21 Best Hotels in Manchester, Liverpool, and the Peak District, England

An intimate retreat within a hectic city, this boutique town-house B&B has a delightful setting on a cobbled lane in Liverpool’s charming Georgian Quarter. The focal point is the lounge, with its elegant gentleman’s club feel, but there's also a basement contemporary art gallery curated by a leading collector based in Berlin and Antwerp and open to guests by request. You're within easy walking distance to many of the city’s most exciting dining options, but stay here for the glorious in-house breakfasts of local produce, with a vast array of choices. The four stunning rooms have freestanding tubs—one in the sleeping area itself.

One of the highlights of the region, this thermal spa hotel occupies part of the spectacular Georgian-era Crescent building with its arches, colonnades, and 378 windows. Built in 1780 by fashionable architect John Carr for the fifth duke of Devonshire (of nearby Chatsworth House), it underwent a 17-year restoration and is a fantastic place to recharge in style, especially in combination with soul-stirring Peak District walks (it’s dog-friendly, too). Exceptional British cuisine awaits you in the restaurant on your return.

In a pretty village on the Chatsworth Estate just a 20-minute walk from Chatsworth House itself, this intimate hotel oozes history as well as a quintessentially English country-house style that stems partly from the use of original furniture and artwork from Chatsworth. Rooms are as cozy as can be, while the welcoming lounge has a real fire. The award-winning Gallery Restaurant serves upscale, innovative comfort food including a stupendous Sunday lunch, with many of the first-rate ingredients sourced from the estate or the Chatsworth Farm Shop. The estate also includes a collection of around 25 stunning "boltholes" (cottages) that also combine a country-house feel with coziness and are ideal for those spending some time walking in the area. They include a 16th-century Hunting Tower, built for Bess of Hardwick; the Russian Cottage, inspired by a model gifted to the 6th Duke of Devonshire by a czar's brother; and an old washhouse.

This lodging option stands out for its historic setting enhanced by elegant, contemporary decor in a building—the Free Trade Hall, constructed in 1853 on the site of the Peterloo Massacre of 1819 and used at one time as a concert venue that hosted the likes of Bob Dylan, Pink Floyd, and the Sex Pistols—that retains many original features. In the heart of the city, the hotel offers up an atmospheric subterranean spa (with a swimming pool, sauna, steam rooms, and cutting-edge gym), and memorable dining including luxurious afternoon teas and contemporary Japanese and Mexican small plates in Peter Street Kitchen. 

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.

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. 

The decor in this charming converted warehouse is hip and warm, with handpicked British signature furnishings from the likes of Tom Dixon, Paul Smith, and Scottish-based Bute Fabrics. Rooms range from great value small doubles to the Secret Garden Suite sleeping up to five, all with mini-kitchens for limited self-catering. Communal areas are equally inviting. 

This design-led option in a historic building combines a central location and hip vibe with affordable rates. Rooms with their original features including steel girders have emperor-size beds and smart TVs with Bluetooth speakers and smart concierge technology, while the all-day restaurant champions local British suppliers including an artisanal butcher from the nearby Northern Quarter. There’s also a lively feel thanks to locals who use the hotel as a co-working space, with day passes that include lunch, unlimited tea and coffee, superfast Wi-Fi, and curated playlists.

The architecture and the original features—green-marble wall tiles, sleek dark-wood paneling, a grand staircase winding up to a domed rotunda—are the real stars of this hotel in the city's landmark Victorian Royal Insurance Building. The loft-style rooms and suites are contemporary and high-tech without being jarring. Amenities include giant beanbags and super-comfortable platform beds. The communal spaces are welcoming, too, among them WXYZ Bar, NYL Restaurant & Bar, and Re-Fuel café with snacks and light bites.

This characterful 17th-century property offers upscale suites with kitchenettes or full kitchens as well as luxury touches including bathrobes and slippers. All guest quarters are individually decorated in a mainly contemporary style; some have original features such as old beams, corniced ceilings, and fireplaces, and the Penthouse has a freestanding bath in the bedroom, with lovely views. Outside you’ll find a sun terrace and croquet lawn, and there’s a wood-floored guest lounge plus free, on-site parking. The hotel requires a two-night minimum stay on weekends. 

Right by Peveril Castle, this former coaching inn—also known as The Castle and reputed to be haunted—has rooms that blend modern convenience and slick bathrooms with original features such as old wooden beams and exposed stone walls. The cozy pub and restaurant serves seasonal local fare.

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).

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.

Huge beds and luxury bedding demonstrate the hosts' commitment to guest comfort at this intimate B&B in a former gentleman's residence. There's also a lovely garden with views across the valley towards Riber Castle. The airy drawing room has daily newspapers, books, music, and DVDs, and there are full Derbyshire breakfasts plus the option of homemade afternoon tea.

Set amid gardens and woodlands, this handsome mansion—built in 1845 for Francis Wedgwood, heir to the family property firm—has comfortable guest rooms that make a perfect retreat after spending the evening in the cozy lounge with a log fire. Some rooms have private balconies. A full English breakfast is included, and the welcoming restaurant serves creative Modern British cuisine in a classic setting.

Perks at this one-time 19th-century cotton mill include complimentary yoga classes for guests while a tempting roster of social events and activities open to both residents and locals includes drag brunches, vintage swing dance classes, bee mosaic making (the bee is the city's symbol), and Sunday board games. There's a Peruvian-inspired restaurant too. The suites and studios combine hip contemporary decor with nods to the building's Victorian quirks and eccentricities, plus the practicality of full kitchens. Colors and textures are refreshingly offbeat—think salmon pink, mustard yellow, and various shades of green on everything from sofas to painted brick walls.

These contemporary apartments were loosely inspired by the wit and wisdom of Irish writer Oscar Wilde and blend personality and creativity with practicality in the design-led studios and one-bedroom apartments with full kitchens. Think timber flooring, bespoke joinery, and unique crafts and artwork, many by independent Irish business and artists, plus high-end appliances. There are discounts for longer stays.

Part of a global brand that first became known for its airport capsule hotels, this colorful lodging option features high-tech "cabins"—some are tiny and some windowless, but all incorporate sustainable-design elements like LED lighting that turns off when not in use, solar panels, and water-reducing showers. In-house MOTLEY serves low-key, seasonal produce and beer from local breweries and even has a karaoke pod. Guests get discounts at TRIB3 boutique fitness studio.

If you're looking for a central location and modern urban style on a tight budget, the Z is a superb option. Rooms are pared-back and minimalist—all the better to appreciate the superb city views from rooms with windows (the most expensive, but still great value). Bespoke beds, crisp linen, and flat-screen TVs make the place feel more expensive than it is. The Z Café serves buffet breakfasts and snacks.