About Time: For An Amazing 48-Hour AdventureBy Angelica Malin

We all know what it feels like to want to get away from it all. If your life is dominated by work, you’ll know just how important it is to make the most of your free time. Squeeze every last bit of fun out of your weekend by escaping from the daily grind and enjoying a holiday to remember with one of these 48-hour retreats… with a difference.

Take a trip to a treehouse

Do you ever find yourself reminiscing on the simpler times? Back when your most pressing concerns in life were whether to do a spot of colouring-in, build a fort in the living room or scale one of the trees in the neighbourhood. Well, these unique treehouses in Powys, Wales, can transport you back to your childhood with a touch of sophistication and class. Equipped with wood-burning stoves and all the modern cons, these tastefully designed structures allow you to get in touch with nature and your inner child all in one go.

Image Credit: J P

Let go and loosen up on a luxury cruise

Despite popular belief, luxury cruises aren’t reserved for the rich and famous. What’s more, they don’t have to require a week or two off work. Cruise Deals have put together an exciting and affordable package aboard the Celebrity Eclipse liner, affording vacationers the chance to experience world-class facilities aboard the vessel and the tantalising delights of Paris on dry land. 48 hours have never felt so sumptuous.

Image credit: Albert de Bruijn

There and back again

Fans of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings will be enchanted by the Hobbit Hut rental business, based in Cornwall. Fantasy fiction enthusiasts can hire the mobile homes and give a unique twist to their camping experience, wherever that may be. And they won’t appeal solely to aficionados of Tolkien’s work either, since their inimitable appearance and the cosy home comforts offered inside will appeal to lovers of all things quirky and eccentric.

Image credit: Michael B. Johnson

Professor Plum in the library with the candlestick

If you fancy yourself as a bit of an expert armchair detective, why not test out your sleuthing skills with a themed murder mystery weekend. 33 years ago, Joy Swift came up with the ingenious idea of a murder mystery weekend break, combining amateur investigating with a relaxing vacation in lavish surroundings. You can book the event at a multitude of hotels across England and get completely lost in an enthralling story for a whole two days.

Image credit: Janine

Up with the drawbridge, down with the portcullis!

Living in the UK, we are blessed with an abundance of antiquated castles and fortresses across the country, often situated in breathtakingly picturesque locations. Thankfully, there are a number of these old fortifications which are available for hire to the general public, so we can all get to feel what it would be like to be king for a day! Combining banquets fit for royalty with luxuriant interiors and awe-inspiring façades, staying in a castle for the weekend is truly the stuff of dreams.

Image credit: Alan Bloom

And there you have it – you’re sure to go back to work on Monday with some stories to tell after any of these 48 hour retreats with a difference…