Must-see hotels in England

  • 2 Blackburne Terrace

    Liverpool

    This exquisite B&B, in a converted Grade II–listed Georgian townhouse from 1826, might just be the most elegant option in town. It only has four rooms,…

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    Dakota

    Leeds

    Raising the bar for luxury sleeps in Leeds, this gleaming new hotel has quickly become popular thanks to its central location close to shops and bars,…

  • Bleak House

    Kent

    This former Napoleonic-era fortress overlooking the beach was converted into an opulent Victorian residence just in time for one Charles Dickens to rent…

  • Swaledale Yurts

    Yorkshire Dales National Park

    Yurts beat glamping tents hands-down for insulation, and the five luxurious ones at this pretty rural site are toasty warm and comfortable, with wood…

  • Clink78

    North London

    This fantastic 630-bed hostel is housed in a 19th-century magistrates' courthouse where Charles Dickens once worked as a scribe and members of the Clash…

  • Lord Crewe Arms

    Northeast England

    An 1165-built abbot's house in the honey-stone North Pennines village of Blanchland, 11 miles south of Corbridge, shelters some of this entrancing inn's…

  • Rosewood London

    The West End

    What was once the grand Pearl Assurance building (dating from 1914) houses the stunning Rosewood hotel, where an artful marriage of period and modern…

  • The Cow

    The Midlands & the Marches

    Stunningly restored in 2017, this whitewashed 19th-century inn 6.5 miles west of Derby has solid oak floors, stone walls and timber-lined ceilings. Its 12…

  • Artist Residence Penzance

    Penzance

    Hands down Penzance's most entertaining hotel, this converted town house on Chapel St has been renovated with impeccable taste, marrying period…

  • Hoxton Shoreditch

    Clerkenwell, Shoreditch & Spitalfields

    In the heart of hip Shoreditch, this sleek hotel takes the low-cost airline approach to selling its rooms – book long enough ahead and you might pay just …

  • CitizenM London Bankside

    South Bank

    If citizenM had a motto, it would be 'Less fuss, more comfort'. The hotel has done away with things it considers superfluous like room service and…

  • Belle Tout Lighthouse

    East Sussex

    Perched precariously close to the edge of the white cliffs, this early 18th-century decommissioned lighthouse somehow manages to contain six rooms, all…

  • Beaumont

    The West End

    A stylish and handsome smaller-scale luxury hotel, the 73-room Beaumont is all art-deco opulence. Fronted by an arresting stainless-steel-and-oak cuboid…

  • Troytown Farm

    Isles of Scilly

    The journey to St Agnes' campsite is almost the best bit; you're picked up in a tractor trailer and rattle across the island down the hedge-lined lanes…

  • Rookery

    Clerkenwell, Shoreditch & Spitalfields

    This charming warren of 33 rooms has been built within a row of 18th-century Georgian townhouses and fitted out with period furniture (including a museum…

  • Halston Aparthotel

    Cumbria & the Lakes

    For a city-centre base, this complex of self-catering apartments really has to be the pick of places to stay in Carlisle. While not huge, the apartments…

  • Vintage Vardos

    North Devon

    There's every chance you'll fall utterly in love with this enchanting encampment of restored Romany caravans. The three brightly painted wagons boast log…

  • Swan

    Suffolk

    Marvellously medieval and utterly indulgent, the Swan might just spoil you in terms of other places to stay. Tasteful furnishings team oatmeal with olive…

  • Burgh Island

    South Devon

    Pack your dinner jacket or flapper frock: at gorgeous, glamorous art-deco Burgh Island, guests definitely dress for dinner. The gleaming-white palace sits…

  • Ritz London

    The West End

    What can you say about a place that has lent its name to the English lexicon? This 136-room hotel, opened by the eponymous César in 1906, has a…

  • Dorset Square Hotel

    The West End

    Two combined Regency town houses form this gorgeous 38-room Firmdale Hotel overlooking leafy Dorset Sq, where Lord's Old Ground was laid in 1787 (which…

  • The Ned

    London

    What was until recently the Midland Bank designed by Sir Edwin `Ned' Lutyens in 1924 has metamorphosed into a splendid butterfly with 250 rooms over nine…

  • Old Coastguard Hotel

    West Cornwall

    Run by the owners of the Gurnard's Head, this coastal beauty on the edge of Mousehole ranks as one of Cornwall's top coastal hotels. Rooms are classic –…

  • Marine Hotel

    Whitby

    Feeling more like minisuites than ordinary hotel accommodation, the four bedrooms at the Marine are quirky, stylish and comfortable; it's the sort of…

  • Hazlitt’s

    The West End

    Built in 1718 and comprising four original Georgian houses, this Soho gem was the one-time home of essayist William Hazlitt (1778–1830). The 30 guest…

  • Mill at Gordleton

    Wessex

    Step inside here and know, instantly, you're going to be looked after beautifully. Velvet and gingham dot exquisite rooms (each one comes with a sweet…

  • St Ermin's Hotel

    The West End

    One of our favourite West End hotels, St Ermin's not only has 331 super comfortable rooms and an enviable location in Westminster, it also has back…

  • Langley Castle Hotel

    Northeast England

    Soaring above 12 acres of gardens, this 1350-built castle is a beauty, with creaking hallways lined by suits of armour and an alleged resident ghost. Its…

  • Lumley Castle

    Northeast England

    Spiralling stone tower steps and creaking corridors lead to richly decorated rooms with heavy drapes and patterned wallpapers, many with canopied four…

  • Safestay York

    York

    Housed in a Grade I Georgian townhouse, this is a large boutique hostel with colourful decor and good facilities including a bar with pool table. Rooms…

  • Greenway

    South Devon

    The former home of author Agatha Christie, Greenway estate is a truly memorable place to stay. The house's stately top-floor apartment (three/seven nights…

  • Hoxton Southwark

    South Bank

    This latest feather in the now three-plumed Hoxton cap counts 192 retro-styled rooms (antique radios, rotary telephones) and fabulous artwork displayed in…

  • Lower Barns

    South Cornwall

    Now this is what rural B&Bs should be like. Fantastically secluded and wittily decorated, it's a couples' hideaway par excellence. All rooms are different…

  • Covent Garden Hotel

    The West End

    This gorgeous and discreet 58-room boutique hotel housed in a former French hospital features antiques, gorgeous, bright fabrics and quirky bric-a-brac to…

  • Haymarket Hotel

    The West End

    With the trademark colours and lines of hotelier/designer duo Tim and Kit Kemp, in a converted building designed by John Nash, the Haymarket is…

  • Harrogate Brasserie Hotel

    North Yorkshire

    The incredibly central location makes this one of Harrogate's most appealing places to stay. Rooms are all individual, with subtle colour combinations and…

  • Primrose Valley Hotel

    St Ives

    Reopened after refurbishment, this chic hotel has one massive selling point – it's a one-minute walk from Porthminster's sands. But there are more pluses …

  • Grays Court

    York

    This medieval mansion with just 11 rooms feels like a country-house hotel. It's set in lovely gardens with direct access to the city walls, and bedrooms…

  • Daffodil Hotel

    The Lake District

    Opened in 2012 this upscale hotel occupies a Victorian building, but the 78 rooms zing with modern style: swirly carpets, art prints and bold shades of…

  • Horn of Plenty

    Dartmoor National Park

    The swish rooms at this sumptuous country-house hotel range from country-chic to contemporary, boasting claw-foot baths, zingy colour schemes, warm wooden…

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