The Best Hotels in Cardiff to Book for Every Traveller
![The picturesque Cardiff Bay is within walking distance of some of the citys best hotels](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/20x11/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/hgcb3b-1.webp)
Packed with restaurants, art galleries, culture and history – from the ancient Cardiff Castle to the National Museum – Cardiff is thriving. The Welsh capital has you covered whether you’re a spa or museum-lover, history buff or art addict. Dip into our hand-picked selection of the best hotels in Cardiff, Wales, for every traveller – all bookable with Culture Trip.
1. Hotel Indigo Cardiff, for boutique Welsh heritage
Chain Hotel
![A double room view through a mirror in Hotel Indigo Cardiff, with sepia-toned photos of old Cardiff above the bed](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/hotel-indigo-1.webp)
If you’re looking for Cardiff hotels with a touch of Welsh heritage, Hotel Indigo is for you. Spotlighting both regional materials and local art by talented Welsh creators, this is a stylish place to kick off your boots. When you’re not deep in the revelry of a rugby match at Principality Stadium – a 10-minute walk from the hotel – you’ll be slicing into prime cuts at the Marco Pierre White rooftop steakhouse (don’t worry, they’re much more tender than the chef’s infamous temper.)
2. Voco St David’s Hotel and Spa, for dinner on the waterfront
Spa Hotel
![A room with two queen beds at the Voco St David’s Hotel and Spain Cardiff](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/voco-st-davids-hotel-and-spa.webp)
Fabulous for foodies, this five-star hotel has an enviable position on the waterfront in Cardiff Bay, with an impressive full-glass front. Slide onto a window table at the Admiral restaurant to enjoy a flat iron steak, aged for 21 days, or a Thai fried chicken burger from the electric bold flavour-filled menu, composed of Wales’ best-in-season. The Marine Spa is included on the list of the best spas in the UK by Condé Nast Traveller, with its use of Ishga organic products, made from the purest Scottish Hebridean seaweed and healing spring water, it’s no surprise.
3. New House Country Hotel, for a rural retreat
Hotel
![The greenery-clad facade of New House Country Hotel, fronted by tables, chairs, a fountain and flowerbed](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/new-house.webp)
Love food but yearn for a quieter side to the buzz of Cardiff? Head over to this Grade II-listed country retreat in nearby Thornhill. Built in the 1730s, New House is just 5mi (8km) from the city centre but in an idyll of its own, with sublime views across the sea to North Devon. Indulge in exquisite, locally-sourced produce at Sequoias Restaurant – don’t miss the braised feather blade of Welsh beef or the mushroom and chestnut wellington.
4. Park Plaza Hotel, for pampering ‘me-time’
Hotel
![The reflective indoor swimming pool with columns, chairs and floor-to-ceiling windows with views of greenery at the Park Plaza Cardiff](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/park-plaza-cardiff.webp)
One for pampering devotees, this four-star hotel features a futuristic, 20m (66ft) swimming pool which will ready you for an indulgent treatment in one of eight onsite Laguna Spa beauty rooms. Try a signature treatment, like the lava shells back massage or bamboo joint-release experience. If you need a break from all the me-time, the National Museum Cardiff, Bute Park and Cardiff Castle are all within a 10-minute walk.
5. The Exchange, for hopeless romantics
Hotel
![The impressive, stone facade of the Coal Exchange Hotel, a Grade II-listed heritage building](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/the-exchange-hotel.webp)
6. Jolyons Hotel, for a bayside stay
Hotel
![The hot-pink front door and lilac facade of the Jolyons Hotel in Cardiff.](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/070774d4.webp)
7. Hilton Cardiff, for culture vultures
Hotel
![A spacious room at Hilton Cardiff with two double beds, and cream, wood and teal furnishings](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/hilton-cardiff.webp)
Guaranteed to satisfy cultural vultures, the National Museum Wales is just five minutes’ walk away from Hilton Cardiff. Once you’re done drooling over the largest Impressionist art collection in Wales, check out the first pub theatre in Cardiff, the Other Room, a hub for modern plays from Welsh artists, just 12 minutes from the hotel. Right across the road, Cardiff Castle boasts an eye-widening, 2,000-year history. Head there to marvel at Victorian architect William Burges’ lavish interior transformation with extravagant murals, stained glass and rich gold gilding.
8. Mercure Cardiff Holland House Hotel and Spa, for a pet-friendly escape
Spa Hotel
![Tables at the Mercure Cardiff Holland House Hotels restaurant](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/mercure-cardiff.webp)
Holland House is near the city centre with modern rooms, a trendy bar, and an 18m (59ft) swimming pool. It’s also pet-friendly, so you don’t have to leave your dog at home. Catch a contemporary art exhibition at nearby g39 or book tickets for a comedy show in the 100-year-old New Theatre. Those looking to dance should head to the Moon for folk, reggae and hip-hop tunes.
9. Mrs Potts, for adventure-seekers on a budget
Hostel
![Sky-blue bunk beds with wooden ladders and bird cage lampshades at Mrs Potts Backpackers.](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/mrs-potts-backpackers.webp)
This excellent hostel invites backpackers and budget travellers to stay in its wooden bunk beds. It’s right in the city centre – close to the Principality Stadium – and the charming Victorian shopping arcades. You can even hire a bike and cycle the coastal path to Penarth for ice cream. Downstairs, you’ll find a kitchen, laundry room and common room to hang with friends or meet fellow travellers.
10. Holm House, for a luxurious spa experience
Hotel
![A minimalist, whitewashed double room with a vaulted ceiling at Holm House Hotel](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/holm-house-hotel.webp)
Spa lovers can immerse themselves in opulence at this luxury residence on Marine Parade in Penarth, a 15-minute drive from Cardiff. Peel yourself away from postcard-pretty views across the Bristol Channel for luxurious pampering with Elemis products at Holm House Spa. The hotel has 12 rooms which feature a mix of four-poster beds, sloping ceilings, kitchenettes and private sun terraces – take your pick.
Interested in something a little more special? Discover our guide to the best boutique hotels in Cardiff and book now on Culture Trip. On a budget? Check out our guide to the best cheap hotels in Cardiff, bookable on Culture Trip.
Nick Dauk contributed additional reporting to this article.