great man. After a brief introduction, you will be free to view the exhibits and explore the Grade II* listed 1792 Georgian house and grounds. Return to the hotel for an evening at leisure to enjoy the city’s exciting dining and nightlife.
The Kensington | Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast at the hotel, we bid farewell to bustling London. Crowds, concrete and traffic soon give way to the rolling, verdant hills of the famed English countryside of the idyllic Cotswolds region. Our first stop is Rodmarton Manor, constructed in 1909 using only traditional building methods and local materials, and described by Charles Ashbee as “…the single best example of the Arts and Crafts movement.” After a private lunch, we will be welcomed by owner John Biddulph before seeing the home, garden and excellent collection of original Arts and Crafts style furniture on our own.

Proceed to the village of Broadway to check into our Michelin-recommended, historic hotel, where King Charles I once stayed. Take a short walk to the nearby Gordon Russell Design Museum, dedicated to the work of this influential 20^th century design pioneer. Educated in the Arts and Crafts tradition of the Cotswolds, he believed that good design has a positive impact on people’s lives. He championed innovative, forward-thinking, and high-quality design, embracing the machine to make beautiful furniture and decorative arts accessible to all. His style evolved from the Arts and Craft through Modernism, Post-War, and Mid-Century Modern.

Return to the hotel. Your evening is at leisure to explore the charming shops, artisanal delis and restaurants along high street.

After breakfast, set off to West Oxfordshire to enjoy an in-depth private tour of Kelmscott Manor, a listed Grade I limestone manor house which was William Morris’s country home from 1871 until his death in 1896. Morris so loved the house’s setting, traditional craftsmanship, and its organic relationship to the garden — that he chose to be buried at nearby St. George’s Church. Here, the fascinating lives of Morris, his wife Jane and long-term guests, including Dante Gabriel Rossetti — artist, poet and founder of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood — come alive amidst the beautiful collection of artwork, books, and Morris & Co. furniture and decorations.

Then, proceed to the storybook-perfect town of Chipping Campden, where the Arts and Crafts movement flourished at the start of the 20th century after Charles Robert Ashbee relocated his Guild and School of Handicraft from London’s East End in 1902. After lunch at a local pub, take a guided walking tour of this beguiling town, including visits to the Court Barn Museum and Hart Silversmiths, established in 1907 and the last remaining Guild of Handicraft workshop, now in its fourth generation.

Return to our hotel in Broadway for an evening at leisure.
The Lygon Arms Hotel| Breakfast, Lunch

Depart after breakfast for Wightwick Manor (1887-1888) designed by architect Edward Ould for paint manufacturer Theodore Mander, a firm believer in the tenets of the Arts and Crafts Movement. The spacious manor is furnished to the highest standard with wallpaper, textiles and furnishings by Morris & Co. and boasts an important collection of paintings by Edward Burne-Jones, Dante Gabriel Rossetti and G.F. Watts. You will have time to have lunch on your own, visit the gallery, or explore the gardens. Then, depart Wolverhampton for the storied Lake District and arrive at our hilltop hideaway overlooking Lake Windemere.

In the morning, set off to explore the work of two influential architect-designers; starting with M. H. Baillie Scott’s magnificent Blackwell House (1901) — which survives in a remarkable state of preservation, retaining almost all of its decorative features, including stained glass and furniture by Baillie Scott himself and metalwork by W.A.S. Benson. German architect Hermann Muthesius described Blackwell as “one of the most attractive creations that the new movement in housebuilding has produced” and credited Baillie Scott with “the new idea of the interior as an autonomous work of art.” Next, visit nearby Broad Leys, one of C.F.A. Voysey’s finest works. The substantial hipped roof of Westmoreland slate is balanced by three towering bow windows that overlook Lake Windermere.

Next, drive to Lake Coniston and Brantwood, the home of influential Victorian critic and writer, John Ruskin. After lunch at Brantwood’s Terrace Coffee House and Restaurant, you will have ample time to wander the estate and its many splendid gardens. Return to the hotel for an evening at leisure. Explore nearby central Windermere, take a hike along a wooded pathway, or take in the view from the hotel’s many decks and windows. Return to the hotel for an evening at leisure.
Linthwaite House | Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast, journey over the English/Scottish border to Glasgow, a city rich in Victorian and Art Nouveau architecture and the birthplace of architect and designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Upon arrival, enjoy cream tea at his iconic Willow Tea Rooms. First opened in October of 1903 for tea merchant Catherine Cranston, it quickly gained popularity, especially amongst women, as a place to gather. The lavishly designed building contains many original features and was fully restored, largely to Mackintosh’s original designs, between 2014 and 2018.

In the afternoon, visit the Hunterian Art Gallery for a special visit with introduction by Curator Joseph Sharples, followed by a free flow visit in small groups of the Mackintosh House — a meticulous recreation of the architect and his wife, Margaret MacDonald’s home — with interiors featuring their own furniture. We end our day at the ground-breaking Mackintosh Church at Queen’s Cross (1888-89), now the home of the Mackintosh Society. The simple, yet warm and inviting interior — filled with beautiful stained-glass windows and delicate, Japanese-inspired decorative carvings — shows the young architect’s genius. Check into your centrally located hotel. Your evening is free to enjoy as you wish in vibrant central Glasgow.
Hotel Dakota Glasgow | Breakfast, Lunch

In the morning, travel to Helensburgh to visit Mackintosh’s finest residential commission, Hill House. Designed in 1902 for publisher Walter Blackie, it is a consummate expression of Mackintosh’s visionary design philosophy. The interior was conceived as a total environment, and Mackintosh designed everything — from the built-in wardrobes and furniture — to the lighting and fire tongs. The exterior of local sandstone and Portland cement could not stand up to the west coast Scottish weather over the decades, and the house is protected by a metal mesh enclosure which has allowed the house to dry out gradually over 15 years during its much-needed conservation.

Next, enjoy an exclusive visit to a significant historic home. We are invited by the owner, who has meticulously restored the stunning home and gardens.

Return to Glasgow to freshen up for our gala Farewell Dinner at House for An Art Lover, based on Mackintosh’s 1901 design and built between 1989-1996. We have the entire building reserved exclusively for us.
Hotel Dakota Glasgow | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

The journey ends after breakfast. Or extend your journey to Edinburgh or beyond.

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Daily Itinerary subject to change.