Our favourite hotels to book in Norfolk
There’s lots of spectacular scenery to be discovered in England – and for your next trip east, these are the most charming hotels in Norfolk.
OUR FAVOURITE HOTELS IN NORFOLK
It may be one of the flattest counties in the country, but Norfolk is here to prove that you don’t need hills to be photogenic. Instead, it’s home to wetlands, tidal saltmarshes and historic stately homes.
The county also has more than 90 miles of coastline (technically 93 when the tide is out) – and the sandy beaches are beautiful. One of the most famous is Holkham, immortalised on the silver screen in the 1998 film Shakespeare in Love. Norfolk’s many seaside resorts include Great Yarmouth, Cromer and Hunstanton, as well as more fashionable towns and coastal villages, such as Cley next the Sea, Burnham Market and Wells-next-the-Sea.
The county capital Norwich is a university city, with a Norman cathedral that’s one of the most impressive examples of Romanesque architecture in Europe.
If you’re planning to visit Holkham Hall, book a stay at The Victoria, an elegant inn on the estate and an excellent base for exploring the namesake beach. And in Burnham Market, The Hoste Arms has a cinema room and a pub with a four-century heritage.
Read on for our pick of the finest hotels in Norfolk…
The Hoste Arms
In the popular Georgian town of Burnham Market in North Norfolk, The Hoste Arms has been offering refuge to visitors since 1651. In slightly more recent times, it has long been one of the county's most stylish places to stay. Unsurprisingly, the building is one of the oldest in the area. More modern additions include a cinema and a spa suite. There are rooms in the townhouse across the village green and other accommodation options include suites in the courtyard wing and a converted train carriage.
The Hoste is just a few miles from the coast and it’s a cosy place to retreat to after a walk on one of Norfolk’s wild beaches.
Strattons, Swaffham
Strattons is among the best boutique hotels in Norfolk. The family-owned retreat is in the market town of Swaffham, west of Norwich and 12 miles east of King’s Lynn. If you’re hoping to see the Brecks during your trip to Norfolk, Swaffham is an excellent base. It’s also easy to reach the North Norfolk coast, the Broads and even Cambridge from here.
At the restaurant, dishes are made using fruit from the hotel’s orchard and eggs from its hens, with almost all other ingredients sourced locally, too.
The Victoria
One of Norfolk’s grandest stately homes, Holkham Hall is a Palladian manor that sits on a vast coastal estate. To have time to take it all in, stay at The Victoria on the grounds and you’ll be able to stroll down to the rugged shore each morning. This is the same stretch of sand that Gwyneth Paltrow famously walked along in the award-winning Nineties film Shakespeare in Love.
The hotel has cosy rooms and open fires – and, slightly more unusually, tempting vegan options on the menu.
The White House, near Burnham Market
On a smaller scale than its Washington counterpart but still grand in its own way, The White House is a Georgian manor on a farm between Brancaster and Burnham Market in North Norfolk.
Highlights in the rooms include Nespresso coffee machines and the supremely comfortably Hypnos beds. The boutique hotel is home to the Acre restaurant, open on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings, with a table d'hôte-style set menu served at 7pm Sunday to Wednesday. The house can be hired as a whole for special occasions.
The Assembly House, Norwich
The Assembly House is a Grade I-listed, 18th-century building in Norwich, with elegant Georgian interiors and buzzy communal spaces. The sweeping driveway sets the tone for the grandeur that awaits. With a setting this stately, it’d be rude not to join the opulent afternoon tea service – and if you want to improve your own pâtisserie skills, sign up for a course at the hotel’s cookery school.
The bedrooms, which are in a separate wing, feature chandeliers, four-poster beds and eye-catching upholstery.
The Georgian Townhouse, Norwich
The Georgian Townhouse in Norwich is technically four townhouses, with preserved original features such as sash windows and a porticoed door. At the bar, guests can enjoy craft beers and an impressive selection of gins, before a supper of sharing plates at the restaurant. Room options include apartment-style suites across the street, with kitchenettes and lounges; some have high ceilings and slipper bath tubs.
Many of the city-centre sights, including Norwich Theatre Royal, are within walking distance.
The King's Head, Holt
In a Grade II-listed building in the centre of Holt, The King’s Head (not to be confused with the namesake property just outside of town in Letheringsett) is a pub with rooms that are especially good value.
The gastropub puts local produce to good use, and classic dishes such as fish and chips are joined by more exotic additions, such as lamb moussaka. Choose between dining in the lively main bar, in the conservatory or out on the terrace if the weather permits.
The Boathouse, Great Yarmouth
The Boathouse near Great Yarmouth is an excellent Norfolk hotel choice for anyone hoping to visit the Broads during their trip, since you’ll be able to admire them from your table at the restaurant. To further add to the appeal, the hotel is in a quieter corner of the popular tourist attraction. You’ll also be close to nearby beaches and dunes.
The grounds feature a pub and B&B, as well as a wedding venue. If you’re travelling en masse, book one of the three lodges, which can sleep up to eight guests.
The Loddon Swan
Perfectly placed for exploring the Norfolk Broads, The Loddon Swan is a pub that’s popular with both visitors and locals. Historic sites of note in Loddon include the 15th-century Holy Trinity Church. You’ll be able to explore the Broads by boat or bicycle, and there are some scenic strolls to be had, too.
The gastropub serves modern British classics, washed down with local ales or a glass of well-chosen wine – and there’s a courtyard for alfresco drinks during the summer.
Byfords, Holt
In the heart of the Georgian market town of Holt, Byfords has a 15th-century cellar, wooden beams, flint walls, flagstoned floors and huge fireplaces. As well as a B&B, it is a deli, restaurant and café, which means meals can be everything from snacks and sharing plates to elaborate dinners. The deli will also helpfully prepare picnic hampers (or hog roast boxes, pizzas and portable selections of cake) for days out at the beach.
Holt is a great base for touring North Norfolk’s spectacular coastline – to Cley next the Sea, it’s a 10-minute drive.
The Norfolk Mead, Coltishall
The Norfolk Mead in Coltishall is set within a red-brick Georgian house and perfectly positioned for a break to the Norfolk Broads. The country-house hotel is surrounded by meadows, which lead down to the river. Guests can choose between rooms in the main house and multi-room cottages in the grounds. There’s also a small-scale spa, with a walled garden to relax in after your treatment.
The Broads national park, with all of its cycling, fishing and walking potential, is just a few miles away.
The Dial House, Reepham
Admirers of the Laura Ashley aesthetic will enjoy a stay at the Dial House in the Norfolk market town of Reepham. The wallpapers and soft furnishings are adorned with vibrant patterns and prints, series of plates line the walls, shelves are stocked with tatty (in the best possible way) old books and there’s lots of meticulously restored furniture. One of the grandest suites is the aptly named Italian Palace, which has a slipper bath tub at the foot of the bed.
It’s roughly half an hour from both Norwich and the rugged Norfolk coast at Cromer.
The Harper, Langham
The Harper is a boutique hotel in the village of Langham, which is located within an official Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. There’s lots to see and do nearby, including visiting the county capital Norfolk, driving to market town Holt and coastal Cromer, and going in search of seals at Blakeney, which is home to Britain’s largest colony of grey seals. This Norfolk hotel is also within driving distance of Blickling Hall, a Jacobean manor surrounded by 5,000 acres of parkland.
Back at your stylish basecamp, you’ll be able to enjoy drinks in the convivial bar before dinner at Stanley’s, which champions produce from local farmers and fishermen, and serves house-made sourdough. It is also home to a spa and the Den, which has a pool table, a 120-inch screen, a wine cabinet and a wood-burner.
The Lifeboat Inn, Thornham
If you’re coming to Norfolk to spend time in the classic British seaside resort Hunstanton, book a stay at the Lifeboat Inn, which is in the village of Thornham, a 10-minute drive away. As you’d expect from such an ancient establishment (it dates back to the 16th century), there’s plenty of character and atmosphere. Cosy corners at the inn include open fires, a bar with original wooden beams and a dining room in the airy conservatory.
It’s a great spot for birders, since it’s surrounded by marshes – the inn has direct access to a coastal path that wends its way through an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. To the buzzy town of Burnham Market, it’s a 15-minute journey by car.
The Rose & Crown, Snettisham
For a traditional inn in Norfolk, check in to the Rose & Crown, situated five miles south of Hunstanton in the village of Snettisham on the county’s west coast, near the Wash. On its doorstep are the cricket pitch and the church (yes, it’s all as idyllic as it sounds). The pub at its heart is popular with locals as well as overnight guests.
The inn is also close to the Sandringham Estate. And handily for pet owners, it’s a dog-friendly Norfolk hotel, which is good news because this part of the country is perfect for long, scenic rambles your pet will love as much as you do.
The Maltings, Weybourne
New to the Norfolk hotel scene this summer is the Maltings, in the North Norfolk village of Weybourne. As the name suggests, it’s set within an old malthouse, with 28 rooms across the main house and the former stable blocks.
At the heart of it all is the Grain Store, an inviting space with double-height ceilings that’s aiming to be a hub for locals and guests alike. Here, you’ll be able to enjoy classic British dishes, with many ingredients sourced from Norfolk farmers. The estate is also home to the Bottle Shop, where you can pick out some wine from the impressive selection.
Bank House, King's Lynn
Norfolk has lots of beautiful countryside and coastline, but for something a little more urban (relatively speaking), book a stay in the charming market town of King’s Lynn. Bank House is a Georgian townhouse beside the quay, overlooking the River Ouse – and one of the town’s many listed buildings. It is the sister stay to the Rose & Crown in Snettisham.
The hotel is the perfect base for discovering North Norfolk. After you’ve explored the cobblestones and squares of King’s Lynn, take in the area’s famous stately homes, which include Houghton and Holkham, and, of course, the Royal Sandringham Estate.
Titchwell Manor Hotel, Brancaster
For the quintessential Norfolk experience, a trip to Brancaster is a must – the village has a beautiful beach and fishing and sailing communities that are still thriving. Unsurprisingly, you’ll be able to eat plenty of freshly caught seafood during your stay.
Titchwell Manor Hotel is set within a restored Victorian farmhouse, now with suites that have hot tubs and shepherd’s huts. The roaring fires from its original incarnation are still intact, ready for those blustery days when guests return from the nearby beach in search of somewhere cosy to relax. Within easy reach of the hotel are Sandringham, Burnham Market and Wells-next-the-Sea.
The Globe Inn, Wells-next-the-Sea
There are many lovely places to visit in Norfolk, but one of its prettiest towns has to be Wells-next-the-Sea, between Hunstanton and Cromer on the north coast. Also nearby is Blakeney Point, home to the biggest grey seal colony in England.
The recently refurbished Globe Inn overlooks a Georgian square in Wells, with 19 bedrooms in the main house, and 10 in the Arch House a short walk away – along with a self-contained cottage that’s ideal for longer stays. The menus at the pub change with the seasons, so you can be sure of lighter dishes such as crab salads, eaten out in the courtyard during the summer, and heartier fare by the fire come winter.
Congham Hall, Grimston
Congham Hall in Grimston is a Georgian manor that was built for a local merchant. It’s surrounded by 30 acres of parkland, with a herb garden where hundreds of types of plant, including rare medicinal varieties, are cultivated. It’s an ideal base for active guests hoping to explore the area and there’s a spa to unwind in after long days out. For something special, book one of the orchard cabins in the grounds, named after the kinds of apples growing around them.
Attractions of note nearby include Sandringham, Houghton Hall and, of course, beautiful Norfolk beaches (the coast is officially an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and you'll soon see why). You’ll also be within easy reach of Burnham Market, one of the county’s most charming villages.
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