43 Best Hotels in England

The first London outpost of the fashionable French hotel brand, the rooms and public areas here have the feel of an upmarket design hotel—think marble-top tables, bold fabrics, and atmospheric designed lighting—but at a fraction of the cost.

Just five minutes' walk from Oxford Street, this is a great option for those who tire of traditional hotels: 12 luxury suites—some with balconies and working fireplaces—filled with everything you could ever need, including a handy kitchen. Cupboards are ready-stocked with everything from cookies to herbal tea, and if you don't feel like fending for yourself too much then room service will deliver groceries or fetch meals from local restaurants. You can also arrange in-room spa treatments or ride around town on a hotel bicycle.

Now part of the same group as the Buxton Crescent Hotel, this property overlooking the ornate Buxton Opera House occupies a refurbished 16th-century building claiming to be England's oldest hotel and rumored to have once accommodated Mary, Queen of Scots. Rooms are individually decorated in a classic style; a couple have four-poster beds. The Cockerel Wine Bar is popular with theatergoers, who stoke up on its hearty dishes; there's also a more formal restaurant on-site.

A fine Edwardian building, with an artsy lobby and an understated blend of contemporary and classic, provides pure modern luxury in a great location for theaters and shopping. Guest rooms are equipped with feather comforters, Italian linen sheets, and ample elegance, and suites have such amenities as private gyms, kitchens, and terraces. The gorgeous swimming pool in the health club has underwater speakers that play music you can hear only when you dive in.

The small but nicely decorated rooms at this budget choice are in the same County Hall complex as the fancier London Marriott Hotel County Hall, and, though it lacks the spectacular river views and facilities are more basic, it has the same convenient location at a fraction of the price. The friendly staff is an added bonus. Best of all for families on a budget, fold-out beds let you accommodate two kids at no extra charge.

Right on the River Kent, this family- and dog-friendly hotel has airy, modern rooms, many of which have river views. The Riverview Restaurant takes advantage of those views, and the casual Tanners, set in a 17th-century building formerly occupied by leather makers, has a riverside terrace that's ideal for a drink after a day outdoors. The on-site Sanctuary Health and Fitness Club, free to all guests (and available with day passes or memberships to nonguests), includes a hot tub, indoor pool, gym, and fitness classes.  

This imposing stone building was established as a private home in the 1600s, and William Wordsworth often used to visit on his evening walks; today the estate comprises a hotel, holiday cottages, a bunk house, and a campsite. Rooms are simply but comfortably furnished in light, neutral colors. Everything is powered by the estate's own hydroelectric plant. There are 30 acres of gardens and woodland plus a tea shop and a program of regular events.

Located on charming Lamb's Conduit Street—a 10-minute walk from the British Museum—these serviced one- and two-bedroom apartments (some of the latter sleep up to six people) are spacious, modern, and well equipped, including kitchens with dishwashers and washing machines. Top-floor apartments have large terraces, ideal for alfresco drinks or dining. A maid cleans the apartments once a week, and there's a staffed reception area, but otherwise you're left on your own to live like a Londoner. There are plenty of good restaurants and bars in the neighborhood, and a grocery store is a block away.

A mecca for film, media, and fashion folk, this super-trendy hotel personifies Soho's enduring hipness with its artsy, urban-chic vibe. The boldly designed public rooms are filled with bright colors and big statement artworks, while the large bedrooms are calmer, most with neutral beige and cream tones, or subtle, sophisticated pinstripes, all offset by modern furniture. The bar and restaurant, Refuel, is consistently excellent, and there are handy private film screening rooms downstairs (in case the wide-screen TVs in the bedrooms aren't big enough for you).

Design-conscious travelers come to this Philippe Starck–designed spot positioned artfully between Trafalgar Square and Covent Garden. Giant Baroque mirrors, pink hydrangea-filled vases, and golden molar seats dot the lobby, while leopard print–carpet bedrooms are very modish with white-lacquer fittings, etched glass, and aluminum teardrop lights. Be sure to sneak into the secret Blind Spot speakeasy bar for late-night cocktails, hidden behind a fake tea counter and entered via twisting a creepy golden hand–shape handle.

A cool, contemporary ambience pervades this seaside hotel overlooking Falmouth Bay and fronted by a lush, subtropical garden. The public areas are sleek and nautically themed, and the young staff is especially welcoming to families. Alongside the well-equipped guest rooms are four luxury spa garden lodges, and self-catering beach apartments are also available. The modern, panoramic Brasserie on the Bay offers an adventurous menu, while Nourish serves excellent freshly made tapas and salads all day as well as pizzas in the evening, with no need to book. The pool and gym will give you the opportunity for a good work-out, perhaps followed by a pampering spa treatment.

A colorful, whimsical hideaway—where a shabby-chic design contrasts with a hip, sophisticated vibe—on the Holkham Hall estate is more laid-back and family-friendly than the austere Victorian exterior suggests. Bedrooms are on the small side, but comfortable, with elegant, handmade furniture and modern bathrooms. The hotel restaurant is one of the finest in the area, with an emphasis on modern European cuisine. The dune-backed Holkham Beach (where the desert island conclusion of Shakespeare in Love was filmed) is a few minutes away; show your room key to avoid the access fee of a couple of pounds. The hotel is dog-friendly, too.

This sweet and rather elegant old hotel, on the premises of one of London's first B&Bs (1881), is a decent, well-situated option. It's a cheery little place, with comfortable (if small) bedrooms, in which muted modern color schemes clash only slightly with the kind of floral fabrics your grandmother would love. The restaurant serves decent, though unimaginative British and European cuisine; however, you're just a couple of blocks from London's Victoria train station and the multitude of eateries close by. Breakfasts are delightful.