Best Secluded Hotels in United Kingdom

This stunning 18th-century mansion is perched on the banks of the Dau-Cleddau River, in the Pembrokeshire National Park. It’s a grand building but contains just 15 bedrooms, creating a boutique indoor atmosphere. Surrounded by 700 acres of countryside, the area is home to ospreys, birds of prey, badgers and otters. The decor is evocative of an old country estate and the two AA Rosette restaurant has an elegant, timeless feel. Much of the produce comes from the hotel’s vintage kitchen garden, along with Welsh specialities from slightly further afield.

Spend your Welsh break in a romantic fairytale castle overlooking the Menai Strait. The magnificent 30 bedroomed, six-storey stately home is situated on the island of Anglesey and has received a five-star rating from Visit Wales. It was built as a gift for Lady Sarah Hay Williams – based on a series of chateaux in the Loire Valley – and contains immense period intricacy both inside and out. A more recent facelift has retained its character but added modern comforts. Guests can take a RIB ride from the hotel’s private slipway, soak under the stars in a hot tub or cosy up by the fireside with a nightcap.

Six months after opening, The Royston was declared the best hotel in Wales by The Sunday Times. It has just seven rooms and welcomes both pets, and children over the age of 12. The grounds yield a breakfast bounty with its own orchard, egg-laying hens and polytunnels. The kitchen serves hearty homemade meals – but you’ll need to book in advance – and the homely ambience extends to the well-stocked honesty bar. Enjoy an alfresco beverage, drinking in both the majestic scenery and your tipple.

For the quintessential turreted fairytale castle experience, book a stay at Barcaldine, on the outskirts of Oban. Beams, wood panels, a great hall, a turnpike staircase, a secret passage and a bottle dungeon below stairs all contribute to the sense of stepping back in time here. The decor is traditionally Highland, with plenty of tartans, tweed, brown leather and claw-footed roll-top tubs. Accommodation is offered on a bed and breakfast basis, with friendly hosts Liz and Ronnie serving a full Scottish and an optional afternoon tea. If you don’t fancy an evening picnic, dinner can be served at the nearby restaurant.

Enjoy a sublime spa getaway at this rural stone-built manor house within easy reach of Plymouth. Facilities include a hydrotherapy pool, alfresco hot tubs, a Finnish sauna, a Crystal Salt steam room, a sensory journey shower experience, a relaxation room overlooking a wildflower meadow and a laconium herbal sauna. The ‘Spatisserie’ serves both healthy and indulgent meal options to nourish and treat guests, and luxe contemporary rooms ensure deep and dreamy sleep afterwards.

One of the oldest hotels in the area, this four-storey castle was erected in 1350. The restored medieval tower house has walls seven inches thick, ensuring a quiet night’s rest. Another superb option for couples celebrating a special occasion, it has many four-poster beds (some in the main body of the castle) and a two AA Rosette eatery, the Josephine restaurant. Interconnecting rooms ensure families are well catered for as well and despite its age, the hotel offers a good level of accessibility. Guests can learn more about the Grade I listed building’s colourful history with tours of the battlements.

An Edwardian mansion is the centre-piece of this sprawling resort, surrounded by farmland and woods. 141 large bedrooms are decorated in a traditional baronial style. Public areas feature real fires, dark oak panelling and rich velvet upholstery. By contrast, the restaurant is bright and airy, with two additional bars serving child-friendly hearty classics. Guests can play golf on its two championship courses, take part in country pursuits, get pampered in the spa and try a range of malts in the hall’s Whisky Snug. Well suited to families, dogs are also welcome in some of the rooms. And there’s plenty more to see and do in the local area – Hadrian’s Wall and Derwent Water are just two of the attractions close by.

15 years were spent transforming this property to create a grand, yet cosy 36 bedroom hotel. Originally constructed in 1818, it’s now Northumberland’s only four AA red star awarded hotel and comes with 10 acres of its own land. Conveniently close to the A1, it’s the perfect luxury stop-off if travelling further afield, or booked for an elegant getaway, and canine companions are made extremely welcome, no matter their size. A spa with an indoor pool, carefully manicured gardens, afternoon teas served fireside in the library and a fancy two AA Rosette fine dining restaurant, add to Doxford Hall’s wide appeal. If you’re planning a romantic trip away, you can request a room with a four-poster bed.

Created by none other than Raymond Blanc in 1984, Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons was awarded two Michelin stars in its first year. Each of the hotel’s 32 rooms has been independently styled, inspired by Blanc’s own travels. Lawns, orchards, a large kitchen garden and colourful flower gardens surround the 15th-century property. The hotel is situated in the village of Great Milton, just 11 miles from the centre of Oxford.

Just 18 miles from London, The Grove was the ancestral home of the Earls of Clarendon. Perfect for a golf break close to the city, it has a championship course, fine dining options and an award-winning spa. Its outdoor pool is a superb spot to catch some rays as you recline on a lounger with a cocktail in hand – and there’s an activities programme to keep younger guests occupied, so the adults can relax and enjoy a romantic picnic in the grounds.

This was once the country seat of Lord Mountbatten. Now the Georgian mansion is a modern hotel with 126 rooms and a sleek spa (The Cottonmill). For an ultra-exclusive stay, book a Mews Suite, accessed via private gates, and set in gardens designed by the RHS Chelsea and Hampton Court Palace Flower Show Gold award winner, Ann-Marie Powell. Drink and dine in The Brasserie, Outdoor Terrace, Cocktail Lounge and Conservatory.

Once a village pub, this nine roomed bijou hotel has been reimagined with on-trend interior design and contemporary art. But it retains its charming wooden beams, fireplaces, rustic flooring and some antique furniture. For an extra treat book the Farmhouse Suite with its large copper bathtub. Ales and quality pub grub cab be enjoyed in the bar, and there’s a cosy dining area – The Clubhouse serving high-quality British plates.