The Most Unusual Hotels to Book in the UK
Sometimes a hotel is just a place to sleep, but sometimes it’s an experience unto itself. With such rich, interesting history, the UK presents opportunities for hoteliers to create experiences that feel immersive, abstract or just plain silly. If you want a no-frills overnight stay, this probably isn’t for you, but if you want to inject a bit of weirdness and wonder into things, here are our favourite unusual hotels in the UK.
Treehouse Hotel London, for skyline living
Boutique Hotel
Yes, it’s a treehouse but not as you know it. A distinct upgrade from your childhood clubhouse, this stunning themed hotel in England is perched high in the London skyline with rooms overlooking some of the city’s most iconic landmarks including the London Eye, The Shard, Canary Wharf and Regent’s Park. The hotel’s Madera restaurant sticks with the treehouse theme with tables located under ceiling plants next to huge windows so you can take in striking vistas.
Fonab Castle Hotel & Spa, for a royal stay in Perthshire
Spa Hotel, Hotel
Located in a woodland overlooking Loch Faskally in the heart of Highland Perthshire in Scotland, the lovingly restored Fonab Castle Hotel & Spa seamlessly blends historic charm with contemporary luxury. Whether you choose the Loch View Lodge, Woodland Lodge or Castle Room – with its furnishings inspired by the colours and calm of the Perthshire Highlands – expect an experience fit for a monarch.
The Bell in Ticehurst, for quirky-cool in East Sussex
Boutique Hotel, Budget Hotel, Independent Hotel, Hotel
From the moment you step into the Bell, things get more and more intriguing. For starters, the seven suites over the Bell pub in Ticehurst, East Sussex, have their own silver birch tree right in the room to go with quirky lodging names like Stranger Than Truth, The Moon Wild and, aptly, the Hush of Trees. Need even more character? Sink into a copper bath, take a spin in an old dentist chair or take a photo of the yellow vintage phone for your Instagram account.
Stock Exchange Hotel Manchester, for rich character
Boutique Hotel
As the name suggests, this hotel is in the old Manchester Stock Exchange building, and rather than shedding its financial roots, the owners decided to revel in them. Guests are greeted by a huge entryway with marble pillars and a mirrored reception desk evoking a scene from a film noir. Old photographs of parties and items from the building’s former life dot the walls, and the former trading floor has found new life as a restaurant. Things are a bit less heavily themed in the rooms, but the marble counters and Mad Men-esque furniture will take you back in time.
Malmaison Oxford, for a stay in a former prison
Boutique Hotel
If you’re staying in Oxford, you might opt for a place that evokes the academic history of the city. Few people’s first thought would be “I want to stay in an old prison” unless they’d heard of the Malmaison. The company has hotels all over the UK, but the Oxford location is extra special. The walkways, cell doors and many other features have been retained, with all of the usual hotel comforts being built around, between and on top of them. The former exercise yard is now a garden with deck chairs, and the larger suites occupy the old debtor’s tower and governor’s house. There’s also a restaurant in the basement, so if you’ve ever wanted to live out your own prison drama, this is about as close as you can get out of handcuffs.
Burgh Island Hotel Devon, for a private island getaway
Independent Hotel, Hotel
A hotel on its own island sounds like the set-up to a spy film, but arriving on Burgh Island feels more like being invited to an oligarch’s private home for a soirée. Burgh is only an island during high tide, during which time the only way to reach this lesser-known gem on the Devon coast is via their sea tractor, which resembles an open train carriage with about 4.5m (15ft) between the seats and the wheels. The hotel itself is a gorgeous array of domed ceilings and 1930s-style trappings evoking an Agatha Christie novel, which is fitting given she herself wrote two books while staying here. Activities include ballroom dancing lessons, tennis courts and swimming in a natural seawater mermaid pool separated from the sea by a WWI sluice gate. The rooms have balconies overlooking the Atlantic and come with complimentary gin and tonic.
Fingal Hotel Edinburgh, for a stay on a ship
Independent Hotel, Hotel
The HMS Fingal used to run supplies to lighthouses along the Scottish coastline. It changed hands many times over the years before finding itself in Edinburgh harbour in the care of the Royal Yacht Britannia Trust. It took three years to convert it to a hotel before it opened in 2019, and it now shines with all the opulence of the Titanic but with none of the peril. The rooms are awash with nautical quirks including cabin trunks and porthole windows, and the beds have custom throws handmade by a local weaver. The best views can be found exploring the upper deck or in the Lighthouse Restaurant and Bar, where you can dine in the company of relaxing jazz music and sip on a cocktail.
Hard Day’s Night Hotel Liverpool, for Beatlemania
Hotel
Titanic Hotel Liverpool, for a stay in a former shipbuilding warehouse
Spa Hotel, Hotel
Hotel Pelirocco Brighton, for punky cool
Hotel
The Rookery London, for sheer decadence
Boutique Hotel, Hotel
Good Hotel London, for mid-century modernism
Boutique Hotel, Hotel
You can’t fault the Good Hotel for directness in the naming department, and it lives up to its name. Located in Royal Victoria Dock, a bastion of East London urban restoration, this post-modern haunt was shipped over from Amsterdam and secured to the dockside, bringing Dutch hipster sensibilities with it. The wood and industrial lighting have the feel of a flexible office space, but the building was originally a detention centre, and some elements from its past have been retained for the rooms, with lots of handy space-saving solutions such as charging ports concealed under the beds. All the rooms look out onto the Thames and there’s a bar on the roof that has the best views in the house. There’s also a restaurant with a tantalisingly creative menu, which combines high-end dining with street food standards (and pricing).
Heading northwards? Discover our guide to the best hotels or luxurious places to stay in Manchester, and book now on Culture Trip. Or for an affordable stay in gorgeous Oxford, check out our pick of the best budget-friendly hotels in Oxford, bookable on Culture Trip.
Pierre de Villiers contributed additional reporting to this article.