Best Luxury Hotels in England

Right at the centre of the Peak District, is the Cavendish Hotel. It used to be a coaching inn and is now part of the Chatsworth estate – the Duchess of Devonshire herself had a hand in the interior design. It has a definite country house feel, with the Cavendish family’s stamp across the property – quite literally on the bedroom carpets – including some of their personal art collection. The Gallery restaurant creates seasonal menus and there’s the Garden Room for relaxed all-day dining. The Cavendish has 23 guest rooms in total, including a two-bedroom suite.

Clifton Suspension Bridge and the Avon Gorge are among the most iconic landmarks in the city. Stay here and you’ll be afforded front-row views of them. The heritage building on Sion Hill was once a spa, with its steam pumps, the original marble and stained glass windows preserved as part of the sleek refurbishment. Its White Lion Pub has one of the largest terraces in the southwest, with an urban industrial-chic interior and there’s an art-filled cocktail lounge. Goram and Vincent is the main restaurant, featuring an open kitchen replete with coal-fired grills, a smoker and bespoke clay ovens.

If you’re a fan of Batman, be it the cartoons or movies, you absolutely must put this on your bucket list. Subtly themed on the superhero, with nods to the character here and there in the form of some classy memorabilia, the identity of this hotel is opulent and sophisticated. Dark colours reign, especially in the mysterious corridors, creating a moody, dramatic atmosphere. The restaurant, Honey, has a menu designed to ‘get you thinking sweet thoughts’ and stunning half-moon feature windows proffering city views. This was once a bank, and now is a grade II listed building overlaid with funky contemporary furnishings.

Europe’s first Grand Dame, The Langham opened its doors in 1865, soon racking up an illustrious list of patrons, like Louis-Napoleon III, Charles Dickens, one of the “Cambridge Five” spies Guy Burgess, Mark Twain, Princess Diana, Lady Gaga and Angelina Jolie. It has been an innovator on the international hotel scene, with a prestigious reputation. It boasts a timeless elegance and award-winning eating and drinking venues overseen by Michel Roux Jr; Palm Court, Artesian Bar,The Wigmore and Roux at the Landau. Chuan Body + Soul Spa and Health Club has an Asian theme with a huge heated indoor pool.

The Landmark London in Marylebone is a magnificent five-star Grande Dame hotel and has, since its debut over 125 years ago, remained an icon of quintessential and elegant London charm. The space offers guests an oasis of luxury and serenity in the heart of the capital. One of the oldest railway hotels in London, The Landmark London was born in the romantic era of train travel, combining the opulence, grandeur and timeless service and design of those times with contemporary flair and five-star amenities. This is best represented in its iconic and soaring eight-storey-high glass atrium that has been at the centre of the hotel since its opening. Centrally located in Marylebone, there are a plethora of shops, restaurants and London landmarks to explore, and the helpful concierge is always happy to guide guests and make recommendations. There really is no need to leave the hotel with the fantastic amenities on offer, the hotel is home to a sensuous spa featuring a health club, four treatment rooms and a sublime 15-metre chlorine-free indoor swimming pool, one of the only five-star hotels in the capital to have one.

Come here to sample two-Michelin-starred French cuisine by Alex Dilling in the restaurant, or to stay in a suite formerly occupied by legends like Oscar Wilde, Winston Churchill and David Bowie. Michelin-starred chef Albert Adrià (believed to be the world’s finest pastry chef) also chose Hotel Café Royal as his only non-Spanish endeavour, where you can order sweet treats and champers. As soon as you arrive into the lobby, you’ll be dazzled by a 700-pound Murano glass chandelier. And the holistic well-being centre provides sound healing and Watsu water therapy.

One of our favourite luxury properties in London, the Wellesley Knightsbridge. Positioned in one of the best addresses in London 11 Knightsbridge, Belgravia, overlooking Hyde Park, The Wellesley Knightsbridge is a luxury hotel unlike most others in the capital. Petite in size at just 36 rooms, which means attention to detail is flawless and service is personal. Art Deco features adorn the walls, it feels like stepping back in time to an age of 1920’s elegance, while finishing touches like a butler and a chauffeur services for guests further elevate the luxury experience.

Part of the boutique Doyle Collection, this is a thoroughly modern property. The rooftop terrace is a real gem, with outdoor fireplaces, flat-screen TVs, cushioned sofas and rugs. An excellent place for a workout, the hotel’s Third Space gym and spa has an 18m indoor pool, as well as alternative therapy treatments. 250 bedrooms have accented vibrant colours and bold patterns, augmented by contemporary art pieces. Families are welcome with open arms; The Marylebone provides kids’ menus, free meals for under fives and teepee beds with inflatable mattresses, camping lamps, cookies and a flask of milk on request.

Stay in an elegant heritage hotel opposite Hyde Park and Kensington Palace. The Milestone offers 43 deluxe rooms, 13 individually designed suites and six two and three-bedroom residences, your home-from-home in the city. Go to Cheneston’s restaurant for fine English cuisine by Executive Chef Daniel Putz, the Stable’s Bar for hand-made cocktails and the Park Lounge, for a refined daily British afternoon tea service. Additionally, The Milestone has its own chapel, The Oratory, catering for small private events. Below ground, you’ll find a fitness centre, treatment rooms and a resistance pool.

Stay in refined luxury at the 5 Star Gainsborough Bath Spa located in the heart of Bath. The only spa hotel in the city, the Gainsborough Bath Spa Hotel is a contemporary take on the city’s thermal water heritage. Originally built in the 1800s, The Gainsborough Bath Spa occupies two Grade II Listed buildings with distinguished Georgian and Victorian façades. The hotel was completely redesigned in 2017 by award-winning Champalimaud and is a Leading Hotel of the World, Design and YTL’s first Hotel in the United Kingdom. All guestrooms and suites are custom furnished, subtly combining fine period details with graceful interiors and modern functional elements which range from classic and deluxe rooms through to their Bath Spa rooms which include in bath access to the thermal waters right through to their suite class of rooms. The hotel’s jewel in its crown is its Spa Village Bath, which includes thermal pools, infrared saunas, steam room and relaxation area. After the spa take Afternoon Tea in the Canvas Room and in the evening enjoy a menu of locally sourced dishes in their three AA Rosettes restaurant The Gainsborough Brasserie

Just a short drive from the racing town of Newbury lies The Vineyard Hotel. There’s a spa with hot tub, pool, steam room and sauna and innovative (part alfresco) dining at InsideOut. Wine is a big deal here with frequent tasting events – head sommelier Roland Bourger is a UK Sommelier of the Year winner and the cellar holds over 30,000 bottles. The rooms are classic and elegant, with four-poster beds and either balconies or patios in the suites.

Part of the same group as the Ham Yard, the Haymarket lies in the heart of Theatre-land on the corner of Haymarket and Suffolk Place offering the best of the cities bars and restaurants on your doorstep as well as some of the best shopping in the city. The hotel has 50 bedrooms each designed individually by style and design director and owner Kit Kemp and you can unwind in the hotels pool after a day exploring the city.