Live the Simple Life with a Fancy Farm Stay

In the Eastern Algarve, between the mountains and ocean, Vila Monte is a classic farmhouse embodying a boho chic spirit. The lifestyle here is simple and timeless, harking back to village life of long ago. Surrounding the farm house are gardens full of native plants and fruit trees. Every season is harvest season and guests are welcomed to join in harvesting each week, whether for oranges in December or figs in July.

Nestled between the mountains and rivers in the Charlevoix region, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Le German Charlevoix Hotel & Spa combines the charm of the countryside with a cozy, sophisticated design. A working farm turned luxury hotel, its interiors feature country-inspired details such as barn doors and wooden pillars. Outside are big green pastures, where a farmstead grows organic produce for the restaurants and grazing sheep, highland cows and alpacas roam freely.

At the foot of the Simonbeg, Babylonstoren is one of the oldest Cape Dutch farms in the Franschhoek wine valley. Every aspect of this hotel, from the design to the restaurants, is inspired by the tapestry of the seasonally changing lands. The farmhouses and cottages are finished with whitewashed walls, elegant gables and hearty fireplaces. While here, guests can tour three and a half hectares of fruit and vegetable gardens, and taste a variety of wines, olive oils and teas from the region.

Situated on a 42,000-acre pastoral estate at the foothills of The Great Smoky Mountains, Blackberry Farm is a storybook escape from modern life. Just as the Cherokee and early Appalachians who farmed and foraged these lands, the farm continues to preserve and honor traditional land use practices. The Farmstead, foragers and the local community provide the chefs and artisans here with a bounty of vegetables, wild mushrooms, fruits, berries, fresh milks and cheeses.

Between the sea, dunes and pine trees, just an hour outside Lisbon, Areias do Seixo is an idyllic retreat built on principles of sustainability. Surrounding the property is a lovingly tended garden where organic vegetables, fruits, eggs, herbs and flowers provide food, decoration and essential oils for the hotel. Designed as a self-sustaining ecosystem, with its own micro-climate, it’s a natural haven for birds, bees, butterflies, lizards, frogs and humans.

In the heart of the Tuscan countryside, Borgo Santo Pietro is part of a large estate that is also home to a 300-acre working organic farm. Here are culinary gardens, vineyards, an artisan cheesemaking dairy, a cooking school and rolling green pastures. Farm-to-table dining can be experienced at the estate’s two Michelin restaurants—one at the hotel and one in Florence. For a more hands on experience, the hotel also offers many gourmet activities including cheesemaking, beekeeping and wine tasting.

Tucked in the Oxfordshire countryside, Belmond Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saisons is a 15^th-century manor where haute cuisine takes center stage. It sits in the midst of extensive grounds with manicured lawns, flower beds, vegetable gardens, an orchard, a mushroom valley and Japanese garden. At the heart of the property is the two Michelin-starred restaurant Raymond Blanc Obe, complemented by the Raymond Blanc Cookery School and Raymond Blanc Gardening School.

Deep in the forested mountains, 1,500 meters above sea level, you’ll find the Cameron Highlands Resort and its Tudor-style cottages—extensions of an original 1930s cottage. It’s endearingly known as “a little piece of England in Asia” because of its colonial style, featuring tall French doors, timber-beamed ceilings and plantation shutters. It’s the perfect home base for experiencing the Cameron Highlands, a region lush with tea plantations, strawberry and vegetable farms, jungle trails and cascading falls.

Nestled within 30,000 acres of the Great American West, the all-inclusive Brush Creek Ranch features an extensive farm providing guests with a fully immersive epicurean experience. Expert-led activities are held in the greenhouse, creamery, bakery, brewery, distillery, wine cellar and spirit vault. Fine dining is enjoyed at the Cheyenne Club, where sustainable, ranch-sourced cuisine takes prominence in the cooking demonstrations and multi-course tasting menus.

An Edwardian grand lodge set on the wild and rugged coast of the Wairarapa region, Wharekauhau recalls the grandeur of a country estate from a bygone era. Within its elegant walls are antique furniture, oversized fireplaces and a formal dining room flowing into a country kitchen. The estate spans 3,000 acres and is home to a farm dating back to the mid-1800s. Today, there are vegetable and herb gardens, fruit orchards and a herd of Romney sheep roaming amongst Black Angus cattle.