The Plum Award is the global trustmark for exceptional quality in vacation homes.
For a home to be awarded our coveted seal of approval, a Home Critic spends two hours getting to know a host and their home, scoring it against soft criteria like sociability and design character, as well as measurable criteria like the shower pressure and the strength of the WiFi.
To celebrate 2020 coming to a close (thank goodness) and the start of a new year, we’re shining a light on ten of our favourite Plum Award winners from the past twelve months – the best of the best that our Home Critics have visited and tested.
Meet our shortlist below, and you can vote for your Home of the Year here.
'Desert Wave', Coachella Valley
Desert Wave, Plum Guide home in Coachella Valley
Design enthusiasts will love Desert Wave, both for its mid-century architecture with hallmark curved roof –built to echo the shape of the San Jacinto Mountains behind it– and for the vintage modernist furniture inside. (Everyone else will love it too).
'The Early Risers', Devon
The Early Risers, Plum Guide home in Devon
Serene views, sleek interiors and seemingly impossible design elements combine to make this home an architectural feat on England’s jaw-dropping Devon coastline.
'A Faithful Friend', The Hamptons
A Faithful Friend, Plum Guide home in The Hamptons
This home is nearly a hundred years old, but in terms of the luxury and comfort, it might as well be brand new. Oh, and you can kayak to the beach from the bottom of the garden.
'Sense & Sensibility', Suffolk
Sense & Sensibility, Plum Guide home in Suffolk
With its stately grandeur and Georgian architecture, you’ll think you’ve walked onto the set of ‘The Crown’. (We hasten to add there's no butler included...).
'Desert Saga', Twentynine Palms
Desert Saga, Plum Guide home in Twentynine Palms
Sleep under the stars in the outdoor bedroom (there’s even a telescope so you can pretend you know what you’re looking at). Designed by architect Malek Alqadi, this up-cycled and off-grid home is one for the bucket list.
'Wide Eyes', Cornwall
Wide Eyes, Plum Guide home in Cornwall
Set in the vibrant sailing community of Fowey in Cornwall, this home is much more than that view, but we know which photo you’ll be taking first…
'Hawk & Falcon', Hudson Valley
Hawk & Falcon, Plum Guide home in Hudson Valley
The barn house, cottage and tents are all nestled within seventy-five acres of idyllic Rondout Valley woodland. There’s an outdoor swimming pool and stables too (if you manage to find it all).
'Dragonfly Manor', Oxfordshire
Dragonfly Manor, Plum Guide home in Oxfordshire
You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more idyllic corner of British countryside than this – imaginations will roam freely, and the secret woodland cabin will keep the kids entertained for days.
'The Mirrored House', Joshua Tree
The Invisible House, Plum Guide home in Joshua Tree, US
This home left us (almost) speechless. The walls are entirely made of glass, bringing the desert inside in a mesmerising, one-of-a-kind way. Oh, and check out that 100 foot pool…
'The Bronze Knight', The Cotswolds
The Bronze Knight, Plum Guide home in the Cotswolds
Set in the charming Cotswolds, the original stone and wooden beams combine to create a quintessentially English interior. Outside, the home opens to a bright, welcoming courtyard that’s perfect for both relaxing and socialising. Every view here looks straight out of a British RomCom...but Hugh Grant’s nowhere to be seen (we checked).
