326 Best Hotels in England

Luxury retail therapy is on your doorstep at this chic hotel in the Mailbox development with its Harvey Nichols store. Large windows make the guest rooms light and airy by day, and there’s subtle lighting by night. Furnishings are bright and funky, and bathrooms indulge you with tailor-made toiletries. There's also a spa and gym on-site.

The Leeds outpost of a boutique-hotel mini-chain is in an Edwardian building that once contained the headquarters of a local tram company and now contains guest rooms featuring striking wallpaper, crushed-velvet textiles in gray and yellow, and, sometimes, floor-to-ceiling windows. The intimate, below-ground brasserie serves Modern British gastropub favorites.

Converted from an old riverside warehouse, this glamorous, design-conscious hotel sits beside the iconic Millennium Bridge. Guest rooms, done in a modern style with clever rococo-esque touches of gilt and velvet, are spacious, and the huge beds are piled high with pillows. The discreet Mal restaurant presents modern French fare in a room overlooking the Tyne. Combined dinner, bed, and breakfast deals are available.

Housed in what was a 19th-century prison, this high-concept boutique hotel remains true to its unusual history by showing off the original metal doors and exposed-brick walls. In the main guest wing, past the chic reception area, it is undeniably an old prison, albeit a stylishly lit one. Truth be told, this does take some getting used to; you half expect guests to bang their spoons on the white metal railings if breakfast isn't served on time. But fear not, the accommodations in the old cell block are quite luxurious and have modern bathrooms. Guest rooms in converted outbuildings on the other side of the old exercise yard (ominously called "The House of Correction") are smaller and a little plainer, although still modern and perfectly pleasant.

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.

Following an extensive renovation after a roof fire, the imposing Edwardian facade of this ultraluxe hotel on the edge of Hyde Park belies the modern and bright setting within that features spacious bedrooms filled with high-tech gadgets. The hotel's main, double-Michelin-starred restaurant has views over the park and is overseen by top-flight chef Heston Blumenthal. There's also a "Japanese izakaya experience" restaurant and a similarly Asian-influenced tea room. The large renovated spa is equally innovative and high-end. Service is exemplary (every floor has its own butler) and guests can use the outdoor terrace bordering Hyde Park.

Built in 1847, this historic property was originally called "the Grecian Villa,” which gives you an idea of its architectural style, though the rooms and furnishings are more down-to-earth. Its centerpiece is an elegant wood-paneled spiral staircase. No two guest rooms are alike, and they incorporate many of the building's original architectural features as well as modern comforts.

Secret passageways and a priest hole testify to the age of this 16th-century building, where the mullioned windows, original stonework, and log fires in winter are tastefully balanced by smart, contemporary furnishings in the public areas. Bedrooms, displaying the same mix of modern and antique, come with good bathrooms with quality toiletries. The well-regarded Mulberry restaurant serves an updated English menu, while the Beagle Bar, in a bright, modern conservatory overlooking the lovely garden, has cheaper eats.

Capitalizing on its location in central London's most intimate, village-like neighborhood, The Marylebone features contemporary designer rooms and drinking and dining options that match the boutique elements of its surroundings. Rooms are styled in neutral tones and those on the higher floors offer the kind of quaint rooftop views that have become increasingly rare in a city intent on building bigger. The elegant 108 Brasserie is the perfect spot for people-watching, whether from inside or poised on its outdoor terrace flanked by cobblestone Marylebone Lane. 

Located across from St. Pancras International station, this colorful, snazzily designed hotel offers guests rooms with a chic contemporary vibe and all the latest amenities, from espresso machines to Bluetooth speakers. Rooms come in decent sizes, with the more spacious ones on the upper floors, having huge windows to view the cityscape. Magenta, the hotel restaurant, serves good modern European fare.

Set on a 200-acre working estate, surrounded by ancient woodlands and overlooking the moors, this elegant retreat has rooms in a Georgian mansion as well as in buildings throughout the grounds that once served as shepherds' huts, a dairy, and a coach house and that might feature exposed timber beams, freestanding baths, woodburning stoves, or hot tubs. The menu at the fine-dining Forge restaurant, which uses ingredients sourced from the estate or elsewhere in the area, changes daily, with dishes like duck with salsify and cavolo nero in an herb emulsion or trout with kohlrabi buttermilk and Douglas fir dressing. The Coach House gastropub is a less-formal choice. If you're exhausted from tromping across the moors, revive with a dip in the heated swimming pool fed by the estate's own spring or with a therapeutic massage in the Forest Spa.

Located next to a conference center and opposite a Tube station, this is very much a business hotel. The lobby is sleek and minimalist with polished marble floors and soaring blonde-wood columns, while the guest rooms are similarly tasteful (though bordering on bland) with neutral creams and earth tones complemented by light-wood desks and leather chairs. There are two bars and several restaurants (plus an attached casino), which means that you don't have to go out if you'd prefer to stay in.

This Victorian-era hotel combines an old-fashioned feel with a modern style that features pops of color and fabrics that have interesting patterns. The busy split-level restaurant specializes in updated versions of classic British fare, which you can enjoy at tables by the pond in the garden.

Formerly the supercool Curtain hotel, the Mondrian takeover has only raised the hipness stakes here, thanks to a glossy but subtle refurbishment that sees the industrial look of the place toned down to offer a more elegant feel. Book direct for all-day access to the rooftop pool, which is otherwise limited to 7 am to 11 am. 

This friendly, comfortable Georgian townhouse hotel is a proverbial stone's throw from the British Museum. All rooms have air-conditioning and are well-appointed and comfortable, with the quietest ones overlooking the peaceful gardens out back. There's live jazz in the bar most evenings as well as an excellent in-house bistro. In the summer months, one of the garden terraces transforms into a pop-up beach bar, complete with palm trees and cocktails served in coconuts.

Rooms at this small chic charmer—tucked away down a side street in an upscale neighborhood—are tiny but sophisticated, with colorful pastel throws atop crisp white down comforters. The beauty is in the details: the fire-warmed bar serves light meals and tea; there's a relaxing spa; and the guest library lends DVDs and books. Tiny bathrooms are brightened by pale-pink granite countertops and the hotel claims to use feng shui principles in its design.

A tree-lined drive leads through 26 acres of gardens and open fields to this moated manor house dating to the 13th century, where public rooms reflect the hotel’s long history with period touches such as 16th-century oak paneling and Flemish glass, 18th-century chandeliers, and a 17th-century stone fireplace. Guest rooms include elements of classic character as well as modern bathrooms; some have four-poster beds, and most preserve original features such as cornices and fireplaces. Sophisticated British cuisine is served in the very grand Bridge Restaurant, while coffee and digestifs can be taken in the Terrace Lounge and Bar. There is also a decent spa and pretty grounds to wander. The hotel is 7 miles northeast of the city center.

Located on a cliff above Bournemouth's sandy beach (a rarity in pebbly Britain), this stylish conversion of an Edwardian grande dame takes its inspiration from the hip Art Deco hotels of Miami's South Beach, with lots of palm tree decor, original contemporary art in the public spaces, and airy white bedrooms. Seafront rooms—some with private sun decks, others with outdoor hot tubs—overlook the pool area and rolling lawns with the English Channel beyond. The restaurant continues the Floridian theme with dishes like lobster and crayfish linguine, crab cakes, and grilled salmon. OSKIA products are featured in the spa, and there are heated indoor and outdoor pools, a beachside bar, and a small-plates restaurant. A cinema offers nightly screenings.

Nobu's first European hotel combines ravishing design (think soothing Japonism-inspired patterns and palettes alongside bold statements of industrial chic) with slick service, in a backstreet location in the heart of Shoreditch.

Dating to the 14th century, Chipping Campden's oldest inn was built to accommodate foreign wool traders, and even though it's been enlarged, the building retains its exposed beams and stonework. Guest rooms—some in the 14th-century portion—are full of warm colors and dark oak furniture, and fully equipped with modern amenities. The restaurant serves award-winning curries. Breakfast can be taken in the airy conservatory. A Deluxe Spa Break package includes a night's accommodation at the Noel Arms, access to the spa at Cotswold House (a sister property), and other amenities.

The best accommodation option in Arundel town center, this 18th-century coaching inn on the main street was, like Arundel's cathedral and castle, built by one of the dukes of Norfolk (during the Napoleonic Wars, it was used to house soldiers). The comfortable rooms are decorated in a simple, country-house style, and range from small singles to spacious "feature" doubles; those in the annex are generally larger and more modern. Downstairs, the Norfolk Tap pub serves good food and craft beer until late.

A romantic getaway on the Thames, this Victorian-era mansion stands on landscaped grounds 3 miles west of Windsor. Its bristling towers and spires have been used in several films, including The Rocky Horror Picture Show and multiple Dracula movies. Except for the suites, all the rooms are in modern wings and are furnished in a modern style. Public areas, however, retain their old-fashioned, wood-paneled, and clubby charm. The Dining Room restaurant serves Continental cuisine in plush surroundings.

There's no more comforting stop after a day outdoors than the Hiker's Bar of this 300-year-old hotel at the head of the Great Langdale Valley. The stone floor and wooden beams echo to the clatter of boots, and the roaring, smoky fire rapidly dries out wet walking gear. Thick slabs of flapjack (dense bar cookies) from behind the bar will get you up the surrounding Langdale Pikes, as will the hearty, good-value house-made soup and pies. Guest rooms are decorated with traditional patterned carpets and flowered bed linens, and some have four-poster beds, though the hotel exudes a rougher version of Lakeland life far away from Beatrix Potter quaintness.

A 17th-century gabled stone house in a small garden next to St. Giles Church, the Old Parsonage is a dignified retreat. Dark red walls, eclectic art, and a crackling wood fire give the lobby a distinguished look. The guest rooms favor plum, purple, and gray with wool, linen, and velvet materials; bathrooms are rich with marble. Memorable meals by the fire (or in the walled garden terrace in summer) keep people coming back. Afternoon teas with scones and clotted cream are excellent.

Perched on the cliffs above Port Isaac's minuscule harbor, this idiosyncratic lodging was a Victorian schoolhouse until the 1980s, and it nostalgically retains many of the features of its previous role. The hotel reverts to its former incarnation when it serves as the school in Doc Martin, a locally set TV series. Guest rooms are named after various school subjects—Geography, Chemistry, Latin—and vary considerably in size (so think about viewing the rooms before booking); most, however, have superb vistas, and some have small terraces. Bar snacks and full meals are offered in the restaurant, from baguettes to fresh seafood, Goan curry, and sirloin steaks. Limited parking is available—a rare find in Port Isaac.

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.

With a casual elegance that typifies Brighton, this Regency-era boutique hotel sits close to the seafront, with rooms that are cleverly fitted into the old building. Some rooms have slanted ceilings and tiny bathrooms, but they make up for those deficiencies by having lots of light and soothing decor in shades of taupe or dove gray. There's no restaurant, although breakfast is served and cooked fresh to order. The cool bar downstairs is popular with young locals and can get quite loud, so ask for a room well away from it if you're a light sleeper.

The hotel occupies a picturesque Palladian house in the center of Painswick but still has impressive valley views, which can be enjoyed from the soothing, chic guest rooms or the public terrace. The 17 bedrooms are individually designed, and the Palladian Rooms have luxurious rolltop baths. The Painswick Restaurant is one of the Cotswolds' best places to dine, with a sophisticated à la carte menu and a decadent tasting menu available daily. This hotel is part of the luxury Calcot Collection, which includes Tetbury's Calcot & Spa. 

One of the first boutique hotels ever in London, this still-stylish choice is just a short stroll away from the Natural History, Science, and Victoria and Albert museums. Settle down at the end of the day with a book from the well-stocked guest library in the stylish, wood-paneled drawing room complete with honor bar, or go straight to the chic, contemporary guest rooms, each individually decorated with the hotel's combination of classic British country house style infused with a touch of Italian glamour. Michelin-starred chef Alfredo Russo offers an innovative twist on traditional Italian cuisine in the downstairs La Trattoria restaurant.

On a quiet street across from Mayflower Park, this snug hotel in two converted town houses is set into the city's medieval walls and has a funky but chic aesthetic in guest rooms and public areas. Downstairs is the deli-bar, an Edwardian parlor with an open fire, leather armchairs, and wood tables topped with pots of live herbs, where you can get lunch or supper. An offshoot of the Pig, the noted nearby restaurant with rooms in the New Forest, the deli shares the mothership's commitment to locally sourced ingredients that change daily. A Continental or hot breakfast is available but costs extra.