The Best Hotels and Places to Stay in Lancaster, England

As the name suggests, this grand hotel – in the heart of Lancaster – had a different purpose at one time. Built in 1901, it was the Corporation Toll House that collected levies from traders on their way to market, before becoming the Farmers Arms – a pub opposite the livestock market. Today, the Toll House Inn still caters to the weary traveller, offering super-comfy beds, regional dishes made from locally sourced ingredients and a pint of traditional Thwaites Ale that has a 200-year brewing heritage.

Tucked away in the picturesque conservation village of Clapham, the New Inn Hotel is surrounded by some of the best walking routes in Yorkshire. The 16 rooms here all have fabulous designs – from window seats to four-poster beds and oak beams – and come with stunning views of the lush countryside. Dishes in the restaurant are freshly made using the best regional suppliers and can be washed down with a selection of gins from all over the world.

A location right in the heart of Lancaster means this 14-bedroom, family-run hotel is close to the city’s best restaurants, shops and attractions like the 12th-century Lancaster Castle and Williamson Park. At the Fusions Kitchen, chef Gary Ellwood has put together a fun menu with dishes such as Filthy Phat Fries – with a wide range of toppings including smoky mince and beans or mac and cheese – and big flour tortillas with vegetable chilli. The Royal has just unveiled a new beer garden, so make sure you toast it with a few drinks.

Quite Simply French has been one of the finest French restaurants in Lancaster since 1996, serving sublime rustic dishes. The addition to the menu here since 2019 has been four rooms nestled under the eaves of the 250-year-old building. Taking the approach that food and fabulous accommodation are the perfect pairings, the lodgings are every bit as elegant as the cuisine – complete with designer furnishings, the finest cotton sheets, romantic free-standing baths and rainfall showers.

It doesn’t matter if you get a bit grubby at Stanley Lodge – in fact, it’s encouraged. Perfectly set up for walkers and cyclists, the farmhouse has secure bicycle storage and wash-down facilities for cleaning your bikes or walking boots after a day exploring the area. If you’d like to stay a little longer, book into Ivy Cottage – a self-catering cottage that is just behind the main farmhouse and sleeps two.

This aptly named B&B sits at the foot of Ingleborough – the second-highest mountain in the Yorkshire Dales – and has beguiling views of the surrounding farmland and limestone fells. You’ll be itching to get stuck into the surrounding countryside, and location of Moor View means it’s only five minutes by car to the Ingleton Waterfalls Trail – one of the must-visit attractions in Yorkshire – and White Scar Caves. It’s also a great base from which to explore the Lake District and the Forest of Bowland.

An archetypal English inn in the historic village of Dolphinholme, the Fleece allows you to make the most of the Lancashire countryside. The Forest of Bowland is on your doorstep, while the rolling hills of the Yorkshire Dales National Park are just over 30km (19mi) away. Make sure you pop into the Fleece Inn shop and stock up on local goodness including jams, honey, Dewlay blue cheese, fresh meats and quality wines.

It’s a barn, yes – but not as you know it. A meticulously converted two-storey stone structure set on two acres of farmland, Lancaster Barn Bed and Breakfast has nine very stylish rooms and a Scandi-style breakfast area where floor-to-ceiling windows look out over neighbouring farmland. Bathrooms have underfloor heating, and most rooms have limestone-tile walk-in showers. Nespresso machines in each room are also a nice touch.

A deluxe four-star hotel with 79 modern rooms, Lancaster House is well equipped for guests to pamper themselves – whether that’s in the hot tub, steam room, sauna or at Foodworks Restaurant where head chef Damien serves up British dishes made with flair and local Lancashire ingredients. Also, be sure to take in a Lancashire afternoon tea, which will take you on a culinary tour around the Red Rose county.