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The Best Hotels in Cardiff to Book for Every Traveller

The picturesque Cardiff Bay is within walking distance of some of the citys best hotels
The picturesque Cardiff Bay is within walking distance of some of the city's best hotels | © Billy Stock / Alamy Stock Photo

Packed with restaurants, art galleries, culture and history – from the ancient Cardiff Castle to the National Museum – Cardiff is thriving. The Welsh capital has you covered whether you’re a spa or museum-lover, history buff or art addict. Dip into our hand-picked selection of the best hotels in Cardiff, Wales, for every traveller – all bookable with Culture Trip.

Hotel Indigo Cardiff, for boutique Welsh heritage

Chain Hotel

A double room view through a mirror in Hotel Indigo Cardiff, with sepia-toned photos of old Cardiff above the bed
Courtesy of Hotel Indigo Cardiff / Expedia

If you’re looking for Cardiff hotels with a touch of Welsh heritage, Hotel Indigo is for you. Spotlighting both regional materials and local art by talented Welsh creators, this is a stylish place to kick off your boots. When you’re not deep in the revelry of a rugby match at Principality Stadium – a 10-minute walk from the hotel – you’ll be slicing into prime cuts at the Marco Pierre White rooftop steakhouse (don’t worry, they’re much more tender than the chef’s infamous temper.)

Voco St David’s Hotel and Spa, for dinner on the waterfront

Spa Hotel

A room with two queen beds at the Voco St David’s Hotel and Spain Cardiff
Courtesy of Voco St David’s Hotel and Spa / Expedia

Fabulous for foodies, this five-star hotel has an enviable position on the waterfront in Cardiff Bay, with an impressive full-glass front. Slide onto a window table at the Admiral restaurant to enjoy a flat iron steak, aged for 21 days, or a Thai fried chicken burger from the electric bold flavour-filled menu, composed of Wales’ best-in-season. The Marine Spa is included on the list of the best spas in the UK by Condé Nast Traveller, with its use of Ishga organic products, made from the purest Scottish Hebridean seaweed and healing spring water, it’s no surprise.

New House Country Hotel, for a rural retreat

Hotel

The greenery-clad facade of New House Country Hotel, fronted by tables, chairs, a fountain and flowerbed
Courtesy of New House Country Hotel / Expedia

Love food but yearn for a quieter side to the buzz of Cardiff? Head over to this Grade II-listed country retreat in nearby Thornhill. Built in the 1730s, New House is just 5mi (8km) from the city centre but in an idyll of its own, with sublime views across the sea to North Devon. Indulge in exquisite, locally-sourced produce at Sequoias Restaurant – don’t miss the braised feather blade of Welsh beef or the mushroom and chestnut wellington.

Park Plaza Hotel, for pampering ‘me-time’

Hotel

The reflective indoor swimming pool with columns, chairs and floor-to-ceiling windows with views of greenery at the Park Plaza Cardiff
Courtesy of Park Plaza Cardiff / Expedia

One for pampering devotees, this four-star hotel features a futuristic, 20m (66ft) swimming pool which will ready you for an indulgent treatment in one of eight onsite Laguna Spa beauty rooms. Try a signature treatment, like the lava shells back massage or bamboo joint-release experience. If you need a break from all the me-time, the National Museum Cardiff, Bute Park and Cardiff Castle are all within a 10-minute walk.

The Exchange, for hopeless romantics

Hotel

The impressive, stone facade of the Coal Exchange Hotel, a Grade II-listed heritage building
Courtesy of The Coal Exchange Hotel / Expedia
Die-hard romantics will fall in love with this Grade II-listed building, once the coal exchange when Cardiff was the world’s biggest coal exporter. Recently refurbished, its Grand Hall pays tribute to its past prestige with glowing candelabras and dark wood facades. Meanwhile, Culley’s Kitchen and Bar harks back to its industrial roots; tuck into a bowl of braised lamb shoulder pappardelle followed by the Merlyn cheesecake. A five-minute walk brings you to Cardiff Bay landmarks like the Millennium Centre arts hub and the buzzy eateries of Mermaid Quay.

Jolyons Hotel, for a bayside stay

Hotel

The hot-pink front door and lilac facade of the Jolyons Hotel in Cardiff.
Courtesy of Jolyons / Expedia
If you’re after romance, the seven personalised rooms at Jolyons are certain to fuel your mood. Choose an indulgent Moroccan-style stay, surrounded by vibrant tile-inspired wallpaper, or bed down amid Regency-style furnishings and a whirlpool bath. The retro sweets in each room are the perfect touch. Once the house of the captain when it was built in 1840, this boutique hotel remains an elegant Georgian townhouse on the oldest terrace in vibrant Cardiff Bay.

Hilton Cardiff, for culture vultures

Hotel

A spacious room at Hilton Cardiff with two double beds, and cream, wood and teal furnishings
Courtesy of Hilton / Expedia

Guaranteed to satisfy cultural vultures, the National Museum Wales is just five minutes’ walk away from Hilton Cardiff. Once you’re done drooling over the largest Impressionist art collection in Wales, check out the first pub theatre in Cardiff, the Other Room, a hub for modern plays from Welsh artists, just 12 minutes from the hotel. Right across the road, Cardiff Castle boasts an eye-widening, 2,000-year history. Head there to marvel at Victorian architect William Burges’ lavish interior transformation with extravagant murals, stained glass and rich gold gilding.

Mercure Cardiff Holland House Hotel and Spa, for a pet-friendly escape

Spa Hotel

Tables at the Mercure Cardiff Holland House Hotels restaurant
Courtesy of Mercure Cardiff / Expedia

Holland House is near the city centre with modern rooms, a trendy bar, and an 18m (59ft) swimming pool. It’s also pet-friendly, so you don’t have to leave your dog at home. Catch a contemporary art exhibition at nearby g39 or book tickets for a comedy show in the 100-year-old New Theatre. Those looking to dance should head to the Moon for folk, reggae and hip-hop tunes.

Mrs Potts, for adventure-seekers on a budget

Hostel

Sky-blue bunk beds with wooden ladders and bird cage lampshades at Mrs Potts Backpackers.
Courtesy of Mrs Potts / Expedia

This excellent hostel invites backpackers and budget travellers to stay in its wooden bunk beds. It’s right in the city centre – close to the Principality Stadium – and the charming Victorian shopping arcades. You can even hire a bike and cycle the coastal path to Penarth for ice cream. Downstairs, you’ll find a kitchen, laundry room and common room to hang with friends or meet fellow travellers.

Holm House, for a luxurious spa experience

Hotel

A minimalist, whitewashed double room with a vaulted ceiling at Holm House Hotel
Courtesy of Holm House / Expedia

Spa lovers can immerse themselves in opulence at this luxury residence on Marine Parade in Penarth, a 15-minute drive from Cardiff. Peel yourself away from postcard-pretty views across the Bristol Channel for luxurious pampering with Elemis products at Holm House Spa. The hotel has 12 rooms which feature a mix of four-poster beds, sloping ceilings, kitchenettes and private sun terraces – take your pick.

Interested in something a little more special? Discover our guide to the best boutique hotels in Cardiff and book now on Culture Trip. On a budget? Check out our guide to the best cheap hotels in Cardiff, bookable on Culture Trip.

Nick Dauk contributed additional reporting to this article.

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