Britain’s first modern earth-sheltered house has been reborn as one of the country’s most distinctive luxury staycation properties, offering travellers a rare chance to sleep beneath the moors of the Peak District.
Underhill, a Grade II listed subterranean home in the West Yorkshire village of Holme, near Holmfirth, has joined the Boutique Retreats portfolio, sleeping up to eight guests, plus three dogs, across four bedrooms carved into the hillside on the fringes of the Peak District National Park.
Designed in 1969 by architect Arthur Quarmby and completed in 1975, the property is widely regarded as a milestone in British sustainable architecture. Historic England, which granted the house listed status in 2017, described it as representing “a significant milestone in the development of ecological and sustainable architecture”, decades before eco-credentials became a booking essential.
At the heart of the home sits its most theatrical flourish: an 11-metre hourglass-shaped indoor swimming pool, heated to 28°C year-round and crowned by a glass-topped dome that floods the surrounding living and dining spaces with natural light. A cinema projector above the water, a games room with pool table and bar, and a hidden “cave” snug with wood-burning stove complete the picture below ground.
Above the turf roof, guests will find a rooftop garden, alfresco dining for eight, a secluded cedar hot tub and an outdoor wood burner for evenings under open Pennine skies. An EV charging point on the gated driveway is a nod to the modern traveller, in keeping with the growing appetite for regenerative and lower-impact travel among British holidaymakers.
The location is equally compelling. Holme Moss, one of West Yorkshire’s highest points, lies two miles away, while Digley and Bilberry reservoirs offer tranquil walking on the doorstep. The Michelin Bib Gourmand Almanac in Glossop and a clutch of award-winning eateries around Holmfirth cater for those who measure a getaway by its dinner table. Chatsworth House, Castleton and Bakewell, among the Peak District National Park’s most visited destinations, are all within an hour’s drive.
Underhill arrives as British travellers increasingly trade volume for quality, a trend the industry has dubbed “lux-scaping”, with smart luxury now viewed as a holiday essential rather than an indulgence. With prices from £3,036 for a long weekend or mid-week break, the property is pitched squarely at that market, though, as with any UK staycation booking, early reservation is advised for peak dates.
One caveat for families: with the pool sitting unfenced within the main living space, the property is suitable only for adults and children who are competent swimmers.
Half a century after Quarmby first burrowed into the Holme hillside, Underhill proves that Britain’s original eco-home was simply ahead of its time.
Underhill is available to book through Boutique Retreats from £3,036 for a long weekend or mid-week break.
