Hotels 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
A very comfortable family-friendly hotel – with one of the best coastal views in the UK.
Saunton Sands Hotel, Saunton, Near Braunton, Devon EX33 1LQ
Holidays in South West England
Holidays in Devon
Holidays in Braunton
Beautifully furnished rooms that are ideally placed for exploring Northumberland.
The Coach House, High Warden, Hexham, Northumberland NE46 4SR
Holidays in North East England
Holidays in Northumberland
Holidays in Hexham
A handsome Derbyshire inn close to Chatsworth House with top-notch food and lovely boutique rooms
The Devonshire Arms at Beeley, Devonshire Square, Beeley, Near Bakewell, Derbyshire DE4 2NZ
Holidays in East Midlands
Holidays in Derbyshire
Holidays in Bakewell
A stone's throw from Chatsworth House, this popular pub has 13 stylish bedrooms and terrific food
The Devonshire Arms at Pilsley, Pilsley, Bakewell, Derbyshire DE45 1UL
Holidays in East Midlands
Holidays in Derbyshire
Holidays in Bakewell
Boutique luxury combined with sublime landscapes and the best walking the Lake District has to offer.
Brimstone Hotel, Ambleside Cumbria England United Kingdom LA22 9JD
Holidays in North West England
Holidays in Cumbria
Holidays in Ambleside
Sumptuous boutique suites with panoramic sea views, just a short stroll from the centre of St Ives.
Blue Hayes, Trelyon Avenue St Ives TR26 2AD
Holidays in South West England
Holidays in Cornwall
Holidays in St. Ives
Terrific North Norfolk boutique accommodation in a historic building overlooking Aylsham's marketplace
The Ironmongers, Aylsham, 30 The Marketplace Aylsham, Norfolk NR11 6EN
Holidays in East Anglia
Holidays in Norfolk
Holidays in Aylsham
This extraordinary and luxurious boutique Clerkenwell hotel oozes period charm
The Rookery, Peter's Lane, Cowcross Street, London EC1M 6DS
Holidays in South East England
Holidays in Greater London
Holidays in Clerkenwell
A beachside resort hotel with lots of facilities, including a spa, fitness centre, tennis and more – plus it's dog-friendly!
St Michaels Resort, Gyllyngvase Beach, Falmouth, Cornwall TR11 4NB
Holidays in South West England
Holidays in Cornwall
Holidays in Falmouth
Good food and stylish rooms at this classic Surrey riverside pub.
The Stag on the River, Lower Eashing Lane, Eashing, Surrey GU7 2QG
Holidays in South East England
Holidays in Surrey
Holidays in Godalming
A modern Isle of Islay hotel with breathtaking ocean views and a world-class links course
Another Place, The Machrie, Port Ellen, Isle of Islay, Argyll PA42 7AN
Holidays in Scottish Isles
Holidays in Isle of Islay
Holidays in Port Ellen
The Red Lion, Odiham, 102 High Street, Odiham, Hampshire RG29 1LP
Holidays in South East England
Holidays in Hampshire
Holidays in Odiham
Charming historic hotel perched right on the edge of Falmouth harbour with a great fish and seafood restaurant.
The Greenbank Hotel, Harbourside, Falmouth, Cornwall TR11 2SR
Holidays in South West England
Holidays in Cornwall
Holidays in Falmouth
Truro's best hotel – a grand old building with some very cool, contemporary rooms.
The Alverton, Tregolls Road Truro Cornwall TR1 1ZQ
Holidays in South West England
Holidays in Cornwall
Holidays in Truro
A beautiful Sussex manor house hotel with swanky spa and an award-winning restaurant
Ockenden Manor Hotel and Spa, Ockenden Lane, Cuckfield, Near Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH17 5LD
Holidays in South East England
Holidays in West Sussex
Holidays in Haywards Heath
A beautiful Grade II-listed country house hotel right on the shores of Lake Windermere
Storrs Hall Hotel, Bowness-on-Windermere, Cumbria LA23 3LG
Holidays in North West England
Holidays in Cumbria
Holidays in Bowness on Windermere
A Peak District boutique treat in the for both walkers and weekenders
Losehill House Hotel & Spa, Losehill Lane, Edale Road, Hope, Derbyshire S33 6AF
Holidays in East Midlands
Holidays in Derbyshire
Holidays in Hope
Seriously stylish and sustainable stays in a revamped Yorkshire inn
The Penny Bun , The Penny Bun, Askwith, West Yorkshire LS21 2JQ
Holidays in North West England
Holidays in West Yorkshire
Holidays in Ilkley
This contemporary North Norfolk seaside hotel has an understated country house feel
The Maltings, The Street, Weybourne, Norfolk NR25 7SY
Holidays in East Anglia
Holidays in Norfolk
Holidays in Weybourne
A characterful and very comfortable hideaway in the heart of Soho
Hazlitt’s, 6 Frith Street, Soho, London W1D 3JA
Holidays in South East England
Holidays in Greater London
Holidays in Soho
A great gastropub with rooms in the heart of Walberswick – one of the Suffolk's most appealing seaside villages
The Anchor at Walberswick, The Street, Walberswick, Suffolk IP18 6UA
Holidays in East Anglia
Holidays in Suffolk
Holidays in Southwold
This cool and thoroughly up-to-date coaching inn is the perfect spot for a short break in Bury St Edmunds
The Angel Hotel, 3 Angel Hill Bury St Edmunds Suffolk IP33 1LT
Holidays in East Anglia
Holidays in Suffolk
Holidays in Bury St. Edmunds
This Norfolk gem is a boutique inn and gastropub but most of all it's a proper village pub
The Loddon Swan, 23 Church Plain, Loddon, Norfolk NR14 6LX
Holidays in East Anglia
Holidays in Norfolk
Holidays in Loddon
Beachside chic, good food and comfortable rooms: a perfect place for a relaxing seaside break in Suffolk
The Sail Loft, 53 Ferry Road, Southwold, Suffolk IP18 6HQ
Holidays in East Anglia
Holidays in Suffolk
Holidays in Southwold
A revamped estate pub with rooms dedicated to members of the Guinness family in a lovely, rural part of Suffolk
The Guinness Arms, The Street, Icklingham, Suffolk IP28 6PS
Holidays in East Anglia
Holidays in Suffolk
Holidays in Mildenhall
A charming Suffolk inn with good food and cosy rooms
Sibton White Horse, Halesworth Rd Sibton Near Saxmundham Suffolk IP17 2JJ
Holidays in East Anglia
Holidays in Suffolk
Holidays in Saxmundham
Not only the oldest coaching inn in England, this West Sussex hotel is very comfortable and dog friendly too!
The Spread Eagle, South Street, Midhurst, West Sussex GU29 9NH
Holidays in South East England
Holidays in West Sussex
Holidays in Midhurst
A beautiful West Sussex hotel and spa by the sea
Bailiffscourt Hotel & Spa, Climping Street, Climping, Near Littlehampton, West Sussex BN17 5RW
Holidays in South East England
Holidays in West Sussex
Holidays in Littlehampton
A beautifully situated, very well-equipped South Cornwall hotel, spa and resort
Budock Vean Hotel, Mawnan Smith Falmouth Cornwall TR11 5LG
Holidays in South West England
Holidays in Cornwall
Holidays in Falmouth
A revamped inn with rooms with oodles of character, overlooking Ullswater
The Brackenrigg Inn, Watermillock, Ullswater, Cumbria CA11 0LP
Holidays in North West England
Holidays in Cumbria
Holidays in Ullswater
One of Yorkshire's finest country house hotels, garnering award after award for its accommodation, food and highly personal service
Tickton Grange, Tickton, Beverley, East Yorkshire HU17 9SH
Holidays in North East England
Holidays in East Riding of Yorkshire
Holidays in Beverley
Comfortable rooms above a perfectly placed dining pub overlooking the ocean in Northwest Cornwall not far from St Ives
The Gurnard's Head, The Gurnards Head, Near Zennor, St Ives, Cornwall TR26 3DE
Holidays in South West England
Holidays in Cornwall
Holidays in St. Ives
No better place for a country weekend away doing nothing much amid glorious surroundings.
The Felin Fach Griffin, Felin Fach Brecon Powys LD3 0UB
Holidays in Mid Wales
Holidays in Powys
Holidays in Brecon
A very homely, yet stylish hotel, restaurant and wedding venue in the heart of the countryside of North Hertfordshire
The Farmhouse at Redcoats, Redcoats Green, Hitchin, Hertfordshire SG4 7JR
Holidays in South East England
Holidays in Hertfordshire
Holidays in Hitchin
An ultra-relaxed, dog-friendly country house hotel with a great restaurant and an exclusive-use spa!
Trigony House Hotel & Garden Spa, Closeburn, Dumfries and Galloway DG3 5EZ
Holidays in South Scotland
Holidays in Dumfries And Galloway
A luxurious Devon country house hotel in vast grounds with a spa and golf course
Bovey Castle, Bovey Castle North Bovey, Dartmoor National Park, Devon TQ13 8RE
Holidays in South West England
Holidays in Devon
Holidays in Moretonhampstead
This beautifully located Fife seaside pub with rooms recently won' Romantic Hotel of the Year'
The Crusoe, 2 Main Street, Lower Largo, Leven, Fife KY8 6BT
Holidays in East Scotland
Holidays in Fife
Holidays in Leven
A gem of a beachside property on the coast of Fife, and winner of 'Seaside Inn of the Year'
The Ship Inn at Elie, The Toft, Elie, Fife KY9 1DT
Holidays in East Scotland
Holidays in Fife
Holidays in Anstruther
Lovely dog-friendly restaurant with rooms in a prime position on the main square in Orford.
The Crown & Castle, Market Hill, Orford, Suffolk IP12 2LJ
Holidays in East Anglia
Holidays in Suffolk
Holidays in Orford
A beautiful Shopshire hotel in a great location with lovely rooms and award-winning food
Old Downton Lodge, Downton on the Rock Ludlow Shropshire SY8 2HU
Holidays in West Midlands
Holidays in Shropshire
Holidays in Ludlow
Perhaps the perfect Devon seaside inn, updated as a sumptuous boutique hotel for the 21st century.
Cary Arms & Spa, Babbacombe Beach, Devon TQ1 3LX
Holidays in South West England
Holidays in Devon
Holidays in Torquay
Stylish boutique hotel with 17 bedrooms in a Cotswolds manor house
The Painswick, Kemps Lane, Painswick, Gloucestershire GL6 6YB
Holidays in South West England
Holidays in Gloucestershire
Holidays in Painswick
A stylish seaside boutique hotel that evokes the maritime spirit of Harwich and serves great, locally-sourced food and drink.
The Pier at Harwich, The Pier The Quay Harwich, Essex CO12 3HH
Holidays in East Anglia
Holidays in Essex
A stylish boutique hotel in a lovely village, with good food all day in a buzzy restaurant.
Milsoms, Stratford Road, Dedham, Essex CO7 6HW
Holidays in East Anglia
Holidays in Essex
Holidays in Colchester
A country-house hotel with a cool but relaxed boutique feel.
Milsoms Kesgrave Hall, Hall Road, Kesgrave, Ipswich, Suffolk IP5 2PU
Holidays in East Anglia
Holidays in Suffolk
Holidays in Ipswich
Lovely boutique spa hotel in Dedham with a pool and a sister fine dining restaurant
Talbooth House & Spa, Stratford Road, Dedham, Essex CO7 6HN
Holidays in East Anglia
Holidays in Essex
Holidays in Colchester
A proper – award-winning – pub and restaurant in the heart of Harwich, with great food, cosy rooms and a fabulous restaurant
The Alma Inn, 25 King’s Head Street, Harwich, Essex CO12 3EE
Holidays in East Anglia
Holidays in Essex
Dog-friendly Herefordshire cabins at the foot of The Black Mountains
Wild Cabins at The Bull's Head, The Bull’s Head, Craswall, Herefordshire HR2 0PN
Holidays in West Midlands
Holidays in Herefordshire
Holidays in Hay-on-Wye
