Britain is a lovely place for a weekend break – especially if you don’t have to go outdoors! Here’s our guide to the boutique hotels with some of the most beautiful interiors in the country….
Call us lazy if you like, but we reckon the best thing about a British weekend break is… doing nothing much. A nice coffee, browse the papers, perhaps a good book (something improving, like a Jilly Cooper bonkbuster for example). Obviously you can venture outside if you really want, but chances are it’s raining. And the best place to do nothing much is of course a gorgeous boutique hotel. Here, in no particular order, are ten beautifully-proportioned hotels with interiors so lovely you won’t need to do anything except stay inside and luxuriate…
1) Oddfellows, Chester
A fine example of the idiosyncratic British boutique hotel, the aptly-named Oddfellows promises a unique experience. Built for Lady Mary Calverley in 1676, this gorgeous Georgian townhouse features designs inspired by three famous locals: the architect John Douglas (who designed the famous Eastgate Clock in Chester's centre), cinematographer Peter Newbrook (whose work included the epic Lawrence of Arabia), and Randolph Caldecott, the artist and children's illustrator – whose drawings add a touch of fun to proceedings.
From the gigantic circular beds of 'The Newbrook', to the luxurious roll top bathtubs of 'Lady Mary's Loft' the bedrooms at Oddfellows offer character galore. Food-wise, the Secret Garden offers a quirky outdoor retreat – complete with gnomes and some quite enormous lamps. www.oddfellowschester.com
2) Artist Residence Hotel, Brighton
Situated in Brighton's Regency Square, and just a few minutes' stroll from the beach, the aptly-named Artist Residence has 23 rooms, each of which has been decorated by a different artist – creating a truly unique ambience. Occupying two Grade II listed Regency buildings, each of the bedrooms boasts a different style, from individually designed wall murals, to limited edition prints and bespoke furniture, reflecting influences from across the design spectrum.
We admit that we have a soft spot for the Artist Residence enterprise. We featured their Pimlico hotel in our 10 Most Beautiful Hotels in London while their Penzance one includes some Pooky lights!
www.artistresidence.co.uk
3) Pig on the Beach, Dorset
This gloriously-named 23-bedroom retreat occupies a restored 16th century manor house, situated by the beautiful sands of Studland Bay. One in a string of pig-related venues, this particular little piggy offers a relaxing rural location with stunning views, together with an interesting selection of gargoyles, antiques and furniture.
Choose from a range of comfortable rooms featuring the words 'snug', 'comfy' and 'luxe', many of which include 'monsoon' showers and either countryside or sea views. Or you can even check into The Pig Hut. www.thepighotel.com/on-the-beach
4) G! Boutique Hotel, Southsea
Staying on the south coast, G! Boutique in Southsea, Portsmouth offers a glamorously unique experience from the moment you walk through the door. From the striking black-and-white striped flooring to the funky seats and Dairy-Milk-purple theme of the bar and breakfast room, the designs are something else.
Each of the 14 rooms is endowed with an intriguing G-inspired name, together with some awe-inspiring features. Take, for example, the luxurious 'Gloating You're Not Here', which includes an 8-foot circular bed (above) underneath a star-lit ceiling – not to mention the sensational double jacuzzi bath. Glorious!
www.g-boutiquehotel.co.uk
5) The Zetter Townhouse - Marylebone, London
This Georgian townhouse in Marylebone features 24 richly decorated rooms, full of antiques and curios. The sumptuous lounge, known as Seymour's Parlour (above), provides bespoke cocktails and is dedicated to a 'notorious ancestor' known affectionately as Wicked Uncle Seymour.
Rich and flamboyant (perhaps like Uncle Seymour), the bedrooms feature beautiful sash windows together with unique collections of antiques and reclaimed furniture, writing desks and bespoke Gainsborough upholstery. If you fancy a good read, you can browse from the personally selected novels. And there are 'Raindance' showers too, should you fancy one of those.
www.thezettertownhouse.com/marylebone
6) The Bonham, Edinburgh
Heading north to Auld Reekie, The Bonham is found in the West End of the city and boasts 49 beautiful rooms. Dubbed 'Edinburgh's coolest hotel', here Victorian elegance meets urban contemporary, and each room is individually designed and decorated with bold colours and textures.
There are plenty of other interesting features to keep you occupied during your stay, from the restaurant which features a dramatic collection of art by Tilo Stengel, to the striking crimson spiral sofa-bench – creating a real sense of Bonham-ie (sorry). www.townhousecompany.com/thebonham/
7) Askham Hall, Cumbria
Nestled deep in the Lake District, Askham Hall was originally built in the 13th century as a medieval pele, or watchtower. Set amid acres of beautiful grounds with fabulous views of the fells, Askham Hall is a Grade I listed building rich in history but by no means lacking in luxury. It now houses 15 beautiful boutique bedrooms. Choose from the Pele Tower rooms with their unique architectural features, including lead mullion windows, or the Superior and Standard Rooms with their eclectic mix of antique and modern pieces.
Askham Hall promises an intimate and homely atmosphere, where guests are encouraged to enjoy a drink from the Honesty Bar at their discretion… clearly the owners feel there is no need to Askham (sorry again. That’s the last one).
www.askhamhall.co.uk
8) Ffynnon, Snowdonia
Heading westwards to Wales, we find Ffynnon, which is located in the stunning Snowdonia National Park. Originally a Gothic Victorian rectory, nowadays this award-winning boutique hotel has six sumptuous bedrooms offering a combination of Victorian elegance and crisp, contemporary design. Each of the rooms has a unique style – from the Welsh design influences of 'Myfanwy', with its king-sized brass bed, beautiful views, private lobby and expansive bathroom with Italian marble floor (above), to the chic French-inspired 'Aimee', with its double Corbeille bed and fireplace, antique furniture and whirlpool bath, to the Oriental-inspired 'Annis' room (below). There's lovely.
www.ffynnontownhouse.com
9) Chocolate Boutique Hotel, Bournemouth
And now for something completely different. Housed in a 19th century grade II listed building, the world's first chocolate-themed hotel offers a range of bedrooms each themed around a different kind of choccy, from The Mocha to The Montezuma Suite. Basically, it’s nirvana for chocoholics: you can drink a 'choctail' at the Chocolate Bar, have a go at making yourself in chocolate workshops, do chocolate portrait painting and so on. The diet then starts again on Monday.
www.thechocolateboutiquehotel.co.uk
10) The Painswick, Gloucestershire
Ok, so we admit we’re slightly biased here as this lovely hotel in the Cotswolds features our Foinaven desk lamps in the bedrooms. But it really is gorgeous, with interiors designed by Nicky Farquhar. Have a more detailed read about it here.
www.thepainswick.co.uk
So that completes our tour of some of the UK's most beautiful boutique hotel interiors – but if we've missed your favourite, do let us know! And if you enjoyed this, you might like our "10 Most Beautiful" guides to hotels and restaurants in London, and National Trust interiors.
