7 Exceptionally Designed Hotels in the UK

Lifestyle
published:
May 24, 2022
Words:
Emily Wordsworth

Whether you’re itching for a vacation or staycation in the UK, travel is all about the sights, and that doesn’t just mean the landmarks along the way! A good holiday is nothing with a hotel that’ll please the senses with attentive design and charismatic decor. Here are some of the best boutique hotels across Britain that are destinations in their own right and make for a luxury, picturesque stay.

Embody Slow Living at the Thyme

Images via Thyme Hotel

A historic manor and farm sitting in the Cotswolds, the idyllic countryside Thyme hotel was slowly restored over 10 years to be one with the lands around it. Paired with old English elegance, local charm and sustainability, The Thyme offers an experience that brings you closer to nature. Each room is inspired by lush botanical gardens and carefully curated antique pieces. Embracing the tenets of slow living, here you can witness the awe of all 4 seasons, eat farm-grown foods grown on-site and, thanks to its rural locations, embrace the unreliable mobile reception by simply turning off your phone.

Mid-Century Modern By the Sea with The Rose Deal

Images via The Rose Deal Hotel

Once a no-frills spot for a nightcap in Deal, Kent, The Rose Deal is now also an intimate 8-bedroom boutique hotel that sits just an hour and a half outside of London. For an escape into the salty sea air and a stay with a spirited past, this hotel keeps things playful with its mid-century modern interior and vintage decor. Brightly coloured to match its lively spirit, most rooms also feature a vinyl player and nostalgic rattan furniture. For an elevated seaside B&B experience, there’s just no other choice.

Bask in Modern Georgian Glamour at Heckfield Place

Images via Heckfield Place

Filled to the brim with natural materials and thoughtful craftsmanship, Heckfield Place embraces a modern Georgian elegance that is warming to the soul. Located in Hampshire, you can enjoy walled gardens, lakes and naturally untamed woodlands on this property alone. Wander inside, and you won’t be without the views. Each room features a gentle palette and sumptuous materials that make laying in bed all day an event. With interiors that whisper a quiet elegance and soft regal nature, the bustle of the city will just melt away.

Find Serenity in Minimalism At The Chapel

Images via At The Chapel

A haven for minimalists who are also drawn by fine dining experiences, in the Somerset town of Bruton sits At The Chapel. A holy experience neatly packed in a magnificent 17th-century building with towering glass windows and an 18th-century congregational chapel turned dining room, the space is a destination for the eyes. Each of their 8 rooms is different, but all embody tasteful minimalism that oozes tranquillity, with thoughtful finishings like Egyptian cotton sheets and freestanding tubs.

British Comforts Meet Wabi-Sabi at The Bradley Hare

Images via The Bradley Hare

In the quaint town of Maiden Bradley, Wiltshire, you’ll find The Bradley Hare, surrounded by rolling hills of green. While its pub features a zero-waste dining experience, the hotel carries that philosophy through to its rooms by incorporating 18th & 19th-century antique furniture, bringing a patina and beautiful wear that is reminiscent of wabi-sabi decor. Each room is the epitome of British serenity, featuring sizeable freestanding tubs, wooden decor, and contemporary artwork.

Cottage Core with a Hint of Japandi at The Wild Rabbit

Images via The Wild Rabbit

The Wild Rabbit is unmistakably picturesque, with wisteria vines framing its facade. This modern British Inn can be found in the Cotswolds as part of the Daylesford estate organic and sustainable farm. Across their rooms and cottages, the interiors ooze a rustic simplicity that it draws from the sleepy countryside. Using plenty of natural accents and the kind of light-toned wood beloved in Japandi interiors, its laidback appeal can be felt instantly.

Travel Back to the Regency Era at the Beaverbrook

Images via The Beaverbrook Hotel

Think Bridgerton but a little more true to life, the Beaverbrook in Surrey brings the irrefutable opulence of the regency era to the 21st century. Featuring both modern and antique furniture, each room features the ornate patterning found in regencycore style homes, silk and velvet upholstery, as well as gilded decor like chandeliers. The theme continues at Sir Frank’s Bar, whose walls are lined with over 350 paintings by the Victorian botanical artist Marianne North.

"Certainly, travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living." - Mary Ritter Beard