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There are plenty of specialty hotels in Britain, but which ones really go the extra mile and treat guests like members of their family, often offering them complimentary tea and cake or a glass of wine on arrival, as well as excellent and elegant food? rooms? The following are the best places to stay in Britain according to The Good Hotel Guide in 2025.
The best hotel by the sea
The pension by the sea, Burton Bradstock, Dorset
Just above Chesil Beach and with spectacular views of Lyme Bay, this elegant seaside hotel feels as if a little piece of New England has been transplanted to Dorset. Owned by the founders of London’s Groucho Club, it has modern interiors and offers the freshest seafood.
Don’t miss: Go fossil hunting on the Jurassic Coast.
Details: Double B&B from £255 (theseasideboardinghouse.com).
The best rural hotel
Ty Mawr, Brechfa, Carmarthenshire
There are increasingly larger country hotels, but few are more popular with Guide readers or more affordable than this one, run by Gill Brown and David Hart on the outskirts of Brechfa Forest. Gill cooks imaginative but unpretentious meals and the dogs even get a sausage for breakfast.
Don’t miss: The walks from the door through the forest.
Details: Double B&B from £135 (hotel-country-wales.com).
The best gastronomic hotel
The bus at Woolsery, Devon
The bus at Woolsery, near Clovelly in Devon
Deliciously unusual meals at the Farmers Arms pub include ingredients from their sustainable farm, organic orchard and surrounding woodlands. The entire venture includes a gourmet fish ‘n’ chippy, a village shop and stylish village rooms and cottages.
Don’t miss: A visit to nearby Clovelly, which falls down the coast.
Details: Double room only from £275 (lanasery.com).
Best in East Anglia
The White Horse, Brancaster Staithe, Norfolk
All the best of North Norfolk comes together at the Nye family hotel with its 15 rooms. Think panoramic views of the salt marshes, wildlife on your doorstep, fishermen delivering their catch to the door and lots of walking.
Don’t miss: A seafood dish, with Brancaster mussels and Cromer crab.
Details: Double B&B from £150 (whitehorsebrancaster.co.uk).
The most romantic hotel
Endsleigh Hotel, Milton Abbot, Devon
Who will not be moved by this Regency cottage adorned in an Arcadian landscape next to the Tamar and dotted with follies and grottoes? Olga Polizzi’s interiors are just as special, with a wood-paneled hallway leading to lounges and bedrooms.
Don’t miss: A tour of the gardens with the gardener.
Details: Double B&B from £290 (thepolizzicollection.com).
The best of the south
Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons, Great Milton, Oxfordshire
You can take a gardening or cooking course at Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons
It is no small feat to have two Michelin stars for 40 years. Raymond Blanc’s food is excellent, but the rooms at this Oxfordshire mansion, with its lavender-lined walkway, glorious gardens and orchard, are as carefully crafted as the dishes. It’s not cheap but it’s worth it.
Don’t miss: Take a cooking or gardening class.
Details: Double B&B from £925 (belmond.com).
The best restaurant with rooms.
Mingary Castle, Kilchoan, Highlands
Medieval feasts might have been good in this 13th-century fortress overlooking the Sound of Mull, but they can’t have been a patch on Colin Nicholson’s delicious tasting menus. There are only four rooms, characterized by four posters, rich fabrics and deep bathrooms.
Don’t miss: A visit to Ardnamurchan Lighthouse, the westernmost point of mainland Britain.
Details: Double B&B from £225 (mingarycastle.co.uk).
The best in the South West and Channel Islands
The blonde hedgehog, St Anne, Alderney
“Practically perfect” was the Guide inspectors’ summary of this hotel in the town of St Anne, on the small island of Alderney. They were impressed by its friendly atmosphere, divine food in delicious combinations, beautifully designed boutique rooms and fantastic breakfasts.
Don’t miss: A kayak trip around the small island.
Details: Double B&B from £170 (blondehedgehog.com).
The best spa hotel
Linden Wood, Lyndhurst, Hampshire
It may not be the largest spa in a British hotel, but Lime Wood’s Herb House Spa is set in the beautiful, leafy surroundings of the New Forest. Expect top-notch treatments and floor-to-ceiling windows that create an indoor-outdoor feel from the hydrotherapy pool; There is also a heated outdoor pool.
Don’t miss: Cycling through the woods for lunch at The Pig.
Details: Double B&B from £495 (limewoodhotel.es).
The best in the midlands
Hambleton Hall, Rutland
YuU can delight in the view of Rutland Water’s beautiful gardens while savoring delicious dishes at this Michelin-starred hotel, where every bite created by Chef Aaron Patterson is an explosion of flavors. Bedrooms are the epitome of elegance.
Don’t miss: The 23 mile bike ride around Rutland Water.
Details: Double B&B from £370 (hambletonhall.com)
The best of the north
The Traddock, Austwick, North Yorkshire
Traditional rooms and prestigious food characterize the Reynolds family’s small country house with spectacular views over the valleys. But it’s the personal touch that gives guests the feeling of staying in a friend’s home.
Don’t miss: Order a picnic for a day walking in the Dales.
Details: Double B&B from £120 (thetraddock.co.uk).
The best hotel for gardens.
Bodysgallen Salon, Llandudno, Conwy
The garden supplies the restaurant at Badysgallen Hall in Conwy
A 17th-century flowerbed, rose garden and woodland walks make up the 200 acres of Renaissance gardens and recreation areas at Bodysgallen, on the slopes of Pydew Mountain. The garden supplies the restaurant of this traditional hotel.
Don’t miss: Near Llandudno.
Details: Double B&B from £179 (bodysgallen.com).
The best of Scotland
Prestonfield, Edinburgh
Walls may be lined with leather or 17th century tapestries at Prestonfield in Edinburgh
It’s pure theater at this sumptuous hotel with kilt-clad staff and a park patrolled by peacocks, near Royal Holyrood Park. The walls may be covered in leather or 17th-century tapestries, and the fabrics are opulent.
Don’t miss: Climb Arthur’s Seat for magnificent views of the city.
Details: Double B&B from £247 (prestonfield.com).
The best hotel for walkers.
The Castle, Bishop’s Castle, Shropshire
Aimed at guests coming to walk the Shropshire hills, this hotel has everything from maps and packed lunches to boot brushes and drying facilities. There is also no charge for dogs. There are three bars, a good restaurant and comfortable rooms.
Don’t miss: Ludlow which is only about 30 minutes away.
Details: Double B&B from £130 (thecastlehotelbishopscastle.co.uk).
The best in Wales
Penally Abbey, Pembrokeshire
A dream hotel on the coast near Tenby, Penally Abbey is so good it has won this award twice in three years. An air of romance wafts through the beautifully designed interiors, with a candlelit restaurant, cusp-shaped windows and plenty of antiques and French market finds.
Don’t miss: Close to Penally beach.
Details: B&B doubles from £215 (penally-abbey.com).
The best hotel for dogs.
Mill End Hotel, Chagford, Devon
Walkies from the door and a boot room, sink and towels to wipe off muddy paws on your return… four-legged guests are as welcome as their owners at this former mill next to the River Teign. And you can book a dog sitter.
Don’t miss: The National Trust’s Drogo Castle, two miles away.
Details: Double B&B from £160 (millendhotel.com).
The best hotel in a city/town.
The Cookie Jar, Alnwick, Northumberland
Debbie Cook has transformed what was the Convento de la Misericordia into a quirky 11-bedroom boutique hotel offering urban elegance and some of the atmosphere of a Soho club. The Chapel Suite features a circular stained glass window and a divine bathtub.
Don’t miss: Alnwick Castle, linked to the Harry Potter films (will reopen from March).
Details: Double B&B from £205 (cookiesjaralnwick.com).
Best B&B
The Terrace, Ventnor, Isle of Wight
The Terrace on the Isle of Wight has sea views and nightly guided wine tastings.
Forget your standard B&B – this charming place is all about wine, with guided tastings each night in a room full of bottles. The modern and stylish rooms offer sea views and include a wine refrigerator and beach towels. The four-course breakfast is also very special.
Don’t miss: The coastal walk to the lovely Steephill Cove.
Details: Double B&B from £200 (theterraceventnor.es).
best pub
Howard’s Arms, Ilmington, Warwickshire
It was a case of all things ending well for this pub on the meadow near Stratford-upon-Avon, which was rescued by enterprising locals. The interiors feature flagstones, beamed ceilings and plenty of character, while the food ranges from pub grub to imaginative dishes.
Don’t miss: A visit to the birthplace of William Shakespeare.
Details: Double B&B from £140 (howardarms.com).
For more details visit goodhotelguide.com