451 Best Hotels in England

This Victorian Gothic mansion, featuring arched windows and romantic turrets, is approached along a private avenue and is a soothing retreat for theatergoers who want to escape Stratford’s crowds. If you like four-poster beds and antiques, book a room in the main house, while the modern wing is perfect for those who prefer more contemporary elegance. The oak-paneled restaurant offers great Modern British cuisine, or you can take afternoon tea in the beautiful Great Drawing Room. There's also a spa with a swimming pool, sauna, steam room, and spa pool. In summer, borrow a picnic blanket and take your tea outside to the 40-acre grounds, which contain the ruins of a 12th-century church. The hotel is 6 miles south of Stratford-upon-Avon.

This property in the heart of town underwent a top-to-bottom 2024 renovation and refurbishment that transformed five, cobbled-together, 17th-century houses into a destination boutique hotel. The elegant glass courtyard terrace is favored for drinks or afternoon tea in summer; log fires make the public rooms cozy. The restaurant serves refined, classic dishes.

The generous accommodations of this sleek aparthotel, which offers both short and long-term stays, are all named after different Cambridge fellows (Charles Darwin, Rudyard Kipling, William Blake), yet all of them have a uniform contemporary look—styled in neutral grays and whites—and compact kitchenettes with stovetops and microwaves. Don't let the ability to prepare your own meals stop you from visiting the ground-floor Folio restaurant. If you have a moment to spare, hit the lobby for a cocktail and a game on the billiard table.

Next to the main entrance of Waddesdon Manor, this elegant building, constructed to house estate workers, features fancifully patterned brick chimneys, purple gables, and contemporary-style bedrooms done in restful colors and furnished with antiques from the manor. The delightful suites in the Courtyard Stables are big enough for those who want more room to stretch out. A fine restaurant and pub serve inspired modern fare and British classics.

Although deep in the British countryside on a 500-acre estate, this country-house hotel, part of the luxury chain, is only a half hour from Heathrow; the manor house's original wing (the others are more contemporary) dates back to 1728, although luxuries like marble bathrooms and Frette linens are thoroughly modern. Relax in the heated indoor pool and spacious spa offering Dr. Barbara Sturm treatments and hypnotherapy, or enjoy country pursuits like horseback riding (there's an equestrian center), fishing in the stocked pond, falconry, and clay-pigeon shooting. For the more adventurous, there's zip-lining. There are also family-friendly elements, such as a special kids' pool with a waterslide and a supervised kids' club on weekends. Dining options range from a Vietnamese-influenced spa café and a pizzeria to a restaurant serving seasonal Modern British food.

A refreshing change from the overt opulence displayed by some of the big-name hotels in Mayfair, the Four Seasons Park Lane has a beautifully restrained interior that pairs its luxurious flourishes with a strong sense of tranquillity. Oyster-shell chic is the look in the public areas—although Bar Antoine offers the type of moody drinking den every hotel should have—and the soft, pastel perfection is continued upstairs in the guest rooms themselves. Rooms are spacious and comfortable with marble baths and possess more than a hint of stylish Scandinavian-led design. Don't miss the spa on the top floor; in the treatment rooms, massive windows seem to hold all of Hyde Park inside a snow globe.

A showy Victorian edifice, all turrets and elaborate plasterwork, this hotel with 5 acres of gardens, a spa, and a pool was the original inspiration for Toad Hall in The Wind in the Willows. It's a great place for families—most rooms are spacious enough for several people, and there are excellent facilities for the kids. Modernizations have successfully melded vintage character with contemporary pizzazz. The relaxed dining room, which opens onto a terrace, is open to nonguests.

This three-story Georgian town house on a quiet cobbled street has a secluded walled garden and a bright, welcoming interior packed with works by local artists and 18th-century period features, such as beamed ceilings and wood paneling. Guest rooms are tastefully decorated in restful creams and taupes; some have oak four-poster beds or original fireplaces. Many of bathrooms are completely up-to-date, with marble floors, ambient lighting, and free-standing Italian baths. Although not included in the rates, breakfast is excellent. Be careful not to confuse this with Frenchgate Guest House, a B&B on the same street.

Pilgrims en route to Glastonbury Abbey stayed here in the 15th century, and although the stone-front hotel is now equipped with modern comforts, it retains its flagstone floors, wooden beams, and antique furnishings. Rooms come in different shapes and sizes (including for families), and the better ones are spacious and furnished with antiques; three rooms have four-poster beds. Rooms in the newer part of the building lack character but are cheaper.

Right on Penrith's lively market square is this attractive redbrick hotel, which dates back more than 300 years. The open fireplaces, wood paneling, stained glass, and antiques all add to the atmosphere and sense of history, although the guest rooms are surprisingly modern, with light, bright interiors and large comfortable beds. The lively restaurant and bar downstairs tend to be busy in the afternoons and evenings, and while it's a good place for a drink, you'll be better off dining elsewhere.

At this attractive hotel on Rye's main road, rooms take a boutique approach and cleverly mix modern pieces with antiques in the sprawling Georgian building. Guest rooms are individually decorated, but many combine muted colors with bold-print feature wallpaper, colorful cushions, quirky artwork, and fresh flowers. The standard "cozy" rooms are quite compact, but the classic, superior, luxury, and deluxe rooms—as well as the elegantly minimalist Junior Suite—give you more space, as well as extras like four-poster Vi-Spring beds and free-standing roll-top baths. The George Grill restaurant and bar downstairs are popular with locals as well as visitors.

Situated in the village of Marazion and very close to St. Michael's Mount, this dapper Georgian hotel has large windows for drinking in the mesmerizing views of the turreted castle, the foreshore, and the ever-changing waters of Mount's Bay. The bright, spacious feel extends to the modern guest rooms and the bar–restaurant, where breakfast is also taken and which has outdoor seating in fine weather.

The opposite of functional beige minimalism, this well-appointed hotel (established 1898) with old-school attentive service combines the cozy and the theatrical. The lobby evokes a stately home, a theme continued in the beautifully decorated, jewel-toned bedrooms upstairs, which are decorated with antiques, sumptuous fabrics, and oil paintings. A few rooms are just plain spectacular, like the Tudor room with a 15th-century minstrels' gallery, stained glass, and mahogany four-poster bed, or the Judy Garland room with the lavish bed that the actress had installed for her frequent stays here.

The city's most famous hotel and a seafront landmark, the Grand Brighton is a huge, Victorian wedding cake of a building dating from 1864. It's both imposing and elegant, with high-ceilinged public rooms richly decorated with enormous chandeliers and plenty of marble. Having afternoon tea here is a Brighton tradition, and highly recommended. The spacious bedrooms are light-filled and traditional, with luxurious fabrics, white linens, and large bathrooms. Prices vary significantly depending on season and even day of the week (a weekend stay in summer often costs twice as much as a weekday one), so search the website for deals.

Originally built as a Georgian town house, this charming hotel is just around the corner from the British Museum, and all its 26 rooms are fully ensuite and come with a variety of modern amenities, including TVs and complimentary Wi-Fi. The breakfast room overlooks a delightful walled garden and should you wish to have lunch or dinner in-house, then a sister hotel, the Grange White Hall, is literally two doors away. The public areas have a traditional, old-fashioned feel to them, which only adds to the charm of the place. Service is excellent, with a concierge and porter always on hand to help.  

Part Palladian country house hotel, part lively resort, and part luxury wellness retreat, Grantley Hall is set on 30 acres of parkland, combining grandeur with glitz. Bedrooms are large and traditionally elegant in shades of taupe and aqua, and marble bathrooms have giant showers. There are three restaurants: a fine dining room run by Michelin-starred chef Shaun Rankin that specializes in set price, locally sourced tasting menus; an all-day informal Modern British restaurant with dishes like pork belly with carrot puree and Josper Grill dishes; and a buzzy cocktail bar that serves pan-Asian food and features a live DJ. For those who want even more nightlife, there's a below-ground Art Deco-style late-night Champagne bar featuring live jazz on weekends. The huge spa has a wide range of massage and beauty treatments, a two-story gym, an ice bath, and outdoor sauna, and and indoor-to-outdoor hydrotherapy pool. But the real draw is the 60-foot marble-clad colonnaded swimming pool.

Close to the Minster in York's oldest inhabited house (dating from 1080), Gray's Court has its own ½-acre garden and atmospheric features like leaded-glass windows, limestone fireplaces, and a wood-paneled Jacobean Long Gallery. Several bedrooms are furnished with handsome antiques. Bathrooms, however, are modern, with walk-in showers. The Bow Restaurant emphasizes local produce, and meals can be taken in the garden.

Staying at this snazzy modern five-star hotel directly on the marina is like staying on a cruise ship (or perhaps a super-yacht) without ever leaving land, a design theme reinforced by tiered balconies and floor-to-ceiling windows. Among the amenities are an excellent spa, a penthouse bar with roof terrace, a heated indoor pool, a free shuttle to the cruise terminal, a cinema, and a seafood-oriented restaurant, The Jetty, that's considered one of the city's best. Rooms, some with balconies overlooking the marina, come with pampering touches like 400-thread count sheets and Nespresso coffee machines. 

This handsome 18th-century house, known for its flying (partially freestanding) staircase and colonnade, is now an elegant boutique hotel but was once the residence of Admiral George Murray, one of Admiral Nelson's right-hand men. The public areas have been restored to their full, Regency-era glory, while the guest rooms have a cooler, more contemporary design. Some rooms have lovely views over the city's old rooftops. The Ship restaurant is flooded with light from the rows of big windows. There's also a basement-level spa to help soothe away those travel-weary aches and pains.

Part of a small boutique chain, the Harbour Hotel is one of the more contemporary offerings in this part of Surrey, with its modern and well-designed rooms attracting mostly business travelers—although the spa brings in plenty of people who want a pampering getaway. The spa has a long list of stress-busting treatments, and at pretty reasonable prices, like £135 for a 90-minute full-body massage including facial treatments. The hotel also has two good in-house dining options, but since it's right in the center of Guildford there are plenty of other options within a few minutes' walk.

It's rare to find a compact hotel in the cobblestone heart of Bath, and this informal three-story lodging converted from a group of Georgian town houses fits the bill nicely. Bedrooms, though bright, are not spacious, there are no views from the windows, and the parking facilities can be tricky to find. However, the cleanliness, polite and friendly service, outdoor hot tub, and central location outweigh these minuses. There's also an EV charging point, and the hotel is pet friendly. The hotel also rents a number of serviced apartments in Bath for short stays. 

Set in a handsome Georgian crescent, this family-run hotel offers quiet and comfortable accommodations with excellent amenities. With space for four, the quad rooms are a good choice for traveling families. For those who tire of eggs and sausage every morning, breakfast includes a choice of fresh croissants and a variety of cereals. See if you can spot Zizi and Wolfgang, the hotel's friendly cat and dog.

In Warrior Square at the edge of Hastings, this boutique guesthouse brings a funky, modern style to a grand Victorian building. Its individually styled guest rooms are chic and stylish, with big, comfortable beds and bright splashes of color. Marble bathrooms are small, but just big enough. Rooms 3, 5, and 7 have sea views but are also the priciest in the house. Dinner is available if you let the owners know in advance, as is afternoon tea.

On a quiet street opposite the abbey grounds and just steps from Glastonbury's High Street, this elegant guest house offers pastel-hued, well-maintained rooms with great views and separate kitchenettes equipped with everything you need to rustle up snacks. If available, opt for the Abbey Suite, covering the entire top floor and with views of the abbey ruins framed by Wearyall Hill behind it. Breakfast isn't served, but you can make your own or walk to one of the numerous cafés close by.

Slightly austere on the outside but charming within, this Victorian hotel overlooks the lawns of Hope Park and has updated accommodations with great character, including rooms in the turret and the former chapel. The balconies of the common areas have superb valley views, and some rooms look out to Derwentwater or Skiddaw. The well-regarded restaurant (open to nonguests) has a regularly updated menu of dishes such as locally smoked breast of duck, haunch of venison, and Cumbrian fillet steak. Check out the fine wine list and 25 whiskies in the bar.

An excellent central location near the waterside nightlife scene is just one perk of staying at this smoothly run chain hotel. The crisp, modern bedrooms and bathrooms, though on the small side, are beautifully equipped and furnished in calm, neutral tones. Downstairs, the trendy bar and neighboring Recess restaurant have a very Mad Men feel. Cooked-to-order breakfasts are included in the good weekend deals and even in high-season, bargains can be had.

Named in honor of the fictional detective who had his home on Baker Street, rooms here have a masculine edge with plenty of nods to Mr. Holmes himself (along with hypermodern bathrooms stocked with fluffy bathrobes). The bar has an appropriately clubhouse feel, with wood floors and leather furniture. Despite the name and subtle elements within the decor (think tasteful images of pipes, brollies, and bowler hats), the Holmes never feels like a theme hotel.

In Liverpool's Georgian Quarter, this chic but relaxed hotel happily blends old (an 1890s building inspired by Venetian palazzos) and new (a contemporary steel-and-glass facade fitted over part of the frontage and rooms that have minimalist, Scandinavian-esque decor). Accommodations on upper floors have city views, and the two penthouse suites have private terraces from which to admire the nearby cathedrals and the river (one also has an outdoor spa bath).

Set within 1,100 acres of parkland, this luxurious Victorian manor house was built as a private home in 1850; it was owned by a friend of the late Queen Elizabeth until the 1980s, and she was a regular visitor. Today it continues to exude English country-house style, with a magnificent Victorian staircase, elegantly traditional guest rooms, and special touches like the secret door in the Gothic library, which leads to a private courtyard. The dining room serves elegant fare using fresh, local ingredients. The house is 6½ miles northeast of Lewes.

The York outpost of a boutique-hotel mini-chain is in a converted 19th-century orphanage, with exposed-brick walls and arched doorways, as well as spacious, quiet rooms done up in English country–style florals and stripes. Some guest rooms are on two levels, and most have bathrooms with claw-foot tubs and showers big enough for two. The in-house restaurant specializes in bistro-style cooking with a British twist. Service is helpful and cheerful.