St Michaels Manor

A privately-owned hotel in a grand old building with a good restaurant, St Michaels Manor is one of the best options for an overnight stay in the centre of St Albans, very handy for the city's historic and commercial centre, but in a very peaceful location too, with well=tended gardens stretching down to a small lake. Having been in the same family for decades, it has an old-fashioned, relaxed charm that makes you glad it hasn’t succumbed to the boutique styling that makes everywhere look the same these days. The same people also own the Rose & Crown pub around the corner – handy if you’re here for a few days and want a change from what they offer in the restaurant.

The hotel has 22 rooms in its main Georgian building and a further 8, slightly more contemporary rooms in a more recent extension to the side, some of which have private patios looking out over the gardens and lake. All the rooms are good sizes, with spacious and fairly recently refurbished bathrooms (with robes and toiletries), tea-and coffee-making facilities, complimentary water and treats, Freeview TVs, a phone and radio alarm clock. The higher end rooms and suites have baths as well as spacious showers, and three have four-poster beds.

There’s an excellent restaurant, a bar that is open late, 24-hour room service and good wifi. Outside mature trees and lawns make up five acres of beautiful gardens encircling a lake, dotted with benches, jetties and gazebos. They don’t have a spa but offer spa faciilities  through the nearby Verulamium Spa. Situated in  great location in a nice part of St Albans, backing onto the large expanse of Verulamium Park and close to the various bits and pieces of Roman Verulamium, and also just a five-minute walk from the cathedral – the oldest site of continuous Christian worship in the country.