Best Family Friendly Hotels in England

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.

Hotels in the Four Seasons group promise a reliably luxurious standard of living, as well as great food. This one in Dogmersfield encompasses 500 acres of land, with accommodation varying from a Grand Manor Room with estate views, through to an elite two bedroomed Royal Suite. The decor reflects its countryside locale, as does the culinary offer. Meals can be taken at Wild Carrot, Cafe Sante, in the Library, the bar, or Fox Hollow (the latter providing private dining for groups). The hotel is very child and pet friendly, ideal for a family break.

This was the grand hotel of choice for the Duchess of Sussex the night before her nuptials. The five-star mansion has often been a royal haunt. It dates back to the 17th century and was the home of the Astor family. Regal rooms are furnished with antiques and plush textiles, some with their own hot tubs and separate living areas. The Astor Grill and Cliveden Dining Room are refined grand affairs and afternoon tea is a speciality. Guests can also enjoy some pamper time in a spa located behind its walled garden.

Found a little further afield in Sunningdale, near Ascot, Coworth Park is part of the Dorchester Collection. It’s more like a resort than a hotel, with an eco-friendly spa, a pool with underwater music, tennis courts, an equestrian centre and Guards Polo Academy, three restaurants (one of which has a Michelin star) and a library, as well as acres of land to roam. Yet with just 70 rooms it retains a sense of intimacy. Each has its own minibar, Nespresso machine, Mitchell and Peach bath products and a Bang + Olufsen TV, while some suites offer freestanding copper coloured tubs, four-poster beds and garden views.

Found right on the riverbank, this four-star hotel provides direct access to some water-based recreation in the form of its own hire boats. In the summertime, the outdoor terrace becomes an open-air cinema, as well as a place to eat and drink. Very family (and dog) friendly, the hotel has a games room with a PS4 and Xbox, table tennis, a playground and an indoor pool for kids. There’s also an outdoor pool area with sun loungers, a hot tub, and a Guinot crown elite spa. A river theme runs throughout The Runnymede, in the decor and its aptly named Leftbank restaurant (boasting a theatre-style kitchen and Japanese robata-style grill) and the Lock Bar restaurant.

You may recognise this hotel from the small or big screen — it featured in The Witches, Wild Things and an episode of The Inspector Lynley Mysteries. Perched on a peninsula, it offers an escape from the more populated parts of Newquay. Dog and family-friendly, The Headland has a sophisticated spa, gym, a cocktail bar and epic, elevated sea views. Accommodation options include rooms, suites and self-catering cottages, all with elegant furnishings and GAIA Skincare toiletries. Samphire Restaurant and the Terrace Bistro both hold two AA Rosette awards, while The Deck serves casual meals beside the hotel’s pool.

The highlight of the 90 roomed Rudding Park is undoubtedly its stunning glass rooftop spa comprising a 17-metre pool, eatery and garden. While Harrogate is just a short car ride away, the property is surrounded by peaceful parkland and two golf courses. The decor is funky yet chic featuring bold modern art, dramatic feature pieces and an urban meets country style. Dine in the Clocktower restaurant, drink on the terraces, work out in the gym and catch a film in the private cinema.

It’s one of the best-known spa hotels in the country, attracting celebrities and well-heeled guests seeking serenity. But there’s much more to this country house hotel. Hands-on foodies can build on existing culinary skills with a course at the kitchen school, nature lovers can explore the New Forest or take a trip to the sea, while family-friendly treehouse apartments complete with hot tubs make for an unusual and memorable school holiday getaway. And of course, you mustn’t miss some of the most exquisite body and facial treatments in the UK. If you’re short on time or passing through the area, spa day packages are also available.

The Athenaeum Hotel is a five-star hotel and residences with a five-star history. Dating back to the 1800’s the building has taken many forms; from a popular Gentlemen’s Club, a luxurious Art Deco apartment block and a prestigious hotel – The Athenaeum Hotel has become synonymous with the important, the rich and the famous. The Athenaeum has made a name for itself not just as a hotel but also as a dining destination on its own merit. As the name suggests, Galvin at The Athenaeum is the hotel restaurant by Michelin-starred chef brothers Chris and Jeff Galvin, known for the French-inspired menus the brothers have developed a menu for this restaurant that champions classic British produce. The cosy bar is also a firm favourite with hotel residents and non-residents alike, with a carefully curated cocktail menu it’s well worth a visit.

This grand building is found among the treetops of Dartmoor National Park and offers an upscale golf and spa retreat in the wilds of deepest Devon. Awarded five AA Red Stars – a lofty accolade – it offers a choice of self-catering lodges and sumptuous hotel bedrooms. Here you can explore nature trails, take a fine tea in the dining room beside a roaring fire, eat in the newly refurbished brasserie with stunning views, or enjoy an idyllic on-site picnic prepared by the Castle’s team of expert chefs.

The Lucknam Park’s Spa has been crafted using wood, marble and glass – the design of which was inspired in part by its parkland environs. Award-winning facilities include a 20-metre indoor heated pool, an indoor and outdoor hydrotherapy pool, an outdoor saltwater plunge pool, a skincare mixology bar, five thermal cabins, a social lounge, a brasserie and therapy rooms where the range of 111SKIN, and Bath-based Natural Spa Factory treatments take place. This 18th-century Palladian mansion house sits 8 miles from Bath in the Wiltshire countryside and is home to its own cooking school and Michelin-starred restaurant, as well as an equestrian centre, football pitch and croquet lawn.

Conveniently located on the edge of the stunning Windsor Great Park, this hotel provides a very green outlook. Sitting beside a lake and landscaped gardens it’s a serene setting, but with ample onsite facilities. There are more than 200 large bedrooms and multiple places to eat and drink: the 1215 Restaurant, the 1215 Bar, the Orchid Tea Room, MOREISH Restaurant, The Library Club, Schroders’ Botanicals Bar and Greens Cafe. A spa and wellness area offers group classes and advanced treatments such as cryotherapy, dry flotation and nutritional therapy. Book the luxury two-bedroom corner suite for your own in-room private cocktail bar.