Best Hotels to Stay in the UK
A quiet revolution happened in the United Kingdom between the late 1980s and the Noughties. Back in the day hotels, B&Bs and self-catering cottages were often places of convenience rather than comfort. And glamping? Well that had yet to be invented. Luxury and originality, such as it existed, came at an enormous price, and upmarket hotels often rested on their laurels, focusing instead on keeping the wrong kind of people from enjoying their tired rooms and intimidatingly posh food. Hospitality was simply something Britain wasn’t very good at: if you wanted to experience good food and a half-decent place to stay at a reasonable price, well, you had to go abroad.
Fast forward to the 2020s and Britain is a different country, packed full of great places to stay often run by passionate people who live and breathe good hospitality. The dread word ‘boutique’ was the first indicator that things had changed, and of course is now an over-used term. But it does give a flavour of a new kind of British hotel or guesthouse that began to appear thirty or so years ago – small, independently owned, and putting the guest experience front and centre. There was a new sense of contemporary style in guest rooms, where luxury didn’t necessarily mean antique furniture and four-posters. The renaissance in Modern British food made an appearance too, with lots of places revamping their restaurants and basing their menus on locally sourced, seasonal ingredients. And service was authentic, never trying too hard to please but always on hand if needed.
Like all good revolutions, change has continued, with new trends and activities emerging – wild swimming, food foraging, art classes, yoga and wellness retreats – and many establishments offering alternative accommodation: shepherds huts, lodges with hot tubs, even treehouses. The best places now have an eye on the environment too, with renewable energy sources, discounts for those arriving on public transport and kitchen gardens saving on food miles.
The Cool Places collection doesn’t pretend to include all of Britain’s best places to stay, but instead aims to provide a curated selection. Our choices are deliberately eclectic, driven not so much by budget as by the uniqueness of the property, its location, facilities, décor – or just its owners and the extra mile they often go for their guests. We avoid the usual global brands that dominate accommodation in many towns and cities, the point being that it’s not always about what you spend on a room, it’s where you spend it, with plenty of surprisingly affordable options if you know where to find them. We also aim to provide a range of choices in most corners of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Britain's Best Hotels, Pubs and Inns
Family owned and award-winning traditional inn with excellent food - Tyn-y-Groes-
Groes Inn, Llanrwst Road, Conwy, North Wales LL32 8TN
Holidays in North Wales
Holidays in Conwy
Holidays in Conwy
Gastro Pub with room in the idyllic village of llancarfan. If you are a medievalist hop across to St Cadoc's Church to gaze at the medieval wall paintings
The Fox & Hounds, Llancarfan, Llancarfan, Glamorgan, South Wales CF62 3AD
Holidays in South Wales
Holidays in Glamorgan
Holidays in Llantwit Major
Exuding charm from every creaking beam and wonky staircase, The Bear in the Brecon Beacons is quite possibly the coaching inn of your dreams
The Bear, Crickhowell, Powys, MId Wales NP8 1BW
Holidays in Mid Wales
Holidays in Powys
Holidays in Crickhowell
Home from home near the Black Mountain, a craft brewery ....and the train station
The Cawdor, 72 Rhosmaen Street, Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire, South Wales SA19 6EN
Holidays in South Wales
Holidays in Carmarthenshire
Holidays in Llandeilo
Pickering's boutique White Swan is a family-run inn of the very friendly kind
White Swan Inn, Market Place, Pickering, North Yorkshire YO18 7AA
Holidays in North East England
Holidays in North Yorkshire
Holidays in Pickering
Who has not heard of the Woolly Sheep has never been to the Yorshire Dales, famous it is and for good reasons
Woolly Sheep Inn, 38 Sheep Street, Skipton, North Yorkshire BD23 1HY
Holidays in North East England
Holidays in North Yorkshire
Holidays in Skipton
The ultimate dog friendly pub with rooms in a beautiful part of the Lake District.
The Watermill Inn & Brewery, Ings, Near Windermere, Kendal, Cumbria LA8 9PY
Holidays in North West England
Holidays in Cumbria
Holidays in Windermere
The Waterhead pretty much has things sewn up, high spec rooms, activities at the door step and stylish food, what more can you ask for?
Waterhead Hotel, Waterhead, Ambleside, Cumbria LA22 0ER
Holidays in North West England
Holidays in Cumbria
Holidays in Ambleside
A classic inn In the heart of historic Lancaster
Toll House Inn, Penny Street, Lancaster, Lancashire LA1 1XT
Holidays in North West England
Holidays in Lancashire
Holidays in Lancaster
Victoria by name, Victorian in style, award winning pub with rooms above
Victoria Inn, 85 Hallgarth Street, Durham, County Durham DH1 3AS
Holidays in North East England
Holidays in County Durham
Holidays in Durham
Comfortable rooms behind a quirky outside in center of lovely Morpeth
St Mary’s Inn, St Mary’s Lane, St Mary’s Park, Morpeth, Northumberland NE61 6BL
Holidays in North East England
Holidays in Northumberland
Holidays in Morpeth
Real old English country charm, watch the night skies and sleep in the barn
The Pheasant Inn, Falstone, Stannersburn, Kielder Water, Falstone, Hexham, Northumberland NE48 1DD
Holidays in North East England
Holidays in Northumberland
Holidays in Hexham
The bustling hub of the Lakes, with lovely updated rooms, a warm welcome and an excellent dog-friendly policy.
The Royal Oak Keswick, Main Street, Keswick, Cumbria CA12 5HZ
Holidays in North West England
Holidays in Cumbria
Holidays in Keswick
Ancient Stratford-upon-Avon hotel with contemporary interior and comfortable, individually styled rooms
The White Swan Hotel, Rother Street Stratford-Upon-Avon Warkwickshire CV37 6NH
Holidays in West Midlands
Holidays in Warwickshire
Holidays in Stratford upon Avon
Cosy and unpretentious Symonds Yat pub right beside the Wye with simple rooms and hearty food
The Saracens Head, Symonds Yat East, Herefordshire HR9 6JL
Holidays in West Midlands
Holidays in Herefordshire
Holidays in Symonds Yat
Privately owned Northamptonshire country house hotel with a relaxed vibe, a good restaurant and spa
Rushton Hall, Desborough Rd, Rushton, Kettering, Northamptonshire NN14 1RR
Holidays in East Midlands
Holidays in Northamptonshire
Holidays in Kettering
The Lion at Leintwardine, 7 High Street, Leintwardine, Craven Arms, Shropshire SY7 0JZ
Holidays in West Midlands
Holidays in Shropshire
Holidays in Ludlow
In trendy Soho with city great views, quirky design features and a secret bar
St Martins Lane, 45 St Martins Lane, London WC2N 4HX
Holidays in South East England
Holidays in Greater London
Holidays in Covent Garden
Boutique rooms opposite Leicester Cathedral in the city's historic quarter
St Martins Lodge, 2 Peacock Lane, Leicester, Leicestershire LE1 5NR
Holidays in East Midlands
Holidays in Leicestershire
Holidays in Leicester
Rose & Crown, Romaldkirk, Romaldkirk, Barnard Castle, County Durham DL12 9EB
Holidays in North East England
Holidays in County Durham
Holidays in Barnard Castle
Historic Jacobean manor with a secret garden just outside Halifax
Holdsworth House, Holdsworth Road, Halifax, West Yorkshire HX2 9TG
Holidays in North West England
Holidays in West Yorkshire
Holidays in Hebden Bridge
The warmest welcome, great food and comfortable rooms in Settle
The Golden Lion at Settle, Duke Street, Settle, North Yorkshire BD24 9DU
Holidays in North East England
Holidays in North Yorkshire
Holidays in Settle
The sort of North Yorkshire foodie pub you'd be happy to have as your local – but with rooms too!
Fox & Hounds, Main St, Sinnington, Yorkshire, YO62 6SQ
Holidays in North East England
Holidays in North Yorkshire
Holidays in Pickering
A 17th century coaching Inn with cosy beds in the market town of Dent.....beam me up Scotty!
George & Dragon, Dent, Main Street, Dent, Cumbria LA10 5QL
Holidays in North West England
Holidays in Cumbria
Holidays in Sedbergh
Owned by the National Trust, Middlethorpe is a fine and elegant stately home
Middlethorpe Hall, Bishopthorpe Road, York, Yorkshire YO23 2GB
Holidays in North East England
Holidays in North Yorkshire
Holidays in York
A famously haunted – and very comfortable – country house hotel just outside Stratford in Warwickshire
Ettington Park Hotel, Alderminster, Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warwickshire CV37 8BU
Holidays in West Midlands
Holidays in Warwickshire
Holidays in Stratford upon Avon
Characterful hotel in picturesque Hartington
Charles Cotton Hotel, Hartington, Derbyshire SK17 0AL
Holidays in East Midlands
Holidays in Derbyshire
Holidays in Hartington
To-end Broadway hotel that's also a homage to horses, with its Jockey Bar, and with all the rooms named after racehorses
Broadway Hotel, The Green Broadway Worcestershire WR12 7AA
Holidays in West Midlands
Holidays in Worcestershire
Holidays in Broadway
Beautiful boutique hotel in Stratford-upon-Avon, opposite the theatre and river.
The Arden Hotel, 44 Waterside, Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warwickshire CV37 6BA
Holidays in West Midlands
Holidays in Warwickshire
Holidays in Stratford upon Avon
Set in a Count old townhouse in St Mary's where service and attention to detail are key.
St Mary’s Hall Hotel, Church Street, Hugh Town, St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly TR21 0JR
Holidays in South West England
Holidays in Isles of Scilly
Holidays in St Mary's
Off the tourist track, the Derby Arms will welcome you with open arms
The Derby Arms, Witherslack, Near Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria LA11 6RH
Holidays in North West England
Holidays in Cumbria
Holidays in Kendal
The Dirty Bottles is an iconic freehouse pub with rooms set in Alnwick - don't you dare moving the bottles-
The Dirty Bottles, The Olde Cross, 32 Narrowgate, Alnwick, Northumberland NE66 1JG
Holidays in North East England
Holidays in Northumberland
Holidays in Alnwick
A no-nonsense pub with great food and comfy rooms – a hikers' favourite!
The Buck Inn, Malham North Yorkshire BD23 4DA
Holidays in North East England
Holidays in North Yorkshire
Holidays in Malham
This coaching inn has offered comfortable lodging to travellers, in the quiet Winster valley, since the 1850's
The Brown Horse, Winster, A5074 Near Windermere, Cumbria LA23 3NR
Holidays in North West England
Holidays in Cumbria
Holidays in Windermere
Comfortable and clean pub accommodation at the Britannia Inn by Elterwater. Pop in for a beer and stay a few days.
Britannia Inn, Elterwater, Cumbria LA22 9HP
Holidays in North West England
Holidays in Cumbria
Holidays in Ambleside
The Bay Horse Ulverston Hotel is a traditional, comfortable coaching inn
The Bay Horse, Canal Foot, Ulverston, Cumbria LA12 9EL
Holidays in North West England
Holidays in Cumbria
Holidays in Ulverston
Cool country rooms, food and drink in the heart of the Lake District.
Woolpack Inn, Hardknott Pass, Eskdale, Cumbria CA19 1TH
Holidays in North West England
Holidays in Cumbria
Holidays in Eskdale
A sassy hotel right on the beach
South Sands Hotel, Bolt Head, Salcombe, Devon TQ8 8LL
Holidays in South West England
Holidays in Devon
Holidays in Salcombe
Boutique Norfolk Broads country house hotel with a perfect riverside location
Norfolk Mead Hotel, Church Loke, Coltishall, Norfolk NR12 7DN
Holidays in East Anglia
Holidays in Norfolk
Holidays in Coltishall
Elegant, comfortable, central with a great hotel bar.....and a ghost, or two.
The Langham, 1C Portland Pl, London W1B 1JA
Holidays in South East England
Holidays in Greater London
Holidays in Soho
In the centre of London's financial district, this 5-star Victorian boutique hotel with all the expected features
Threadneedles Hotel, 5 Threadneedle Street, London EC2R 8AY
Holidays in South East England
Holidays in Greater London
Holidays in City
A ultra-glamorous Philippe Starck-designed extravaganza in Soho that takes design whimsy to surrealist heights
Sanderson London, 50 Berners Street London W1T 3NG
Holidays in South East England
Holidays in Greater London
Holidays in Soho
A gorgeous boutique hotel in the heart of London's theatre district
Covent Garden Hotel, 10 Monmouth Street, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9HB
Holidays in South East England
Holidays in Greater London
Holidays in Covent Garden
A well-known Stoke Newington’s landmark with charming rooms above the pub
Rose and Crown B&B, 199 Stoke Newington Church Street, London N16 9ES
Holidays in South East England
Holidays in Greater London
Holidays in Stoke Newington
A gastro-pub with luxury accommodation, right in the heart of Clerkenwell, a top destination for foodies
Fox & Anchor, 115 Charterhouse Street, London, EC1M 6AA
Holidays in South East England
Holidays in Greater London
Holidays in Clerkenwell
A comfortable and simple hotel in the heart of Covent Garden, footsteps from the Opera House
The Fielding Hotel, 4 Broad Court, Covent Garden, London WC2B 5QZ
Holidays in South East England
Holidays in Greater London
Holidays in Covent Garden
Looming large above the centre of Padstow, the Padstow's Habour Hotel is the town's grandest-looking hotel
Padstow Harbour Hotel, Station Road, Padstow, Cornwall PL28 8DB
Holidays in South West England
Holidays in Cornwall
Holidays in Padstow
Coworth Park, Coworth Park Blacknest Road Ascot Berkshire SL5 7SE
Holidays in South East England
Holidays in Berkshire
Holidays in Windsor
