Best Hotels to Stay in the UK
A quiet revolution happened in the United Kingdom between the late 1980s and the Noughties. Back in the day hotels, B&Bs and self-catering cottages were often places of convenience rather than comfort. And glamping? Well that had yet to be invented. Luxury and originality, such as it existed, came at an enormous price, and upmarket hotels often rested on their laurels, focusing instead on keeping the wrong kind of people from enjoying their tired rooms and intimidatingly posh food. Hospitality was simply something Britain wasn’t very good at: if you wanted to experience good food and a half-decent place to stay at a reasonable price, well, you had to go abroad.Fast forward to the 2020s and Britain is a different country, packed full of great places to stay often run by passionate people who live and breathe good hospitality. The dread word ‘boutique’ was the first indicator that things had changed, and of course is now an over-used term. But it does give a flavour of a new kind of British hotel or guesthouse that began to appear thirty or so years ago – small, independently owned, and putting the guest experience front and centre. There was a new sense of contemporary style in guest rooms, where luxury didn’t necessarily mean antique furniture and four-posters. The renaissance in Modern British food made an appearance too, with lots of places revamping their restaurants and basing their menus on locally sourced, seasonal ingredients. And service was authentic, never trying too hard to please but always on hand if needed.
Like all good revolutions, change has continued, with new trends and activities emerging – wild swimming, food foraging, art classes, yoga and wellness retreats – and many establishments offering alternative accommodation: shepherds huts, lodges with hot tubs, even treehouses. The best places now have an eye on the environment too, with renewable energy sources, discounts for those arriving on public transport and kitchen gardens saving on food miles.
The Cool Places collection doesn’t pretend to include all of Britain’s best places to stay, but instead aims to provide a curated selection. Our choices are deliberately eclectic, driven not so much by budget as by the uniqueness of the property, its location, facilities, décor – or just its owners and the extra mile they often go for their guests. We avoid the usual global brands that dominate accommodation in many towns and cities, the point being that it’s not always about what you spend on a room, it’s where you spend it, with plenty of surprisingly affordable options if you know where to find them. We also aim to provide a range of choices in most corners of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Britain's Best Hotels, Pubs and Inns
A characterful and very comfortable hideaway in the heart of Soho
Hazlitt’s, 6 Frith Street, Soho, London W1D 3JA
Holidays in South East England
Holidays in Greater London
Holidays in Soho
A historic haven in the heart of Spitalfields set between Shoreditch and The City
Batty Langley's, 12 Folgate St, London E1 6BX
Holidays in South East England
Holidays in Greater London
Holidays in Shoreditch
A name straight out of Miami, a boutique guest house that's all Blackpool.
Number One South Beach, 4 Harrowside West Blackpool FY4 1NW
Holidays in North West England
Holidays in Lancashire
Holidays in Blackpool
Joyfully eccentric rooms in a Belfast boutique guesthouse
The Harrison Chambers of Distinction, 45 Malone Road, Belfast BT9 6RX
Holidays in Ulster NI
Holidays in Antrim
Holidays in Belfast
Perhaps the perfect Devon seaside inn, updated as a sumptuous boutique hotel for the 21st century.
Cary Arms & Spa, Babbacombe Beach, Devon TQ1 3LX
Holidays in South West England
Holidays in Devon
Holidays in Torquay
A quirky boutique hotel with 16 bedrooms, 3 suites and a 3 bedroom cottage, individually designed and decorated with a curated art collection.
Artist Residence Cornwall, 20 Chapel Street, Penzance, Cornwall, TR18 4AW
Holidays in South West England
Holidays in Cornwall
Holidays in Penzance
A beautiful Shopshire hotel in a great location with lovely rooms and award-winning food
Old Downton Lodge, Downton on the Rock Ludlow Shropshire SY8 2HU
Holidays in West Midlands
Holidays in Shropshire
Holidays in Ludlow
Cool seafront hotel and restaurant offering a chic stay in up-and-coming Eastbourne
Port, 11–12 Royal Eastbourne Parade, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN22 7AR
Holidays in South East England
Holidays in East Sussex
Holidays in Eastbourne
A contemporary and welcoming boutique guesthouse within easy reach of Bath city centre.
Brooks Guesthouse Bath, 1 Crescent Gardens Upper Bristol Road Bath Somerset BA1 2NA
Holidays in South West England
Holidays in Somerset
Holidays in Bath
This 18th-century converted North Norfolk watermill is a tranquil haven, with contemporary rooms, a buzzy vibe and first-rate food
Sculthorpe Mill, Lynn Rd, Fakenham, Norfolk NR21 9QG
Holidays in East Anglia
Holidays in Norfolk
Holidays in Fakenham
This contemporary North Norfolk seaside hotel has an understated country house feel
The Maltings, The Street, Weybourne, Norfolk NR25 7SY
Holidays in East Anglia
Holidays in Norfolk
Holidays in Weybourne
A contemporary lakeside hotel on the shores of Ullswater that does everything just right.
Another Place, The Lake, Watermillock, Ullswater, Cumbria CA11 0LP
Holidays in North West England
Holidays in Cumbria
Holidays in Ullswater
A cosy pub with rooms and good food in the Scottish Borders village of Ettrickbridge
The Cross Keys Inn Ettrickbridge, Main Street, Ettrickbridge, Selkirk, Scottish Borders TD7 5JN
Holidays in South Scotland
Holidays in Scottish Borders
Holidays in Selkirk
A canalside pub not far from Edinburgh with waterfront views, good food and comfortable rooms.
The Bridge Inn at Ratho, 27 Baird Rd, Ratho, Newbridge EH28 8RA
Holidays in South Scotland
Holidays in Lothian
Holidays in Edinburgh
A high-end country house hotel with loads of facilities that's great for both kids and grown-ups
Calcot & Spa, Tetbury, Gloucestershire GL8 8YJ
Holidays in South West England
Holidays in Gloucestershire
Holidays in Tetbury
Stylish boutique hotel with 17 bedrooms in a Cotswolds manor house
The Painswick, Kemps Lane, Painswick, Gloucestershire GL6 6YB
Holidays in South West England
Holidays in Gloucestershire
Holidays in Painswick
A welcoming gastropub with cracking food and luxurious guestrooms on Essex's heavenly Mersea Island
The White Hart Inn, 1 High Street, West Mersea, Essex CO5 8QD
Holidays in East Anglia
Holidays in Essex
Holidays in Mersea Island
A proper pub with rooms, in the heart of picturesque Dedham and Constable Country, and serving excellent food.
The Sun Inn, High Street, Dedham, Essex CO7 6DF
Holidays in East Anglia
Holidays in Essex
Holidays in Colchester
Boutique hotel, bar and restaurant in the heart of Snowdonia's adventure tourism zone near Blaenau Ffestiniog
Plas Weunydd, Llechwedd, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Gwynedd LL41 3NB
Holidays in North Wales
Holidays in Gwynedd
Holidays in Blaenau Ffestiniog
A stylish boutique hotel tucked away in a quiet corner of Exmoor National Park
The Old Rectory Hotel, Martinhoe Exmoor National Park Devon EX31 4QT
Holidays in South West England
Holidays in Devon
Holidays in Lynmouth & Lynton
Great food and rooms at this terrific Staffordshire country inn - if only all village locals were like this!
The Duncombe Arms, Ellastone, Ashbourne, Staffordshire DE6 2GZ
Holidays in West Midlands
Holidays in Staffordshire
Holidays in Stoke on Trent
A cosy – and contemporary – country inn that's a convenient home-from-home for both Oxford and the Cotswolds.
Artist Residence Oxfordshire, Station Road, South Leigh, Oxfordshire OX29 6XN
Holidays in South East England
Holidays in Oxfordshire
Holidays in Witney
A charming Suffolk inn with good food and cosy rooms
Sibton White Horse, Halesworth Rd Sibton Near Saxmundham Suffolk IP17 2JJ
Holidays in East Anglia
Holidays in Suffolk
Holidays in Saxmundham
This Norfolk gem is a boutique inn and gastropub but most of all it's a proper village pub
The Loddon Swan, 23 Church Plain, Loddon, Norfolk NR14 6LX
Holidays in East Anglia
Holidays in Norfolk
Holidays in Loddon
A great gastropub with rooms in the heart of Walberswick – one of the Suffolk's most appealing seaside villages
The Anchor at Walberswick, The Street, Walberswick, Suffolk IP18 6UA
Holidays in East Anglia
Holidays in Suffolk
Holidays in Southwold
Dog-friendly Herefordshire cabins at the foot of The Black Mountains
Wild Cabins at The Bull's Head, The Bull’s Head, Craswall, Herefordshire HR2 0PN
Holidays in West Midlands
Holidays in Herefordshire
Holidays in Hay-on-Wye
A country-house hotel with a cool but relaxed boutique feel.
Milsoms Kesgrave Hall, Hall Road, Kesgrave, Ipswich, Suffolk IP5 2PU
Holidays in East Anglia
Holidays in Suffolk
Holidays in Ipswich
A historic Wiltshire hotel whose contemporary – and quirky – rooms and excellent restaurant are also a great base for The Cotswolds
Old Bell Hotel, Abbey Row, Malmesbury, Wiltshire SN16 0BW
Holidays in South West England
Holidays in Wiltshire
Holidays in Malmesbury
A luxurious Devon country house hotel in vast grounds with a spa and golf course
Bovey Castle, Bovey Castle North Bovey, Dartmoor National Park, Devon TQ13 8RE
Holidays in South West England
Holidays in Devon
Holidays in Moretonhampstead
This country house hotel is an oasis of comfort – with terrific food – in the heart of Worcestershire
Brockencote Hall, Brockencote Hall Hotel, Brockencote, Kidderminster DY10 4PY
Holidays in West Midlands
Holidays in Worcestershire
Holidays in Kidderminster
Guest rooms, suites and lodges on an Oxfordshire country estate with a golf course and a spa
The Springs, Wallingford Rd, North Stoke, Wallingford, Oxfordshire OX10 6BE
Holidays in South East England
Holidays in Berkshire
Holidays in Wallingford
A beautifully situated, very well-equipped South Cornwall hotel, spa and resort
Budock Vean Hotel, Mawnan Smith Falmouth Cornwall TR11 5LG
Holidays in South West England
Holidays in Cornwall
Holidays in Falmouth
A contemporary lakeside hotel on the shores of Ullswater that offers luxury rooms in the grounds.
Shepherd Huts at Another Place, The Lake, Watermillock, Ullswater, Cumbria CA11 0LP
Holidays in North West England
Holidays in Cumbria
Holidays in Pooley Bridge
A Peak District boutique treat in the for both walkers and weekenders
Losehill House Hotel & Spa, Losehill Lane, Edale Road, Hope, Derbyshire S33 6AF
Holidays in East Midlands
Holidays in Derbyshire
Holidays in Hope
A dog-friendly riverside hotel and restaurant in the heart of Dartmoor National Park
Mill End Hotel, Chagford, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ13 8JN
Holidays in South West England
Holidays in Devon
Holidays in Newton Abbot
Not only the oldest coaching inn in England, this West Sussex hotel is very comfortable and dog friendly too!
The Spread Eagle, South Street, Midhurst, West Sussex GU29 9NH
Holidays in South East England
Holidays in West Sussex
Holidays in Midhurst
Great food and rooms in a terrific village pub.
The Kingham Plough, The Green, Kingham, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire OX7 6YD
Holidays in South East England
Holidays in Oxfordshire
Holidays in Chipping Norton
A very homely, yet stylish hotel, restaurant and wedding venue in the heart of the countryside of North Hertfordshire
The Farmhouse at Redcoats, Redcoats Green, Hitchin, Hertfordshire SG4 7JR
Holidays in South East England
Holidays in Hertfordshire
Holidays in Hitchin
A heavenly rural retreat in an idyllic corner of Oxfordshire
The Double Red Duke, Bourton Road, Clanfield, Bampton, Oxfordshire OX18 2RB
Holidays in South East England
Holidays in Oxfordshire
Holidays in Faringdon
A small but elegant hotel overlooking Oban Bay and the islands of the Inner Hebrides
The Manor House, Gallanach Road, Oban PA34 4LS
Holidays in Highlands
Holidays in Argyll & Bute
Holidays in Oban
A historic restaurant with rooms right on Southwold's main street
Sutherland House, 56 High Street, Southwold, Suffolk IP18 6DN
Holidays in East Anglia
Holidays in Suffolk
Holidays in Southwold
A classic small-town coaching inn with updated rooms.
The Black Boys, Market Place Aylsham Norfolk NR11 6EH
Holidays in East Anglia
Holidays in Norfolk
Holidays in Aylsham
A quintessential West Country pub with rooms in a lovely Somerset village
The Swan, Cheddar Road, Wedmore, Somerset BS28 4EQ
Holidays in South West England
Holidays in Somerset
Holidays in Cheddar
A revamped estate pub with rooms dedicated to members of the Guinness family in a lovely, rural part of Suffolk
The Guinness Arms, The Street, Icklingham, Suffolk IP28 6PS
Holidays in East Anglia
Holidays in Suffolk
Holidays in Mildenhall
Small and charming boutique country house hotel on the edge of the Yorkshire market town of Settle
Falcon Manor, Skipton Road, Settle, North Yorkshire BD24 9BD
Holidays in North East England
Holidays in North Yorkshire
Holidays in Settle
The sleek guest rooms at this contemporary boutique hotel offer one of London's coolest and most affordable places to stay
Brama, 6 Court St, Bromley, London BR1 1AN
Holidays in South East England
Holidays in Greater London
Holidays in Bromley
This private members' club makes a unique and very special place for a weekend stay in the heart of the City of London: perfect for couples, families, groups – and weddings!
City of London Club, 19 Old Broad St, London EC2N 1DS
Holidays in South East England
Holidays in Greater London
Holidays in City
Elegant rooms in a Durham country house hotel with a spa and golf course on site
Headlam Hall, Near Gainford, Darlington DL2 3HA
Holidays in North East England
Holidays in County Durham
Holidays in Darlington
