Beautifully restored castle

Grand and homely

This is the sister hotel of The Bear at Cowbridge, one of a mini-chain (The Town & Country Collective) of hotels owned and managed by a local family, the Hitchcocks. Hitchcock the film director is definitely no relation and the Bates Motel, his famously nightmarish creation, is as different from The West House as you… Read more »

Characterful Inn

Charming and stylish

Unique and imaginative country house

Since opening in 2022, this place has quickly anchored itself in Margate’s evolving and stylish community. After being forgotten and overlooked for many years its new owners Matthew Slotover, Tom Gidley and Gabriel Chipperfield have turned the building into a breezy, unpretentious choice for a seaside retreat. Echoes of the trio’s art-world backgrounds reverberate throughout…. Read more »

The name is fair enough: this is a magnificent Tyrolean Art Nouveau mansion that started in 1913 as a butcher’s shop with flats above. Decades later, in 1964, it was converted into a bed and breakfast, before becoming a hotel in 1972. It’s a key feature of the pedestrian zone in the graceful town of… Read more »

In a little-visited corner of the North West, on a peaceful bend of the river Wyre, this place’s real heart, soul and energy is that of owners Patrick and Julie Beame. This husband-wife duo’s passion for their community seeps into every nook of this old 17thC Inn and its assortment of outbuildings. The hotel and… Read more »

New to our small but growing Portugal selection, an agriturismo with style and individuality. A collection of farm buildings has recently been converted to provide rustic-chic rooms and delightfully relaxed public spaces. Reliable sunshine in summer, it’s surrounded by vineyards of the Minho region of northern Portugal, bordering Spain. It’s relatively sleepy – slow right… Read more »

This ticks most of our boxes. The hotel stretches across 80 hectares of the Vaucluse, among Gigondas vineyards at the foot of the Dentelles de Monmirail. Expect delightful views of a narrow valley, looking out over hills and vineyards. It has been in the hands of the Bernard family for four generations, and dates back… Read more »

What began in 1887 as a ‘thermal guesthouse’ for people passing through Castelrotto on the newly built road quickly developed into a renowned holiday destination. The guesthouse, was developed in 1903 into the then-fashionable villa style, and still combines a breath-taking location with the convenience of being near the centre of charming Castelrotto. It’s also… Read more »

This long established Vorarlberg institution is outside our usual size range but its ethos and atmosphere is so hard to reproduce that it can’t be ignored. Family run for three generations, the pine clad building stands 25 m or so above the road through Gargellen, a modest, but relatively high resort not especially known to… Read more »

Refreshingly different

The old Angel Inn at Hetton has been reborn since the last edition as a superb new contemporary place to stay, worth a detour if only for the food. Chef Michael Wignall (once at Gidleigh Park, Devon) has returned to his northern roots to be awarded a Michelin star for sophisticated, inventive dishes such as… Read more »

If you are an enthusiast for off-piste, perhaps whacky hotel experiences, try this place conveniently located in a large but peaceful village 20 mins from Toulouse Airport. It describes itself as a hotel confidential – which means you wouldn’t recognise it immediately as a hotel. For sure, from the street it looks at first glance… Read more »

Hidden in the South Downs National Park, the Jolly Sportsman is a warm and homely country pub with a sense of slow living. There are just four adequately sized yet comfortable bedrooms and a terrace for great views of the countryside. We found the team’s dedication to maintaining a low carbon footprint especially impressive. They… Read more »

You can’t take a private atmosphere for granted any more on Cornwall’s south coast, but in these nicely restored serviced cottages you can really be yourself. They appeal to independent people who find a homely ambience helps them to relax. You can be fully self catering if you wish, but most prefer to pre-order Antonia’s… Read more »

The Lord Poulett Arms is a traditional 17th-century thatched inn located in one of the best-kept villages in Somerset. Part of The Beckford Group this inn showcases what Dan, Charlie, and Matt do best – warming hospitality, comforting food, great wine, and charming interiors. Expect to feel completely at home in rooms with views of the… Read more »

We have known about this Wiltshire institution for a long time – it was one of the first places our series editor Fiona Duncan reviewed for her Telegraph column. We didn’t include it in Charming Small Hotels until now because although good, it wasn’t quite individual enough for our selection. Now Dan Brod and Charlie Luxton,… Read more »

Everything’s about slow living here. There’s a vegetable garden, a swimming pool and a tennis court; farm animals, several hens and two Lop pigs (a rare British pig breed) call this home. The agritourism theme surfaces everywhere – vines grow on the outside walls; a wood burner awaits you in the hall plus the smell… Read more »

Inspired by its sister hotel, Watergate Bay in Cornwall, Cumbria’s Another Place brings something new to the Lake District. By including it, we go a little off-piste, but what’s provided here is unique. The location between lake and hills is both calming and inspiring. Previously known as Rampsbeck Hotel, the Georgian-style house is next to… Read more »

Romantic boutique town house in the heart of Lisbon

A slice of the English idyll in the heart of Nottinghamshire

Luxury pub-with-rooms with a passion for sustainability

Restorative and authentic

Bed-and-breakfast with rooftop glamping

Cosy boutique bed-and-breakfast, in a Victorian listed building

Award-winning luxury hotel in the Welsh countryside

Norman Château meets chambre d’hote

Elegant manor in the South Downs

Historic manor near surfing beach

Shabby-chic comfort

Unforgettable colours, headily perfumed garden, unique views of the lake and mountains. You can choose from ten exclusive apartments. The location is wonderful – you are surrounded by citrus and olive groves, and a beautiful English meadow. Sunsets are especially spectacular here.  

World heritage site luxury. Things to do? See www.tripdog.co.uk

Elegant and comfortable city hotel

Well located sister property of Askham Hall

Contemporary rooms, clean style

Unique place. Things to do? See www.tripdog.co.uk

Mellow mansion, lush valley

Charming, family-run hotel with panoramic views over Lake Garda

Intimate and elegant hotel in a traditional Apulia style

Elegant but relaxed

Shabby-chic luxury, stunning scenery

Mellow country house with salmon fishing

Relaxed, family friendly, quirky

Charming hosts, good value

Welcoming Highland enclave with award-winning restaurant