...Which Traveller are you? Autumn Embracer or Extended Summer Seeker?

As the UK's first proper rainfall of the season has arrived, and is forecast for the week ahead, two distinct mindsets are emerging among UK holidaymakers: those embracing the slower rhythm of autumn at home, and those chasing an extended summer abroad. 

For some, it's the cue to embrace autumn fully: log fires, woolly jumpers and long walks in the rain. For others, it's a reminder to extend the summer a little longer, chasing the sun south while the getting is good. September is fast becoming one of the most desirable months for a European holiday, as UK travellers increasingly look beyond the traditional August getaway in search of better value, fewer crowds and more comfortable temperatures. Find some Autumn inspiration below:

For the Autumn Embracer: Thorpeness, Suffolk

Thorpeness is an eccentric Edwardian holiday village on the Suffolk Heritage Coast that feels delightfully frozen in time, and comes into its own as the seasons turn. Visitors can row through a Peter Pan-inspired Neverland: hiring a rowing boat, canoe or punt on Thorpeness Meare and navigating its islands inspired by J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan, including Wendy's House and the Pirate's Lair. Some of the boats date back to the Meare's early years, giving it a particularly nostalgic feel.

Otherwise, whilst in Thorpeness, visitors can play tennis, cycle along quiet coastal lanes and spend unhurried days beachcombing, fossil-hunting and exploring the sandy shoreline. With its mock-Tudor architecture and fisherman's huts, it captures the simple pleasures of a traditional British seaside holiday, made all the cosier with an autumn chill in the air.

Accommodation is available at ARC Thorpeness, a Grade II-listed former water tower overlooking the village and coast. Opened in November 2025, the design-led house sleeps 20 across eight ensuite bedrooms, with a wood-fired hot tub, large garden and an outdoor pool, an ideal spot to gather as the evenings draw in. Prices start from £625 per night, or £31 per person per night based on 20 guests staying four nights midweek.

Another for the Autumn Embracer: Whatley Manor, Cotswolds

Whatley Manor, the five-star country house hotel and spa in the Cotswolds, has launched its new Country House Escape, a break designed for guests who want to leave the pace of city life behind, slow down and let the days unfold at their own pace. Available from 1st September 2026, the offer invites guests to wander Whatley's 12 acres of restored gardens, linger over afternoon tea and lose themselves in a good book, embracing the slower rhythm of country house living as the nights draw in.

The stay unfolds across the day: a Regency-style Afternoon Tea served in the Drawing Room, an evening of seasonal dining in Grey's, and a freshly prepared breakfast the following morning. The afternoon tea brings together classic and contemporary flavours, from cucumber and rocket, smoked salmon with dill cream cheese, and glazed ham with wholegrain mustard mayonnaise finger sandwiches, alongside a goats cheese and leek quiche, homemade fruit and buttermilk scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam, and sweet treats including Valrhona chocolate choux buns, lemon meringue tart, honey and pistachio Battenberg, and macarons, served with a specially selected Lapsang Souchong 'Wholly Smoke' Chinese black tea.

The Country House Escape includes overnight accommodation, full breakfast, the Regency-style Afternoon Tea, a £45 per person allowance towards dinner in Grey's, and use of the spa from 1pm on the day of arrival to 1pm on the day of departure. Prices start from £1,008 based on two guests staying for two nights in a Classic room (minimum two-night stay).

For the Extended Summer Seeker: Martinhal Sagres, Algarve, Portugal

Located on the eastern tip of Portugal’s Algarve coast, Martinhal Sagres is a five-star beachfront resort that enjoys September sunshine and highs of 25 degrees. The Extended Summer package includes savings on selected stays from 5th September to 16th October 2026, with accommodation options ranging from stylish hotel rooms to spacious beach villas ideal for multi-generational travel. The package includes complimentary access to the inigolf course, gym and Martinhal's family facilities, including the Zip-line, Blue Room, Climbing Wall, heated pools, award-winning kids’ clubs, baby concierge services and easy beach access. Parents can enjoy spa treatments, water sports and excellent restaurants while children have supervised fun, making it an easy and relaxing option for families travelling with younger children after the summer peak.

Extended Summer rates include:

• 1–2 nights: Beach Room (2 adults + 1 baby) from £225 per night, breakfast included; 2-Bedroom Garden House (up to 2 adults + 2 children + 1 baby) from £240 per night, self-catering

• 3–6 nights: Beach Room from £210 per night, breakfast included; 2-Bedroom Garden House from £225 per night, self-catering

• 7+ nights: stay 7, pay for 6; Beach Room from £180 per night, breakfast included; 2-Bedroom Garden House from £195 per night, self-catering

Also for the Extended Summer Seeker: Murcia City, Spain

For those chasing genuine summer heat rather than a mild afternoon, Region of Murcia delivers with over 300 days of sunshine each year and 250km of beaches along the Costa Cálida ("Warm Coast"). September highs in the regional capital, Murcia City, still reach around 30°C, with warm evenings well into the low 20s, so it's less a farewell to summer than a continuation of it. 

A new chapter in Murcia's hospitality scene begins this autumn, as bookings open for the five-star Palacio San Juan, a Royal Hideaway Hotel, from September 2026. Occupying a prime position in the heart of the historic centre, the hotel's arrival marks a turning point for the regional capital, becoming the city's first five-star property. Operated by Barceló Hotel Group, the project restores the striking neoclassical façade of Palacio de Floridablanca, an architectural landmark with more than three centuries of history, with reimagined interiors that evoke the grandeur of the past.

Gastronomy will form a central part of the experience, with the hotel drawing inspiration from Murcia City's renowned market gardens and embracing locally sourced, zero-kilometre produce. The à la carte restaurant, Ocra, will be led by acclaimed chef Juanlu Fernández, a recipient of two Michelin stars. This brand new 5-star, Palacio San Juan, is priced from £273 per night per room (accommodation only) or £287 per night per room (B&B). Fly to the Region of Murcia directly with easyJet from London Gatwick, London Luton, Bristol and Manchester.