Best Urban Hotels in United Kingdom

A luxurious flagship hotel in the historic Paddington area of London, Inhabit Southwick Street – a member of Design Hotels offers respite from the bustling city centre and a range of world-class amenities to enhance your stay. There are 159 thoughtfully designed guestrooms showcasing the best of contemporary Scandinavian design with traditional Eastern and British twists. On-site dining is available in Yeotown where fresh, plant-based cuisine is served all day or at Pantry where you’ll find healthy snacks and soft drinks on offer. Inhale at Inhabit is the comprehensive wellness centre boasting indulgent treatments and a yoga studio alongside the fitness centre featuring a Peloton bike. There is a calming library and a retail facility where guests can browse.

The Municipal Hotel & Spa Liverpool is a luxurious hotel situated on Dale Street in the heart of Liverpool. The hotel features 168 lavish rooms and 11 suites, all stylishly decorated. Guests can enjoy dining at the Seaforth British brasserie, afternoon tea at the Botanic Tearoom, and cocktails at the Palm Court. The Thermae Spa offers a range of treatments, a 16-metre indoor swimming pool, sauna, steam room, and Jacuzzi.

A fashionable address and celebrity haunt, The Lowry has an Elemis spa with eight treatment rooms, a relaxation area and a sauna, plus a hair salon. Rooms also have the wellness brand’s toiletries, along with huge windows, walk-in wardrobes, baths and fine artwork. The Hotel is named after one of Manchester’s most famed artists and hosts revolving art and photography exhibitions. Head to the first floor River Restaurant and Bar for hearty a la carte dishes, or lighter bites – kids can select from a mini gourmet menu (toddlers eat for free, with those under 12 at half price).

This incredible ivy-clad building is a veritable labyrinth, with many nooks and crannies. The site has been home to an inn or hotel for thousands of years now, so brings with it a wealth of hospitality heritage; dine in its formal Oak Room or relaxed Garden Room, order bubbles at the 14th-century Champagne Bar and get a snack in the York Bar. Bedrooms are adorned with features such as heavy antique drapes, curtained four-poster beds, patterned bedspreads, dark wood panelling and carved headboards. Each has a unique style and layout, so you can stay time and again and have a new experience.

With open views across the golf course to the Firth of Forth and Bass Rock, this is the hotel to choose if you want to be right beside the sea. The Marine has been restored to reflect its grand past, with tastefully chosen furnishings and textiles exuding a sense of old-world opulence and vintage flair, that’s as inviting as the outlook. Dine on local beef, game, and freshly landed seafood at The Lawn and order a cocktail or afternoon tea beneath the glittering chandeliers of the stylish Bass Rock Bar and Lounge. The French skincare brand Caudalie has partnered with the hotel to bring its spa treatments, designed using scientific techniques and active ingredients from the brand’s Bordeaux vineyards.

The Chester Grosvenor is a great dame in the city of Chester having been open since 1865. Located in the heart of the city overlooking the famous Eastgate Clock it’s in the perfect spot for a city break in Chester. Rooms in the hotel are beautifully appointed, each individually styled and luxuriously spacious. For something extra special their suite category offers open plan living with separate lounge and bedroom, spacious marble bathrooms with walk-in showers and some suites even have their own entrance foyers. From the chic sophistication of Michelin-starred Simon Radley at The Chester Grosvenor and the elegance of The Arkle Bar and Lounge to the newly refurbished  2 AA Rosette La Brasserie The Chester Grosvenor offers some of the best dining in the city and at the end of the day exploring soothe the mind and pamper your body at the hotel’s spa, where you can choose from a menu of relaxing spa treatments.

Sitting at the crossroads of Edinburgh’s historic Old Town and Georgian New Town, The Balmoral meaning ‘majestic dwelling’ in Gaelic is more than just a hotel, it’s one of the Scottish capital’s most iconic landmarks.A true masterpiece of Scottish Baronial design, its exterior is a romanticised interpretation of medieval Scottish castles brought to life through its warm sandstone façade. While intricate carvings along with decorative turrets, gables and ornate columns, all add to its sense of history and grandeur. A masterpiece outside is equally matched inside, including 187 rooms, suites and one-of-a-kind signature suites including the J.K Rowling Suite where the novelist herself finished writing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Experience award-winning fine dining at Number One, sophisticated Afternoon Tea in The Palm Court, stylish brasserie dining and bar Brasserie Prince, and an exceptional whisky collection at SCOTCH. The Balmoral Spa adds to the experience with indulgent treatments, making the hotel a true resort-like escape in the heart of the city.

Found in a collection of converted sugar warehouses in the city centre, this is one of two Hotel Du Vin in Bristol – the other lies further out at Avon Gorge – As such, it has Grade II listing and is filled with quirky industrial features. Modern amenities found in the 40 bedrooms (set across three floors) include Nespresso machines, air conditioning and premium bedding as standard. Dine out on the terrace in good weather or enjoy the ambience in its award-winning French bistro. And enjoy a beverage or two in the aptly named Sugar House Bar. If you’re planning an extra special visit, book the Veuve Clicquot suite with its twin bathtubs, or Harvey’s for its private terrace.

The grade II listed Quebecs Hotel offers the ultimate in comfort in the splendid surroundings of the former Leeds and County Liberal Club. Once through the impressive original entrance with its wrought-iron gates, you’re guaranteed a matchless experience in one of the hotel’s 44 unique rooms, with down-filled pillows and quilts on the comfortable beds. The former porters’ lodge is now a snug lounge bar which is perfect place for morning coffee, afternoon tea or an evening cocktail. That’s if you can be lured away from your sumptuous, well-stocked room.

Experience the refined elegance of Kimpton Blythswood Square Hotel & Spa, a landmark address in the heart of Glasgow. Set within a grand Georgian building overlooking Blythswood Square gardens, this AA Five Star hotel brings together nearly two centuries of heritage with a confident contemporary style. Guests can expect warm, attentive service, beautifully designed rooms and a destination spa set below ground, offering a calming retreat from the city. Dining is led by iasg, the hotel’s signature restaurant, where seasonal Scottish produce and seafood take centre stage alongside a well considered cocktail list. Daily Kimpton Social Hour adds a relaxed touch, with complimentary wine served each evening from 5pm to 6pm. It remains the only AA Five Star accredited hotel in Glasgow city centre, combining historic character with a modern luxury experience.

Perhaps one of the most romantic hotels in Edinburgh, The Witchery, is a boutique hotel which is intimate, opulent and offers an exceptional fine-dining experience with an award-winning wine list. Located at the gates of Edinburgh Castle, in a 16th-century building, the hotel boasts a rich and colourful history that is intertwined into the guest experience. Each of the nine suites are dramatic and theatrical – some with a four-poster bed, some with a roll-top bath for two, some with original portraits and tapestries-  and all with flamboyant style. Stay here and be transported to a bygone era.

Built at the turn of the twentieth century, this central Derry hotel pays homage to its location and history in its artworks and carefully restored interiors. Bishop’s Gate was once a gentleman’s club, hosting luminaries including Winston Churchill and WB Yeats. Order drinks and food from the marble bar in Wig, and peruse the fireside portraits of these, and other, former club members, along with an enormous library of antique books. Formal meals are taken in Gown, a fancy candlelit French restaurant – named (like the bar) after the courthouse next door. The hotel also has a gym, 28 rooms and two suites, decorated in classic Edwardian hues.