London's a great town, but once summer really sets in, you can't help but miss the fact we don't have a beach.

There's been a lot of talk about our own fair town getting an manmade Urban Beach over the years. Various rumours include a Thames bankside "beach", a float "beach" or a "beach" built on stilts. But, like with most exciting rumours, nothing ever comes to fruition. Frankly, if it ever does happen, we'll be over it already.

There are other alternatives. Sure, the Great Eastern gave us the indoor beach (RIP), we don't mind the City Beach Club in the Old Truman Brewery,
and we've seen some 'playa'-themed parties come and go, but that's about as close as we've come to city sand.

But alas, all hail the Beach at The Grove, 'London's Country Estate'. Okay, so Hertfordshire isn't exactly London, but that's what makes it even better. Here, only 18 miles outside of the city centre (that's a £50 Addie Lee to you and me), you'll find beach volleyball courts and beach huts (think Whistable frame with chandelier-clad interior), concierges in sexy Orlebar Brown swimtrunk and serious sand, alongside the permanently heated pool, tennis courts, and Pavillion bar.