The Best Hotels to Book Near Bodiam Castle, England

Lovely Flackley Ash ticks all the country house boxes. Gorgeous gardens? Check. Four-poster beds? Obviously. Afternoon tea? Of course. This grand brick house was built in the Georgian period, but today, the imaginatively revamped interiors have unique furniture and eye-catching designer wallpaper in William Morris, woodland and library shelf patterns. It’s close to Rye and Camber Sands, but on cold days, park yourself in the sauna or the 40ft indoor heated pool.

The White Dog Inn in Ewhurst Green is within whistling distance of Bodiam Castle, but you’ll have to drive an extra mile to get here, skirting round the River Rother. Rooms at this cosy village inn are bright and sunny and dotted with wooden furniture, but families are drawn to the tipi tents in the garden, with room for five under twinkling fairy lights. At the end of the day, pull up a wooden chair next to the roaring fire in the bar.

As English as cricket on the village green, the Brickwall Hotel and Restaurant is an ideal hub for Sussex adventures, set midway between Bodiam and Hastings in the village of Sedlescombe. The house is part Tudor, but the feel is more Edwardian, with straight-as-an-arrow beams, deep-red carpets and lawn views. When you want a quiet moment, grab a corner in the guest lounge or find a suntrap in the gardens.

The echoes of 1066 ring out in the countryside around Claverton Country House Hotel, an elegant Edwardian house set amid immaculate lawns just east of Battle. Rooms are light and full of positive energy, with four-poster beds, sleigh beds and other appealing pieces of wooden furniture. Enjoy hearty meals of locally produced meats, produce and wines in the hotel restaurant, then settle down for a deep night’s sleep under duck-down duvets.

A handsome Georgian pub with big, light-welcoming windows, the Queen’s Inn has rooms that are real characters, with modern details augmenting wonky wooden beams and striking found furniture. Vintage-style radios balance on wooden stools, and bold papers make walls into statements. Every room has a different feel, so browse a few before deciding. Downstairs, the bar and restaurant – with tasty vegan options – is another engaging, positive space.

Set in an area of outstanding natural beauty, Woodgate Farm is secreted away on a winding back road through the idyllic Sussex countryside. It’s a calm escape from the noise and bustle, with a sprawling, flower-filled farmhouse garden and a raised deck overlooking the fields. There are only two rooms, both homely and farmhouse chic, making the most of the country views.

Family-run, friendly and multi-award-winning, the George Inn has sumptuous damask- and velvet-lined rooms with views of the postcard-pretty half-timbered houses along Robertsbridge’s winding High Street. Interiors are plush and luxurious; it’s a great choice for a romantic country stay. There’s excellent food, too, sourced from local producers along the Kent and Sussex coasts.

Rooms at the Bell sit cosily under a canopy of ancient timber beams. Each is full of quirky details, such as natural wood branches, salvaged wood headboards and framed art prints. The room called Then & Now, tucked under the eaves, is a wonderful nook of a space. The South American head chef keeps the food options interesting, too, with lots of meaty grills and seafood off the barbecue. There are also pretty walks nearby, including around the calm Bewl Water reservoir.

A classic, timber-beamed village pub, set in the spic-and-span hamlet of Burwash, due west of Bodiam, the Bear is a friendly base for explorations of the East Sussex coastline and High Weald. Rooms are practical and comfortable, rather than opulent, but that’s no obstacle when the welcome is warm and the setting so pretty. The hotel’s standout pub garden has views across the hills.