The Best Hotels and Places to Stay in Salisbury, England

This peaceful garden in this rural retreat backs onto the River Avon and River Nadder. Soak up nature on the patio or in the bright conservatory bar before walking 10 minutes to central Salisbury. Most rooms in the historic house – the original was built in 1896 – offer views of the water-meadows or cathedral. Couples will enjoy the draped four-poster bedroom, while families will appreciate the apartment with three ensuite bedrooms and a lounge. The free parking is handy for adventuring further afield.

Experience medieval Salisbury by booking a 13th-century room in this four-star coaching inn, with features such as original oak beams and panelling, vaulted ceilings and four-poster beds. Alternatively, the garden wing executive room leads directly to the garden and riverside, where you can watch the sunset over the cathedral. The waterfront restaurant – with great views and an outdoor terrace perfect for sipping coffee – serves a seasonal, local menu with highlights including charcuterie, seafood and cheese platters.

Once a haunt for 1920s railway engineers, Caboose is a station-side 1920s-inspired speakeasy and boutique B&B. Enjoy the extensive list of signature cocktails – try the rum-based Locomotive – or mocktails in the brightly painted parlour with art deco-style furniture, quirky accessories and vintage posters. Book the weekend champagne afternoon tea for a treat. Stay in funky accessory-strewn rooms – featuring Hypnos beds and Hansgrohe rainfall showers – and enjoy breakfast, such as the Caboose breakfast burger. Kick things up a notch with morning mimosas or bloody marys.

Find this classic pub, restaurant and hotel a five-minute walk from Salisbury Cathedral. The initial construction is almost 800 years old, and the stone for the cathedral was cut in what is now the hotel restaurant. Dine on flame-grilled steaks – choose your cut and size from the butcher’s block – and follow with a real ale by the roaring fire. Special occasion? Hire the Champagne Snug or log-and-antler-strewn Shooters Bar. Sleep off indulgence in your classically decadent room, some featuring original panelling and fireplaces.

This family-run, city-centre hotel has a history. It was once a 15th-century merchant’s house and a regular drinking haunt for Cavaliers. Nelson himself stayed here in 1800, in the current Nelson Room. Prop up the stylish bar with wines from Yapp Brothers of Mere – which supplies some Michelin-starred restaurants – before retiring to your beautifully designed room, with decor such as vintage-style patterns, overhead beams and colourful matte walls. Come morning, enjoy the unlimited cooked or continental breakfast.

Everything is cosy at the Old House Guesthouse – dating back to the 16th century – from the warm welcome to the homely bedrooms with vintage-style lamps and sash curtains. Choose the big family suite if you’re bringing the kids along. You’ll all enjoy a fresh, home-cooked full breakfast in the cottage-style dining room each morning. The lounge – with beams, a brick fireplace and plush armchairs – is great for relaxing. This is a good place to stay in Salisbury if you have your own wheels, as the cathedral is a good 30-minute walk, and there’s private parking.

Exploring Wiltshire? This family-owned guesthouse in Amesbury is 2mi (3km) from Stonehenge and plenty of nearby countryside trails and sites, including Old Sarum. It’s set in a Grade II-listed Georgian townhouse, and you’ll find surprises like the atmospheric former wine cellar where a continental breakfast buffet followed by cooked-to-order dishes, such as a full English or smoked salmon and scrambled eggs, is served. Rooms – with touches of warm colour – are traditionally decorated to feel just like home.

Burcombe Manor – a family home and B&B in beautiful Nadder Valley, 4mi (6km) from Salisbury – backs onto a 1,300-acre (526ha) working farm, overlooking the water-meadows and forming part of the Earl of Pembroke’s estate. The 1865-built manor has just three classic bedrooms, making for a cosy, intimate stay. Find peace as you relax in the sitting room by the open fire, stroll the 3-acre (1ha) garden and surrounding countryside footpaths, and take breakfast in the dining room, complete with a roaring fire and garden-side windows.

Call this Swedish-style home your own by booking the balcony-clad double room overlooking rural Win Green or the family room with an adjoining living space featuring colourful accessories and plenty of cosy sitting spots. If you’re a walker, you’ll love the surrounding countryside, including the area of outstanding natural beauty, the Old Wardour Castle and the Jurassic Coast, which is about an hour away by car. Enjoy the continental breakfast – served in the quaint dining room or on the garden terrace – featuring local produce and homemade preserves.