Make plans to explore the lesser known Channel Island of Alderney

A CHARMING NEW BOUTIQUE HOTEL IN OFF-THE-BEATEN-TRACK ALDERNEY

LEFT Take in the unspoilt beaches. BELOW Tuck into local, seasonal fare

You’ll almost certainly be familiar with the Channel Island’s main settlements, Jersey and Guernsey. They’re famous for their handsome cattle and the unctuous, buttercupcoloured milk they produce. But there are three others – Sark, Herm and Alderney. While the first two are trickier for tourists to reach, Alderney is a precious, hidden gem. Three square miles of white sand beaches, rocky outcrops and pretty fields make up the tiny, sub-tropical island. So far, tourism on the island has been extremely limited, but now a small family-run boutique hotel, The Blonde Hedgehog, hopes to tempt visitors over from the mainland. With quick flights on propeller planes from Southampton Airport, put this in your diary for when you next plan a staycation. BOUTIQUE BOLTHOLE

The property is cobbled together from several chocolate-box, 18thcentury buildings in the island’s capital, Saint Anne. The project began when first-time hotelier Julie-anne Uggla was looking for a coastal cottage for her family. The search began elsewhere, but Julie-anne eventually stumbled on Alderney and fell in love. While renovations were taking place on her own home, she struggled to find a place to stay and spotted a gap in the market for luxury accommodation

– the idea for The Blonde Hedgehog began. Stepping off the cobbled streets, you’ll find yourself in a rustic, stylish hideaway that wouldn’t be out of place in the trendiest parts of Somerset or the Cotswolds. Decorated with a mix of jewel-tone upholstered furniture, curated vintage finds, and quirky lighting, it’s not only a chic place to spend time, but somewhere full of ideas to steal. PRODUCE WITH PROVENANCE Offering the island’s first gourmet dining experience, the hotel’s restaurant is overseen by head chef James Edwards, who has chosen a farm-to-table approach using many ingredients from the hotel’s garden. Double rooms start at £180 a night. The Blonde Hedgehog, Le Huret, Saint Anne, Alderney GT9 3TR, blondehedgehog.com