BEST BOUTIQUE HOTELS IN THE UK FOR A LONG WEEKEND

Food has always been at the heart of this country house hotel, which sits on the border of Devon and Cornwall overlooking the Tamar Valley. In fact, the house was converted into a restaurant in the 1960s and founder Sonia Stevenson was the first British woman to be awarded a Michelin star. Today, the fine dining restaurant is renowned for showcasing British food with French flair and sourcing over 90 percent of its produce from the South West. Delicious afternoon teas and tasting menu suppers aren’t the only reason to stay here though: its location neighbouring Dartmoor National Park makes it a peaceful rural escape. Whether you start in the tiny hamlet of Postbridge near to the East Dart River or head to Dartmeet, where the east and west Dart meet, there are plenty of beautiful hiking routes to discover. Back at this boutique hotel, the 16 contemporary rooms are split between the main house (which retains its original architectural features, such as open fireplaces) and a pair of coach houses (one old, one new). The majority also have a balcony with spectacular rural views for stargazing and sitting with an early morning cup of coffee in peace.  

This characterful 19th century Victorian inn sits in the pretty village of Warmingham, surrounded by countryside yet between the historic market towns of Middlewich and Crewe (the first was once the centre of the Roman salt industry; the latter has the fascinating Hack Green Nuclear Bunker war museum). It’s a proper gastro pub, with real ales from local microbreweries at the bar and an all-day menu that includes classics such as steak, ale and mushroom pie, fish and chips and seafood linguine. The 17 rooms are contemporary; the best come with four poster beds and a spacious living area. Ask staff for the trio of walks they recommend from the doorstep including to the Sandbach Flashes, a popular spot for birdwatching. If you’d prefer to explore nearby cities, Chester and Manchester are both within an hour’s drive for a blast of culture and urban buzz. 

A five-minute drive to sweeping, sand dune-backed Brancaster Beach, and with some of Norfolk’s best-loved villages nearby, boutique hotel Titchwell Manor is exactly where you want to be for exploring this part of the UK coastline. It’s set in a restored Victorian farmhouse and owned by chef Eric Snaith (who also has a sit-in fish and chip restaurant in Thornham and a pizza joint in Holt) – so food is top of the agenda. Dishes are modern European, feature homegrown produce and are served in both the informal Terrace Bistro and the Conservatory, which has view overlooking the walled garden. Rooms are inspired by nature, from marsh seagrasses and flowers to fields, which means soothing colour palettes. The best come with cedarwood hot tub or are set around the courtyard herb garden; there are also two shepherds huts in the meadow, each with its own sunken hot tub on a private terrace and wood-burning stove. 

Think of the Chatsworth Estate in the Peak District and it’s probably Chatsworth House and Garden that springs to mind first. Yet just a 1.5 mile walk away across the glorious woods and parkland is The Cavendish hotel, fresh from a top-to-toe spruce up last year. Interior designer Nicola Harding has created gorgeous, heritage-inspired rooms that combine antique furniture and stone fireplaces with playful lamps, splashes of colour and locally crafted lamps and linens – ideal for relaxing after exploring the estate (don’t miss the famed farm shop in the village of Pilsley), rambling along streams and springs in the Derbyshire countryside or visiting local producers such as the Renishaw Hall Vineyard. Back at the hotel, choose between the informal Garden Restaurant or The Gallery Restaurant where everything from the food to the paintings on the walls, is a celebration of the surrounding landscapes. A joyful countryside escape in one of the best boutique hotels in the UK. 

Tucked away in Belgravia, among the fashion boutiques, bakeries and chic neighbourhood restaurants that line Elizabeth Street, is this unexpected boutique hotel. Set in a grade II-listed Georgian townhouse, it has 26 rooms (including some for solo travellers), all with wood panelled walls in restful stone shades, abstract patterned wallpapers and geometric print cushions on the bed. Downstairs is a sitting room and a café-style restaurant, The Buttery which serves breakfast, brunch and lunch (perhaps start the day with the Allotment Breakfast or tuck into warm beetroot salad for lunch). Plus, there’s a walled garden which feels like a secret find on a warm summer’s day, where you can while away the afternoon with a chilled glass of rosé and a good book. There are plenty of attractions nearby, from Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey, to the museums of South Kensington and the shops on the King’s Road.