The Best Hotels in the UK You Need to Visit

Aparthotels are a great choice for a more relaxed stay, and Birmingham’s status as the UK’s second city makes it an ideal place to seek one out. Staying Cool lives up to its name: the old ‘60s Rotunda building has been transformed into a cutting-edge complex of 35 self-catering apartments, featuring tripod lamps, big walk-in showers, spacious living areas and sleek Scandi-style kitchens. In perhaps the most ingenious twist, guests can order a Cooking Cool set with ingredients for a recipe designed by Alex Claridge, owner of legendary Brum restaurant The Wilderness, so you can create your own gourmet meal right there in the room.

If you’re visiting Manchester, you’ll find hotels of all shapes and sizes, but none can rival Didsbury House for style and comfort. Named after the South Manchester suburb in which it resides, the hotel manages to strike the ideal balance between quiet and convenience, with the centre of town just a 30-minute tram journey away. The space is Victorian both inside and out, with an inviting lounge area where you can sit and relax or help yourself to a classic British meal – albeit more thoughtfully prepared than you might find in a local pub – and a range of spa treatments can be ordered up to your room. Speaking of rooms, they are brimming with character, evoking a 19th-century traveller vibe, including suitcases, cast-iron radiators and well-stocked bookshelves. The modern touches exist where they’re needed though, with Sky TV, monsoon showers and Nespresso coffee machines.

York is one of the most ancient cities in England, so it stands to reason that one of the best places to stay there is a converted country manor dating back to the 18th century. Middlethorpe elegantly honours this heritage with features such as carved wood doors, oil paintings and a ring of gardens on the perimeter. The rooms are spread between the main house and the old stable block, with a selection of fruit, home-made biscuits and fresh flowers waiting for you when you step into yours. There’s real antique furniture too, and, while pricey, the restaurant’s set menus are to die for.

Of all the most attractive spots lining the southernmost tip of England, St. Mawes is surely one of the most desirable. It almost doesn’t matter where you stay, the shimmering coasts – kissed by the gulf stream – offer the nearest thing the UK has to a tropical escape, but if you really want to lap it up, you could do a lot worse than the Hotel Tresanton. Rather than a single building, the hotel is split across a small group of coastal cottages, with gardens, a beach club and even a private yacht. Inside the cottages there’s a blend of art, sculpture and rustic comforts, all sourced from local artisans. There’s a Beach Club for summer and open fires for winter, and the function room even doubles as cinema. The Italian-style restaurant once again sources everything locally, and cooked breakfasts can be ordered directly to your room.