451 Best Hotels in England

The name of this unpretentious, family-run B&B means "the mistake" in Italian, and it also provides the punchline to the unlikely tale of how the original owners (the parents of the current proprietor) met in the 1950s. Standard rooms in this converted mid-Victorian terraced cottage are tiny but clean. Amenities are few, but all rooms have free Wi-Fi and some have four-poster beds (the honeymoon suite even has its own Jacuzzi). There's a summer patio in the enclosed courtyard and the complimentary breakfast gets high marks. The excellent prices mean it books up quickly, and there's a two- to seven-night minimum in high season.

The 63 acres surrounding this elegant 17th-century country-house hotel retain many original features, including the walls of the kitchen garden (still in use), the apple trees in the former orchard, and a mile-long avenue of linden trees, the longest in the United Kingdom. The house itself is similarly rich in period details such as a baronial staircase, wood paneling with carvings by Grinling Gibbons in the bar, and two fireplaces surrounded by hand-painted Delft tiles (all the rage when the house was built during the reign of William and Mary). Rooms may have original wood shutters and ceiling molding, but the bathrooms have up-to-date electronics and underfloor heating. Smaller, less pricey rooms in one of five extensions are more modern and less distinguished. Don't miss the falconry displays featuring the resident owls and falcons. The hotel is 2½ miles northwest of Winchester.

Hotel pedigrees don't come much greater than this one: built in 1865, The Langham was the original luxury hotel in the city, all but inventing the very image of what a great London hotel looked like. Good fortune didn't last: it closed in the 1940s, and spent much of the 20th century being used as office space by the BBC, before finally reopening in 2010 after a renovation that was rumored to cost nearly £100 million. The public spaces are flawless, from the spectacular, light-filled atrium, with its soaring marble pillars, to the restored ballroom, which now houses Mimosa, chef Jean-François Piège's French Riviera-inspired restaurant, transplanted to the hotel from Paris. Guest rooms are spacious and modern, with sumptuously comfortable beds, although bathrooms in the basic rooms are small.

Built in 1740 and at one time the village’s library, this small guesthouse, tucked away on an old lane, is a very short walk from the Iron Bridge. The house has been beautifully restored, with plenty of original and Victorian features brought to the fore. In a nice nod to its former life, its old library shelves still line the guest room walls. Rooms are furnished with elegance—the Chaucer Room even has its own private terrace—and service is warm without being obtrusive; they’ll even furnish you with a hot water bottle on cool nights.

In a central neighborhood where hotels veer from wildly overpriced at one extreme to grimy bolt-holes at the other, the Lime Tree gets the boutique style just about right—and at a surprisingly reasonable cost for the neighborhood. The casual dining restaurant The Buttery, which serves delicious cooked breakfasts and brunch, light lunches, and cake, backs onto a sweet little garden, while the simple yet elegant bedrooms are in muted tones of taupe and cream; many have views over the classic Georgian London street outside. Thoughtful extra touches include a guest computer and a guidebook library.

This delightful, elegant townhouse in the popular Wyle Cop area of Shrewsbury is stylish and modern where it counts—in the chic bar area and adjoining restaurant—but nevertheless has plenty of character in its wonky floors and oak beams. The bright, light-hued rooms come with crisp linens, wrought-iron bedsteads, and pocket-sprung mattresses, and have decent bathrooms. The town's main attractions are within walking distance, as long as you can manage some hills.

Style and image are the draw at The London EDITION hotel, where Michelin-starred chefs and hip bars complement the boutique property’s sleek, contemporary design. Behind the neoclassical exterior, a decidedly bohemian air permeates this luxurious hotel in the heart of Fitzrovia, the second hotel in Ian Schrager's venture with Marriott. Rooms are crisply styled in deep tones of chocolate and oatmeal, with huge beds and faux-fur blankets strewn about while bathrooms have cavernous freestanding tubs or sizeable showers. Service is exceptional and personalized, with arriving guests escorted to rooms upon check-in. But really it's all about the nightlife here, sophisticated though it is. Berners Tavern, the main bar-restaurant, has a belle epoque feel, with old paintings filling almost every inch of available space on the cool gray walls. Michelin-star chef Jason Atherton runs the kitchen, though the vibe is kept casual. The exclusive Punch Room is the more intimate of the two dedicated cocktail bars, with its creatively prepared alcoholic punches. A fashionably mixed crowd, relaxed atmosphere, and culinary expertise combine to create the recipe for this winning contemporary hotel.

Originally an Edwardian ramblers’ hostel, this country hotel remains a great place from which to hike in the magnificent surrounding countryside, including Castleton itself. An Arts and Crafts exterior conceals surprisingly modern, unpretentious, and comfortable rooms. It's the food in the on-site Grafene restaurant that is the real star—think creative Modern British dishes based on super-local produce. Hiking-weary limbs can be soothed in the bijou spa, where you’ll find a small pool, a sauna, and an all-year outdoor hot tub with fabulous views. Rates that include dinner are available.

Occupying a sprawling 600-year-old coaching inn on High Street, the Lygon Arms is a charming warren, filled with cozy nooks for afternoon tea, a separate wine bar, a vaulted dining hall serving locally sourced menus, and plush luxury at every turn. The rooms vary in size (and price), but all are opulently designed and embrace the rich history of the building, while the courtyard leads to a discreet spa and pool complex.

This wonderfully welcoming boutique hotel is a little gem. Each of the four guest suites is spacious, elegant, and uncluttered, with crisp white linens, polished original wooden floors, and tasteful furniture. There's a pretty little terrace where you can sit with a glass of wine or the morning paper. Guests enjoy special rates at a local gym, swimming pool, and spa, and can also call upon the services of a chauffeur who can take guests to the airport for less than the cost of a train or taxi. Breakfast is available upon request and is supplied by nearby chic café/deli, Daylesford.

This elegant country-house hotel 3 miles southeast of Warwick makes for a quiet, luxurious getaway; it has more than 40 rooms in two buildings but still manages to make you feel like you're visiting friends, albeit very wealthy ones. The more traditional country-chic rooms are in the original manor house, while the spa and more contemporary rooms are in a newer, separate building called the Orchard House (it's a bit like the main house's younger sibling).  One of the biggest attractions is the oak-paneled Dining Room at the Manor House restaurant, acclaimed for its sophisticated cuisine. The Asian-inspired Sencha restaurant offers cuisine not often found in an English country hotel. You can book a treatment in the spa, hidden among the trees in the lovely grounds, or just kick back in the outdoor vitality pool and take in the view.

Secluded in a 23-acre park on the edge of the village, this partly 14th-century manor house has guest rooms—some in mews cottages—that brim with antique character. Outside, the house is a baronial swirl of solid chimney stacks, carvings, and columns. Inside, a stone frieze depicts characters from Shakespeare's Falstaff plays to commemorate the fact that Sir John Fastolf, thought to be the model for the character, was lord of this manor. The Michelin-starred Bybrook restaurant serves fantastic upscale cuisine with imaginative wine pairings, but you can also dine more affordably in the 12th-century pub, The Castle Inn, nearby. The landscaped setting is soothing, with green vistas on every side and a river running through the grounds, though the village is steps away. An excellent 18-hole golf course is on-site.  

Steeped in a history of smuggling—look for Rudyard Kipling's atmospheric poem "A Smuggler's Song" on the wall outside—the 600-year-old Mermaid is Rye's most historic inn; its sloping floors, oak beams, low ceilings, and huge open hearth look like a film set, but it's all totally authentic. Bedrooms are quite small, but some have four-poster beds and stone fireplaces. The restaurant, warmed by a roaring fire in winter, serves good Modern British cuisine.

Owned by the National Trust, and more like an actual country house than a country-house hotel, this splendidly restored Queen Anne building with mid-18th-century additions has furnishings, textiles, and wallpapers that perfectly complement its oak-paneled walls, carved-wood bannisters, and built-in window seats. Dotted with mature oak, cedar, and sycamore trees, the 20 acres of grounds also have walled gardens landscaped to period, as well as former outbuildings and stables that house additional cottage-style rooms. The pretty spa features Aromatherapy Associates treatments. There are two restaurants: the fine-dining The Oak, where the Modern British set-price menus change seasonally, and the less formal Pineapple, which offers lighter fare like sandwiches and salads.

These three intricately decorated Victorian town houses overlooking Kensington Palace provide an intimate, luxurious alternative to the city's more famous high-end hotels, offering thoughtful hospitality and opulent, distinctive rooms full of antiques. The hotel is noted for its attentive service and excellent restaurant. Many rooms have canopied beds, and each has a decorative theme—the Ascot Room, for example, is filled with the kind of elegant hats worn at the eponymous horse race. There's also a sauna and a heated pool, and the hotel can organize special experiences like private tours of Kensington Palace or an in-room recital by members of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

This 18th-century house in the center of Richmond has been beautifully restored and packed with Georgian silver, Persian rugs, and Biedermeier chairs. The spacious bedrooms are done in soothing neutral colors, decorated with well-chosen art and antiques, and stocked with books and free malt whisky (but no televisions). All have views of the town or the extraordinary gardens, which offer additional views of the waterfalls on the River Swale and have won Royal Horticultural Society awards. The big claw-foot tubs in the bathrooms—some of which have their own fireplaces—invite a relaxing soak after a hike on the Dales. Breakfasts here win raves for their variety and freshness. In addition to the three rooms, there are two self-catering alternatives: a five-bedroom coach house and a garden apartment that sleeps two.

Perched on a hill overlooking the town below, this charming, family-run boutique hotel has spacious, individually designed rooms that combine home comforts like Hypnos beds, walk-in showers, and roll-top baths with quirky touches like bold print cushions, pineapple-shaped lamps, and antique chairs. The hotel's restaurant and bar, set inside an 8th-century cavern below the hotel, is one of the town's best; the all-day menu changes seasonally but might include chilli salted squid, mixed beans risotto, and venison and beef stew. Walk past rooms 7 and 8 and you may find yourself doing a double-take; they are suspended halfway up the wall and don't go anywhere.

There's a lot to love about this modestly priced, mid-range hotel—it's housed in the city's commanding stone Municipal Building a short hop from Lime Street station, its Palm Court restaurant is decadent, its Seaforth Restaurant salutes refined British cuisine, and its gorgeous spa and pool are serene retreats. Upstairs, stylish rooms come with high ceilings and plush muted grey furnishings that complete the hotel's classy showing.    

This vibrantly modern apart-hotel is so much more than just a place to lay your head: it attracts visitors and locals alike as a social hub that hosts a lively, ever-changing roster of events including supper clubs in its Dulcie Street Warehouse restaurant (a fine spot for shared plates with a summer terrace), pop-up markets, cultural talks, and screenings in the mini-cinema. It also has its own BLOK fitness studios. The building is a charmingly reincarnated cotton warehouse with its original brick barrelled ceilings, exposed beams, and wrought-iron girders now painted a hip powder blue. Accommodations, all with compact kitchens and lounge areas, range from studios to two-bedroom duplex penthouses with private terraces affording panoramic city views. This is a great option for groups of friends traveling together, with apartments that link either via a private outer corridor or a door in the living room. 

Bursting with eye-catching Art Deco design and achingly hip interiors, The Ned is as close to the glamour of the 1920s Jazz Age as you'll find in contemporary London. Guests should catch their breath before walking into the vast impressive lobby, where a cavalcade of lively restaurants and bars await. The multitude of dining options here manage to comfortably share a space not unlike the size of Grand Central Terminal. Replete with 92 emerald-green columns, 10-meter-high ceilings, and gorgeous tiled floors, The Ned is every inch the modern grand dame hotel. Rooms range in size from the smallest "crash pad" to the largest family suite, and the same level of design and attention to detail can be found in each. Luxurious, opulent, and aware of its own style, The Ned is also a surprising bargain.

Located in Boxgrove, a village just northeast of Chichester, this charming B&B offers space, comfort, and personalized service within a gorgeous, 17th-century thatched cottage. The two suites here are large and characterful, with traditional features like bowed timber beams, squat-to-enter doorways, and antique furniture complemented by modern luxuries like rainfall showers, large and comfy beds, and fast Wi-Fi. Guests are welcomed by the owners with a spot of tea and cake in the garden, while hearty breakfasts are served every morning in the historic dining room.

English Heritage has created two lovely cottages out of what was the ceremonial entrance to the Osborne estate (it's still the entrance the Royal Family uses when they visit the property). The two lodges, decorated in an understated contemporary style, have two double bedrooms each, plus a living room with a wood fireplace, dining room, kitchen, and private garden. Your rental includes free admission to both Osborne House and Carisbrooke Castle, plus out-of-hours access to the Osborne grounds and beach, making it virtually your private estate.

One of London's hippest hotels sits opposite the famous Royal Opera House, and while a bit austere looking from the outside, inside it's all deluxe boho-chic, with dark mahoganies, worn rugs, velvet sofas, embroidered damasks, and hand-painted wallpapers. Set in the former Bow Street Magistrates' Court and Police Station and delightfully sprinkled with 1,600 pieces of art, be sure to take tea in the Library, enjoy craft cocktails in the subterranean Common Decency cocktail lounge, or sip agave-based cocktails in the hopping Side Hustle bar.

From the impressive collection of modern artwork throughout the hotel to the sleek furnishings in the guest rooms, this stately converted bank building displays contemporary style in a city that favors the traditional. Oxford's most centrally located hotel also holds the busy Quod Restaurant & Bar, serving creative salads and pizzas, as well as heartier dishes like duck confit.

The best views in Mousehole can be enjoyed from this lodging's guest rooms, some of which have balconies or terraces, and all of which have modern bathrooms and come with Cornish tea and proper coffee with fresh milk. You can also soak up the sea views on the sheltered deck overlooking the subtropical garden, at the bottom of which the coast path gives direct access to the harbor, a three- or four-minute walk away. There's good food to be had in the open-plan bar and restaurant, which is adorned with local art.

In the heart of Tunbridge Wells, this stylish boutique hotel perfectly situated between the café-filled Pantiles and the shop-lined High Street is a luxurious and intimate place to stay, with spacious and contemporary guest rooms. Expect chic design in muted colors and natural woods, exceptionally comfortable king or super-king beds, and modern bathrooms with rainfall showers (and, in larger rooms, baths). The brasserie restaurant is excellent—try the incredible garlic and chilli king prawns flambé —and a bright, art-filled bar and snug serves traditional afternoon teas and evening drinks. Everything else you could possibly need is right on your doorstep. Larger groups should consider booking the self-catering townhouse, while sleeps up to eight in four double bedrooms.

As the first new-build hotel in London since 2012, the Peninsula has a feeling of spaciousness not possible in converted period buildings, resulting in an overall feeling of opulence (architecturally, aesthetically, and service-wise). Public rooms boast triple-height ceilings (quadruple height for the 82-foot heated pool) and standard doubles are the size of small apartments, with floor-to-ceiling windows, sofas, mahogany-paneled walk-in dressing rooms, and huge onyx marble bathrooms (complete with Japanese toilets that adjust water and seat temperature and bathtubs offering lighting and media controls). Triple-glazed windows and thick carpets ensure the droning traffic of nearby Hyde Park Corner never intrudes. Unobtrusive but omnipresent tech, a state-of-the-art spa, two glamorous bars, and four dining options (ranging from Canton Blue and its elevated Anglo-Cantonese food to the aviation-themed, fine dining Brooklands with views over Hyde Park) create a luxurious, rarified cocoon infused with Asian influences for the (private) jet set.

Halfway between Cockermouth and Keswick at the northern end of Bassenthwaite Lake, this traditional 17th-century coaching inn exudes English coziness without the usual Lakeland fussiness. Tasteful, modern bedrooms have soft but comfortable beds and tiled bathrooms with large tubs, and they overlook a garden and 60 acres of forest. The restaurant serves British fare and has a light bites menu during the day. The intimate old bar remains the star of the show, however, and is popular with locals as well as guests.

This coastal outpost of the stylish, food-centric Hampshire boutique hotel minichain is in a Victorian Gothic former private residence in an unspoiled village on the scenic, peaceful Studland Peninsula. Rolling lawns look out over Studland Bay and the Old Harry Rocks at the eastern end of the Jurassic Coast; mats and towels are even provided for excursions to the beach below. Inside the hotel, shabby-chic bedrooms combine comfort with understated elegance (some have mullioned windows and paneled ceilings) as well as individualquirky touches such as freestanding roll-top baths. Two separate thatched-roof cottages are good for those who want privacy, and there's a caravanlike shepherd's hut on the lawn where you can spend the night. As at all the Pigs, the restaurant is excellent, utilizing seasonal ingredients grown on-site or sourced within 25 miles.

With the elegance of an Edwardian villa combined with clean-lined modern style, this friendly hotel close to Porthminster Beach offers the best of both worlds. Guest rooms are bright and contemporary, and spacious common areas include a large lounge that opens onto a veranda. Sea-facing rooms with balconies cost more. The beach is just steps away, and a pretty footpath connects the hotel with the center of town. Parking is available.