The Best Hotels to Book in Southampton, UK

In central Southampton, Elizabeth House is a happy marriage of two Victorian buildings, first opened as a hotel in the 1960s. Ensuite rooms are simple guesthouse-style affairs, with Mineral Spa toiletries and power showers. Common areas include an art-deco restaurant bar with an adjoining walled garden for the warmer months. Breakfast spans from healthy to hearty with a choice of peaches and granola or poached haddock.

Equidistant between Palmerston Park and Southampton’s historic waterfront, the Moxy is Marriott’s neon-lit take on a boutique hotel, with bags of character and individual accents aplenty. Unusual features include a stash of Gibson guitars and VOX speakers, inviting you to play; plus shipping containers and life rings that nod to Southampton’s nautical heritage. In the brightly decorated lobby-bar, check-in is accompanied by a gratis drink, so you can practise what sailors do best.

Dubbed as ‘the world’s first hometel’, Room2 stands out among Southampton’s hotels for offering self-catering options. Individually-styled studios bring together the best of hotel and home comforts. Each kitchenette comes complete with a recipe book for cooking in and suggestions for ordering takeaways and to-your-door groceries. Memory-foam king-size beds and blackout blinds pave the way for a good sleep. Superfast wifi and comfortable spaces set you up for work or play. Daily room sprucing is available, check-in is online and you get a full 24-hour stay window (from 2pm until 2pm), rather than being booted out before noon.

If you’re not immediately won over by the quirky cruise-ship design and port-side location of Southampton Harbour Hotel, the spa is likely to do the trick. The hotel’s nautical theme extends to beauty treatments, with a surprisingly good shell massage on offer. Rooms stick to the nautical theme, with blue walls and harbour views. As a plus, the hotel offers complimentary sherry and gin.

Ennio’s Italian restaurant is renowned locally, and the 10 rooms in this boutique hotel are equally luxurious. The five-star offering was once a warehouse where wealthy Titanic passengers stored their luggage before setting sail. It has a firm focus on quality, with king-size beds, L’Occitane toiletries and sumptuous velvet throws. Located a short walk from the ferry terminals, it’s in a prime location for exploring the town – but on colder days you’ll want to tuck into a plate of pasta before you leave.

Grand by name, grand by nature – this iconic building on the waterfront stands out thanks to its eye-catching glass pyramid design. It was sold to a new owner in 2021 and will be undergoing a makeover within the next few years, but the developers have promised to “retain its renowned ambience”. The hotel features a Marco Pierre White steakhouse and the relaxing Serenity Spa.

Built into the Medieval city walls, the Pig, a 12-bedroom boutique, instantly feels like somewhere special. There’s a modern country feel about the place, and the pine furniture, roll-top baths and enthusiastic staff make guests feel well looked after. Be sure to book dinner at the Pig in Brockenhurst; you’ll be chauffeured there in the hotel’s own Land Rover. The next morning, enjoy the deli counter where you can pick exactly what you fancy for breakfast.