The Best Hotels to Book Near the University of Hertfordshire

Historic elegance meets modern luxury at this Hatfield-based boutique, housed in an iconic Art Deco building. With parquet floors, chic, muted tones and high-end fixtures, you’ll feel like you’ve just stepped foot in a period drama. Echoes of the hotel’s 1920s heritage can be seen in the hotel’s restaurant, too, where geometric flooring and orb light fittings emphasize those Great Gatsby-esque vibes.

Get your country kicks at this high-end rural retreat, set in converted 17th-century buildings on a working farm. Choose between a room in the old farmhouse, each with its own individual characteristics – from exposed ancient beams, to vaulted ceilings or bare brick walls – or carve out your own space in one of the standalone options. There’s the cottage-y Shepherds Hut, sleeping two, or the Lakeside House, with its private hot tub.

You don’t need to be wearing a neck ruff, cloak or jerkin to stay at this Jacobean pile, and you’d get some odd looks in the breakfast room if you did. But, to be fair, you’d be in keeping with the rest of the building, which is literally creaking with period character – from the stained glass windows and oak wood panelling in the drawing room, to the grand four-poster beds in the guest rooms, and the roaring log fireplaces.

Wood-panelled libraries and cosy fireplaces bump elbows with slick, high-tech meeting spaces and luxury amenities at this impressive Jacobean-style manor house, set in 200 acres (80ha) of beautiful countryside. Guest rooms vary in style – from turn-of-the-century traditional, with heavy curtains and antique furniture, to interiors mag-glam, with ceiling-height leather headboards and marble-clad bathrooms. There’s a full-service spa, an 18-hole golf course designed by Harry Vardon and a beautiful indoor pool, built to look like Roman baths.

It definitely won’t feel as if you’re only 11mi (18km) from Cockfosters Tube station when you’re surrounded by the lush greenery at this country house hotel. Its impressive arboretum, planted with over 800 species of trees from around the world, makes for romantic strolling grounds at any time of year – but especially in the spring and autumn. Make the most of it by booking a picnic package ahead of time, and munch on Trealy Farm charcuterie, Brixham crab toasts and chocolate truffles.

Not only are you just 10 minutes from the university campus in Hatfield here, but you’re just as close to the centre of the Roman city of St Albans, with its monumental cathedral and bustling weekend markets. But its location is not the only thing going for this branch of the budget chain – its rooms are crisp, and startlingly fresh-feeling, with enough LED backlighting to put the Starship Enterprise to shame. You’ll also get a complimentary breakfast buffet and light evening meals.

A former coaching inn, one of the oldest buildings in St Albans and situated opposite the ancient cathedral and abbey, houses this charming and traditional hotel. The cosy and classic rooms, all individually designed, have well-appointed bathrooms, and offer free wifi, TV and tea and coffee making facilities. Breakfast is extra. Downstairs is the Tudors Restaurant (nothing so racy as the TV series, don’t worry), offering an excellent twist on traditional, hearty British cuisine.

This charming boutique offering set in a former coaching inn dating back to the 14th century features elegant accommodation which manages to blend the striking period features with a modern sensibility and a flourish of luxury. Touches such as open fires, four-poster beds, roll-top baths, Nespresso coffee machines, wifi and luxurious bedding and towels enhance the indulgence, and the room rate includes a hearty breakfast. There’s a cosy restaurant and an attractive terrace.