Just a 90-minute drive from London, the Cotswolds region is the archetypal English country retreat, with its shimmering lakes and quaint villages that dot miles of rolling hills. Country living, however, need not preclude contemporary style, as the Lakes By Yoo attests. This second-home community of chic glass-and-wood residences by Yoo Design Studio—a collaboration between John Hitchcox and Philippe Starck—is located on 650 acres with six lakes and was built to merge modern style with the pastoral surrounds. The developer recently announced a fully managed rental program, so the residences are now also available for temporary stays, with prices for a three-bedroom home starting at approximately $3,250 per week. Activities already available on the premises include canoeing, hiking, biking, and fishing. The developer also plans to open an outdoor heated pool and tennis courts, as well as a clubhouse that will have a spa, a gym, treatment rooms, a sauna, and a steam room.

The Lakes By Yoo, +44.1367.250.066, www.thelakesbyyoo.com