The Hotel

Centred around a beautifully restored 13th-century château, Domaine des Étangs offers a deeply immersive escape that celebrates the beauty of the French countryside through history, creativity, and nature. Located in the heart of the Charente region, around 45 minutes from Angoulême and within easy reach of Bordeaux and Cognac, the estate feels wonderfully secluded, surrounded by ancient woodland, wildflower meadows, and seven tranquil lakes that have shaped the landscape for centuries.

The château has been thoughtfully reimagined to preserve its historic soul while embracing understated contemporary luxury. Individually designed rooms and suites pair original stonework, timber beams, and antique furnishings with bespoke contemporary pieces, natural textures, and curated artworks that reflect the estate’s enduring relationship with creativity. Beyond the château, guests can choose to stay in beautifully restored farmhouses and cottages scattered across the estate, offering a more private residential experience while remaining connected to the wider Domaine.

Throughout the property, art is woven into everyday life. Monumental sculptures, site-specific installations, and carefully curated exhibitions sit harmoniously within the landscape, reinforcing the estate’s philosophy that culture and nature should exist in dialogue rather than in contrast.

Amenities

Life at Domaine des Étangs unfolds at the gentle pace of the surrounding countryside. The estate’s Michelin-starred restaurant, Dyades, celebrates the richness of the Charente through a hyper-seasonal tasting menu built around ingredients harvested from the Domaine’s own organic gardens, orchards, and nearby producers. Every dish reflects a deep respect for biodiversity and the changing rhythms of the seasons, while more relaxed dining experiences invite guests to enjoy leisurely lunches and rustic picnics beneath the estate’s ancient trees.

Wellbeing is equally connected to the natural environment. Housed within a converted mill overlooking the water, the estate’s spa offers holistic treatments inspired by the surrounding landscape, alongside yoga, meditation, and outdoor wellness experiences designed to encourage rest and reconnection. Guests can also explore the extensive grounds on foot, by bicycle, or by rowing boat, discovering sculpture trails, forest paths, and peaceful lakes hidden throughout the property.

Experiences are intentionally rooted in the estate itself, from beekeeping and garden tours to artist residencies, painting workshops, horse riding, fishing, and stargazing beneath some of southwest France’s clearest night skies. Families are encouraged to engage with the landscape through nature-based adventures, while wine enthusiasts can explore nearby vineyards and the historic Cognac region.

Beyond the estate, guests are perfectly positioned to discover the cultural richness of the Charente, with medieval villages, Romanesque churches, and artisan producers all within easy reach. Yet Domaine des Étangs remains a destination in its own right – a place where history, art, gastronomy, and the quiet beauty of rural France come together to create one of the country’s most distinctive luxury escapes.

The Hotel

Opened in May 2026, Hope marks WildLand’s most significant hospitality project to date, offering a new way to experience the Scottish Highlands through a stay that is intrinsically connected to landscape restoration. Located beneath Ben Hope and overlooking Loch Hope, within one of Britain’s largest protected and darkest-sky regions, the retreat has been created not simply as a hotel, but as an invitation to reconnect with nature through the rhythms of the land.

Centred around a sensitively restored 19th-century Highland shooting lodge, Hope combines seven individually designed guest rooms with a collection of beautifully restored cottages and An Cala, a contemporary two-bedroom woodland cabin with its own wood-fired hot tub. Interior designers Cecile & Boyd have preserved the building’s historic character while introducing tactile natural materials, including reclaimed oak, tweed, flax, oilskin, and locally inspired craftsmanship, creating spaces that feel quietly luxurious and deeply rooted in their surroundings.

At the heart of the estate sits The Clachan, a communal gathering place where guests meet WildLand’s expert field guides, plan daily adventures, and come together after days spent exploring Scotland’s northern wilderness. Throughout the property, technology takes a back seat to the landscape, allowing the ever-changing light, weather, and seasons to shape each stay.

Amenities

Unlike a traditional luxury hotel, Hope operates on a fully inclusive philosophy where accommodation, dining, drinks, equipment, wellness, and guided experiences are seamlessly woven into every stay. Each day is built around carefully curated rituals rather than fixed itineraries, encouraging guests to experience the Highlands through movement, conservation, and meaningful connection.

Experiences are led by WildLand’s team of field guides and conservation specialists, taking guests paddleboarding along the remote northern coastline, wild swimming beneath hidden waterfalls, trout fishing with local ghillies, and boating across Loch Hope to Rabbit Island. Chef-led foraging walks transform seasonal ingredients into evening meals, while fire-cooked lunches in remote bothies and guided stargazing sessions celebrate the extraordinary natural environment that surrounds the estate.

Hope also invites guests to become active participants in WildLand’s long-term conservation vision through restoration walks, native tree planting, and hands-on experiences that reveal the ecological regeneration taking place across the surrounding Highlands. Wellness is equally shaped by nature, with sound bathing, cold-water immersion, woodland saunas, and quiet moments designed around the restorative power of the landscape itself.

Beyond the retreat, guests have direct access to some of Scotland’s most spectacular scenery, including Ben Hope, Loch Hope, the North Coast 500, and miles of untouched coastline rich in wildlife and history. Yet Hope is far more than a gateway to the Highlands. It represents a new model of regenerative luxury hospitality – one where every stay contributes to the restoration of the landscape, every experience deepens a connection to place, and nature itself becomes the defining feature of the guest journey.

The Hotel

The hilltop position of The Samling means guests enjoy incredible views of the lake, surrounded by 67 acres of private gardens, woodlands and meadows. It has only a handful of uniquely designed rooms, suites and cottages, meaning privacy and exclusivity is woven into every day. Rooms feature luxurious country-style interiors, many with lake or fell views, plush furnishings, and in some cases private patios or terraces.

Amenities & experiences 

If you’re not out exploring the verdant meadows or meandering woodland trails, the hotel has a sun terrace for those warmer days, and an outdoor hot tub – the ideal spot to soak up the incredible surroundings. You’ll find outdoor pursuits in abundance, with canoeing, cycling, hiking, horse riding, fishing and winter sports nearby.

Dining & drinking

Special moments are had at the hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurant, serving up exquisite food with ingredients sourced from the greenhouse, gardens and woodland, and locally, wherever possible. The Chef’s Table offers a truly immersive experience, with expertly crafted bespoke menus ensuring a unique meal at every visit. And when it comes to the drinks, there’s no rest for the wicked, as the hotel has its very own wine cellar and trendy bar, The Reverie.