Townie boltholes

Drakes, Brighton
Keep an eye out for deals at this glamorous Regency seafront hotel (a November 30% discount won’t be a one-off). A sea-view balcony room, of course, will cost a bit, but even the snuggest, city-facing bedrooms have air conditioning, a king-size bed, wet room, bathtub and Green & Spring toiletries. For somewhere so fun and stylish, Drakes offers real value, including the shorter tasting menus in Dilsk restaurant. Or just treat yourself to a sundowner in the bar, then head out to dine. This is Brighton; the world is your oyster.
Doubles from £143.50 B&B, drakeshotel.com

The Queensberry, Bath

Bath is notoriously expensive, but box clever and you can secure a chic double with bath or shower for a knock-down price at Laurence and Helen Beere’s pugilism-themed boutique hotel spread across four Georgian townhouses. Junior suites and a four-poster suite are pricier; all are beautiful. The ambience is both playful and cossetting. Complimentary tea and espresso coffee are available at all hours in the drawing room. You can opt for fine dining in their Olive Tree restaurant, the city’s only Michelin-starred restaurant, but the “relaxed dining” bar and lounge menu is not just affordable but enticing. Real luxury for less.
Doubles from £110 room-only, cooked breakfast from £11.95, thequeensberry.co.uk

The Boot Factory at Artist Residence, Bristol

In a garden square that was once a hive of industrious boot, corset and cardboard-box makers, Justin and Charlotte Salisbury’s fifth hotel occupies a handsome Grade I-listed Georgian terrace. The formula is one of boho chic, mixing vintage, distressed and upcycled furniture with witty and wacky modern art. The Crash Pad, Shoebox and Broom Cupboard rooms are the most budget-friendly, the Artist Suite the most desirable. There is a drop-in bar, with dining from a menu of modern European small and sharing plates and pizzette, to be enjoyed under an artwork exhorting you to “Party Like It’s 1999”.
Doublesfrom £136, room-only (early bird price), cooked breakfast from £9, artistresidence.co.uk/the-boot-factory

The Castle Hotel, Bishop’s Castle, Shropshire

This Georgian coaching inn occupies a hilltop position on the bailey of a medieval castle in a market town on the Welsh border. The welcome is warm, the staff friendly and engaged. Comfortable bedrooms, some for a family, are more traditional than boutique. Two, with a self-catering option, occupy the Gate House (former stables). This is an ideal base for walkers, who return to hearty gastropub fare, best enjoyed with the views from the terrace.
Doubles from £112 B&B, thecastlehotelbishopscastle.co.uk

William Cecil, Stamford, Lincolnshire

On the edge of the Burghley estate, this inviting hotel, set across three Georgian houses, reopened in 2024 after a £500,000 refurbishment. The look is “Burghley above stairs”, drawing inspiration from Elizabethan Burghley House. The cheapest rooms are on the attic floor; the best suite has a lounge and private terrace. All have a coffee machine, fresh milk, handmade treats and Bramley toiletries. You can take tea by the fire in the lounge, dine from a weekly changing menu in Milly’s Bistro – perhaps a ribeye steak or red onion tarte tatin with whipped goat’s cheese and lentil dressing.
Doubles from £139 B&B, thewilliamcecil.co.uk

Lake Isle, Uppingham, Rutland

When a small hotel styles itself a “restaurant with rooms”, it usually signals high charges – but not here. Richard and Janine Burton’s 18th-century house behind an Edwardian shopfront is rated highly for food, service and modest pricing. Bedrooms are smart and contemporary. The smallest are quite snug, but with king-size beds; larger ones have a super-king bed, maybe a lounge area, and most have a tea/coffee maker. Beautifully presented dishes might include lobster and crab mac and cheese. Breakfast is good, too.
Doubles from £140 B&B, lakeisle.co.uk

The Sun Inn, Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria

In a historic town with a weekly market and vibrant high street, Iain and Jenny Black’s whitewashed 16th-century inn is a cosy, dog-friendly base from which to explore the Lakes and Dales. It has a nice, rustic feel, with beams, exposed stone and blazing log-burners. From a snug room under the eaves to a deluxe super-king with double-ended bath and walk-in shower, all have contemporary furnishings, local artworks and Bath House toiletries. In the restaurant and bar, the menu mixes pub classics (Cumberland sausage and mash) with more imaginative dishes such as stone bass with leeks, mussel cream sauce and lovage.
Doubles from £115 B&B, sun-inn.info

Brocco on the Park, Sheffield

When Picasso visited Sheffield in 1950 to address the World Peace Conference, he stayed at this Edwardian park-side villa, where bird-themed Scandi-chic bedrooms draw inspiration from his Dove of Peace. All of them, from Pigeon’s Loft with walk-in monsoon shower, to The Dovecote, with copper roll-top bath and park views from a Juliet balcony, have lamb’s wool blankets, LED mood lighting, an espresso machine, mini fridge, air conditioning, smart TV, home-baked cakes or biscuits, and Bramley toiletries. Dine from a small-plates menu of dishes such as heritage beetroot mosaic; beef carpaccio; pan-fried prawns with mango and pineapple salsa.
Doubles from £150 room-only. Cooked breakfast from £12.50, brocco.co.uk

Darwin’s Townhouse, Shrewsbury, Shropshire

In a town nominated by the Guardian as one of the UK’s happiest places to live, this Grade II-listed Georgian townhouse B&B is named in honour of Shrewsbury’s famous son. Interiors are adorned with plant and animal fabrics and objets, maps and memorabilia. Bedrooms – some on the ground floor in a modern garden annexe – are individually designed and quirky. There is an honesty bar in the lounge, with its spectacular original plaster Zodiac ceiling, while a locally sourced breakfast in the conservatory includes artisan jams, Shropshire honey, Wenlock Edge sausages.
Doubles from £140, darwinstownhouse.com

The Bailiffgate, Alnwick, Northumberland

A Georgian house and former school with a modern, purpose-built extension combine as a luxury hotel, a new venture for the Duchy of Northumberland, with stunning views of Harry Hotspur’s medieval castle. The best bedrooms have a balcony or terrace. Courtyard rooms in the new building have floor-to-ceiling windows and countryside views. You need to book ahead to secure a room below £150, and breakfast is extra, but that’s still impressive value for five-star luxury. There is “top-notch” bistro cooking in the Motte and Bailey restaurant, with menus for children and vegans, and Craster kippers for breakfast.
Doubles from £143 room-only or £173 B&B, bailiffgatehotel.com

Country retreats

Biggin Hall, Biggin-by-Hartington, Derbyshire

Complimentary packed lunches are a mark of the generous spirit at James Moffett’s Grade II-listed 17th-century country-house hotel with Peak District walks from the doorstep. The hotel blends luxury and homely warmth. Bedrooms, in the main house and dog-friendly garden annexes, have individuality and charm. All have a silent mini-fridge. There is a bar with real ales on tap and an open fire. In the restaurant, conservatory and glass dining pods for dog-owners, a nightly changing, fixed-price menu might include such hearty dishes as slow-cooked feather blade of beef with red wine jus, chive mash and spiced carrot puree.
Doubles from £150 B&B, bigginhall.co.uk

The Traddock, Austwick, North Yorkshire

At the foot of Ingleborough in the rolling Dales countryside, the Reynolds family’s small country house is loved for its warm ambience and friendly staff. Bedrooms are traditionally styled, with antique pieces, fresh fruit, homemade biscuits and Molton Brown bath products. A choice of locally sourced bar lunch, brasserie and tasting menus means you can opt for casual or more formal dining. If you plan to walk in the morning, order a packed lunch before you go to bed; return for tea by the fire in one of the lounges or in the sunshine in the walled garden.
Doubles from £135 B&B, thetraddock.co.uk

The Beckford Arms, Tisbury, Wiltshire

Dan Brod, Charlie Luxton and Matt Greenlees created a very special brand with this dining pub with rooms on the edge of the Fonthill estate, their first venture in a burgeoning portfolio. The whole operation is about deceptive simplicity – chic bedrooms with a stripped-back aesthetic, handmade treats and Bramley bath products. And it has a proper country pub ambience with blazing fires. The menu mixes bar snacks, pub classics and such dishes as whole plaice with clams and curry butter. There’s homemade ginger beer for the designated driver, but stay over if you can because it’s great.
Doubles from £106 B&B (two nights minimum at weekends), beckfordarms.com

Tudor Farmhouse, Clearwell, Gloucestershire

At the heart of the Forest of Dean, Colin and Hari Fell’s hotel is the very model of rustic chic with rooms spread across the farmhouse, cider house and barn. The cheapest, Hatchling, may be bijou but it has a walk-in shower, minibar fridge, espresso machine and Bramley toiletries. For more space, trade up to Hen, Cockerel or a suite. They’re all beautifully presented, but the great draw is the food, with such sophisticated dishes as poached cod, saffron-braised fennel, salt cod croquette and bisque butter.
Doubles from £149 B&B, tudorfarmhousehotel.co.uk

Bridleway Bed & Breakfast, Lincolnshire

A small flock of Southdown sheep, free-range hens and artist owner Jane Haigh await new arrivals at this B&B, down a farm track three miles from central Lincoln. The four farmhouse-chic ground-floor bedrooms in outbuildings have been decorated with wit and flair. The most expensive (least cheap) Garden Room has a private patio and wood-fired hot tub. The cheapest, twin Old Kennels, has a furnished patio. All have fresh flowers, an espresso machine, mini fridge and Bath House toiletries. Book directly for a complimentary cream tea. A continental breakfast is delivered to your door.
Doubles from £100 B&B, bridlewaybandb.co.uk

The Coach & Horses, Bolton by Bowland, Lancashire

After a day hiking the fells and moorlands of the Forest of Bowland, it is a joy to return to this former coaching inn with microbrewery, locals bar and highly rated restaurant. The cheapest of the bedrooms, Blue, is snug. The dearest, such as Rose, come with in-room copper bath and chandelier, but they are all stylish, with Italian coffee makers and Molton Brown toiletries. This is deservedly a foodie destination, with tasting, à la carte, bar snacks and children’s menus, with everything from haddock goujons and chips to venison and potato terrine to keep everyone happy.
Doubles from £130 B&B, coachandhorsesribblevalley.co.uk

Widbrook Grange, Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire

A vintage milk float parked outside this Georgian farmhouse gives a clue to the fun within Nick and Charlotte Dent’s hotel. It is filled with vintage, upcycled objects, repurposed seed trays, churns and handcarts and jokey artworks. While dog-friendly (they even offer a canine afternoon tea) and glorying in eccentricity, this is a hotel with style. Bedrooms mix exposed brick with restful paint shades. There is a pool, a gym, a bar with 160 gins, and an unpretentious restaurant serving bistro favourites with little gastro flourishes.
Doubles from £85 B&B, widbrookgrange.co.uk

The Black Swan, Ravenstonedale, Cumbria

Peacefully located at the foot of Howgill Fells, between the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales, this child- and dog-friendly gastropub has ardent fans. Bedrooms in various sizes mix contemporary and traditional styling. All are supplied with fresh milk and organic toiletries. You can dine in the bar, dining rooms or in the riverside beer garden. Across the bridge, there are yurts for hire among the free-range chickens. Typical dishes include venison hotpot with damson-braised red cabbage, wild mushroom risotto, and haddock and chips. There is limited mobile phone coverage – a signal that it’s time to switch off.
Doubles from £99 B&B, blackswanhotel.com

The Meikleour Arms, Meikleour, Perth and Kinross

Sam Mercer Nairne, scion of the Marquesses of Lansdowne, and his Bordeaux-born wife, Claire, attract rave reviews for their cottage orné-style Georgian coaching inn and fishing hotel in a designed landscape on the Meikleour estate. The auld alliance is reflected in bedrooms in the main house and dog-friendly serviced cottages, with maybe a French toile-draped canopy bed and toile de Jouy wallpaper. A decanter of sherry and Arran Aromatics toiletries are nice touches. Field-to-plate franglais seasonal menus of ingredients from the estate farm, field, forest and kitchen garden might include venison burger, confit mallard cassoulet, moules frites, with vegetarian options.
Doubles from £115 B&B, meikleourarms.co.uk

Tŷ Mawr, Brechfa, Carmarthenshire

Gill Brown and David Hart’s 17th-century country house on the edge of Brechfa forest is set in an acre of well-kept grounds with the River Marlais running by. Each of the six bedrooms has its own character. Aberglasney draws inspiration from one of Wales’s finest gardens; Laugharne, from Dylan Thomas’s boathouse on the heron-priested shore of the Taf estuary. All have Myddfai toiletries. Everything possible is made in house for a set-price rotating nightly menu of dishes such as butterbean casserole, or hake, mussels and leeks in a curry coconut sauce.
Doubles from £155 B&B, wales-country-hotel.co.uk

The new Good Hotel Guide is online at goodhotelguide.com