Countryside Escapes: Boutique Hotels
Following on from my guide to my favourite countryside luxury hotels, you’ll find a roundup of some of my favourite boutique hotels in the UK below, which are all a little more affordable, but still luxurious in their own way. From design-led interiors to home cooked meals, these hotels are all very special for good reason, and are all places that I would visit time and time again if I could. I’ll be adding to the list whenever I visit somewhere new that makes the cut!
The Pig, multiple locations
Where other hotels may translate luxury as slick contemporary furnishings, The Pig’s aesthetic is distinctly ‘shabby chic’. Bedrooms feature vintage carpets and furniture, rustic four poster beds, and rolltop bathtubs (often in the bedrooms). The focus of each Pig hotel is strongly focussed around its restaurant: each location proudly sources produce from its sprawling kitchen gardens and within a 25 mile radius of the property, offering colourful and seasonal British food all day, plus homemade flatbread pizzas at lunchtime. Breakfasts are a long and lazy affair, with a generous continental buffet on offer; follow this by spending the afternoon strolling through the grounds and enjoying afternoon tea in the drawing rooms. The Pig doesn’t have a spa, but each location offers private treatment rooms (often converted Shepherd’s Huts) where you can get massages and facials. You’ll come back from this bucolic bolthole feeling entirely refreshed and well fed. I’ve stayed in several of their locations, and my favourite is their hotel in Somerset, near Bath.
Chapel House, Cornwall
Situated in the sleepy seaside town of Penzance, Chapel House is a restored Georgian house, oozing elegance through its minimal furnishings and tasteful artwork. From wood-burning stoves and bathtubs in the bedrooms, to the delicious home cooked breakfasts every morning (you can literally order whatever you fancy), you’ll be truly spoilt during your stay. Spend your time in Penzance exploring the nearby coastline, and the myriad of wonderful eateries and boutiques along Chapel Street.
Read a full review from a previous stay here.
Artist Residence, multiple locations
It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of the Artist Residence brand, and have loved staying at their cosy outposts in Brighton, Oxfordshire, Bristol, and Penzance. You can expect quirky, rustic interiors in all of their branches, featuring individual artwork married with upcycled furniture, and signature Artist Residence touches: Bramley bath products, mini-bars stocked with artisan snacks, and freestanding copper bathtubs. Each of the hotels have rooms for all price points: if you have cash to splash, definitely stay in one of the larger rooms, but if you’re tighter on the wallet, their smaller bedrooms are still cosy, and retain just the same unique and individual touches.
Read a full review from Brighton here.
Read a full review from Oxfordshire here.
Read a full review from Penzance here.
Middleton Lodge, North Yorkshire
A beautiful family-run hotel in North Yorkshire, Middleton Lodge encompasses a historic manor house and surrounding buildings spread across a 200-acre estate. Bedrooms are scattered across the gardens and restored Dairy and Coach House, featuring laidback, luxe furnishings in neutral tones: larger rooms in the Dairy boast outdoor copper hot tubs, but if you’re on a tighter budget, stay in the Coach House or one of the shepherd’s huts nestled in the gardens. You will eat well at both restaurants on site, which offer delicious seasonal cooking - the laidback Coach House restaurant has one of the best menus I’ve laid my eyes on, while the Forge offers a more refined set menu. Days are spent exploring the stunning walled gardens (which are fully in bloom during the summer) or relaxing at the newly renovated Forge spa.
The Rose, Kent
This quaint boutique hotel situated on the Kent coastline is a design lovers’ dream. Featuring Wes Anderson-inspired interiors, you can expect a bold colour palette that somehow manages to be eclectic yet tasteful, and individually designed bedrooms featuring pastel coloured bathtubs, and vintage furniture. Breakfast here is a delicious affair: you can order as much as you like from the menu, and can trust that it’ll all be delicious, from the homemade granola, to the eggs on toast.
The Painswick, Gloucestershire - The Cotswolds
This quaint Cotswolds hotel is a stunning honey-coloured house situated in the sleepy town of Painswick, Gloucestershire. Wake up to stunning views over the surrounding hills - bedrooms are cosy, featuring elegant colour schemes, and homemade cookies on arrival. Spend your days relaxing on the sun loungers in the garden before treating yourself to afternoon tea in the cosy drawing room (I ate perhaps the best scones of my life during my visit here).
Read a review from a previous stay here.
The Fish Hotel, Worcestershire - The Cotswolds
Located just outside the quaint village of Broadway, The Fish Hotel is a cosy Cotswolds escape, perfect for guests wanting to enjoy being surrounded by nature. The hotel’s location within the sprawling Farncombe Estate means that you can expect incredible views, and lots of opportunities for walking; for an incredible experience, book a treehouse bedroom nestled in the trees, or get cosy in one of their Hilly Huts (chic converted shepherd’s huts), featuring wood-burning stoves and private hot tubs. Meals are eaten in the onsite restaurant (which naturally specialises in seafood), and you can opt to have a generous breakfast brought to your bedroom in a hamper. You’ll never want to leave!
Read a full review from a previous stay here.
Rothay Manor, Cumbria
This Lake District gem is the perfect escape for gourmet lovers heading up to the lakes and looking for a luxury pad to retreat to. The hotel’s onsite restaurant is its crowning jewel: guests can enjoy incredible tasting menus that incorporate Japanese and Scandinavian influences alongside British produce (I’d be surprised if they aren’t awarded a Michelin star soon). Stay in the Pavilion suites, which feature plush furnishings in bold hues (pistachio green panelling and wine-coloured headboards), alongside beautifully tiled bathrooms and outdoor hot tubs for relaxing soaks after a long walk over the hills.
Hampton Manor, West Midlands
A foodie’s retreat in every sense of the word, Hampton Manor is a stunning 24-bedroom property occupying the former abode of Sir Robert Peel, just outside Birmingham. The hotel boasts an impressive number of restaurants for a hotel of this size, each offering their own gourmet experience: there’s Michelin-starred Peel’s, where guests can dine on an exquisite tasting menu, or laidback Smoke, nestled in the walled gardens where you’ll sit under the stars and toast s’mores over fire pits after dessert. Grace and Savour, located in the kitchen gardens along with five newly renovated bedrooms in slick, Scandinavian style offers a fifteen-course menu based on seasonal ingredients growing on-site. Guests aren’t just encouraged to eat though: seasonal workshops centred around food such as chocolate or bread making are a part of the magic - followed by whisky tastings in the evening before you retire to your bedroom, where you’ll find sumptuous furnishings, colourful William Morris wallpapers and homemade chocolate chip cookies waiting for you.
The Rectory Hotel, Wiltshire - The Cotswolds
Another Cotswolds escape, The Rectory is a beautiful honey-coloured hotel with 18 elegantly furnished bedrooms. Featuring beautiful gardens, cosy and tasteful interiors, and an outdoor pool, this is the type of place I’d happily while away the weekend. The restaurant serves delicious British-Mediterranean dinners and tasty breakfasts in its Scandi-style conservatory, alongside afternoon teas al fresco and hearty pub lunches at sister property The Potting Shed.
Read a full review here.
