The loveliest Christmas hotels for a festive UK getaway
- 1/13
The loveliest Christmas hotels for a festive UK getaway
The festive period might be a couple of months away but we all know how quickly the most wonderful time of year can creep up on us. For anyone who is ready to get into the spirit right now, our pick of the best Christmas hotels in the UK for 2022 is here to give you inspiration.
Something to think about a little early before festive getaways get booked up, Britain's loveliest Christmas hotels offer the perfect answer to a cosy Christmas away from home.
Tired of slogging away in the kitchen and the pressure of hosting friends and family? Well, checking into a festive hotel relieves you of all those duties and ensures you can make the most of this wonderful time of year.
Ideal for anyone, whether you're spending it as a couple, with the children and grandchildren, or solo, the UK's best Christmas hotels will ensure you have a memorable celebration.
You can tuck into festive afternoon teas with mince pies, listen to carol singers as you sip on champagne and enjoy long strolls in the grounds of some of the most beautiful hotels - ideal for walking off the turkey.
From the Lake District's Linthwaite House with Windermere views and a harpist to get you into the festive spirit, to the Cotswolds' atmospheric (and dog-friendly) Lygon Arms, where you can have a very cosy Christmas, check out the best Christmas hotels for 2022.
Paul Wilkinson Photography - 2/13
1) The Lygon Arms, Cotswolds
With it’s cosy corners, roaring log fires and historical gravitas, The Lygon Arms offers the perfect nostalgia of Christmas. A festive break here affords you with a relaxing base just moments from Broadway's Christmas market. From mulled wine to Christmas Eve entertainment in the form of carol singers, Christmas gifts for all, including the dogs, this is one of the cosiest Christmas hotels in the UK.
The Lygon Arms - 3/13
2) Rockliffe Hall, Durham
As one of the finest hotels in the North, bordered by the dramatic North York Moors and scenic Yorkshire Dales, Rockliffe Hall offers a scenic Christmas base where you can feast on fabulous food, cosy up by the fire. Expect festive afternoon tea with mulled wine and carol singers, winter pampering in the hotel's incredible spa, a five-course Christmas Day lunch and a visit from Father Christmas on Christmas Day with a gift for children, plus champagne for the adults.
Stan Seaton - 4/13
3) Linthwaite House Hotel, Lake District
Head for the Lake District this Christmas and you can enjoy an intimate experience at the 36-room boutique Linthwaite House Hotel. Perfectly located on a hilltop overlooking Windermere and with 14 acres of gardens and private woodland grounds, you'll have plenty of space to walk off that turkey. Over the festive period, you can expect traditional cream tea and mulled wine, bucks fizz breakfasts, board games and a Christmas quiz. There's a fabulous Boxing Day curry menu, too.
Booking.com - 5/13
4) Belmond Le Manoir Aux Quat'Saisons, Oxfordshire
One of the country’s most cherished manor houses, Belmod Le Manoir Aux Quat'Saisons is the place for a foodie-filled Christmas break. From its beautiful gardens and orchards to postcard-perfect architecture that's even prettier when it snows, you'll have a thoroughly good time at Raymond Blanc's luxury hotel. Over the festive period, there's a six-course Christmas Eve dinner with live musicians, a delicious Christmas Day lunch, and cookery demonstrations and wine tastings. Each bedroom has its own tree and Christmas decorations, too.
Paul Wilkinson Photography - 6/13
5) Castle Hotel Windsor, Berkshire
Have a royal Christmas in Windsor at the finest boutique hotel in town, the Castle Hotel Windsor. Here, you can have breakfast with Father Christmas himself, enjoy elaborate feasts, including a four-course Christmas Day lunch and sit down with family and friends for leisurely evenings with mince pies and drinks. You'll want to take a stroll through the town’s inviting streets to soak up the festive atmosphere, too. The Christmas hotel is just a short walk from a plethora of wide, open spaces including the famous Long Walk, Windsor Great Park, Savill Garden and the River Thames.
Adrian Wroth - 7/13
6) Bailiffscourt Hotel & Spa, West Sussex
Set in 30 private acres of gardens and parkland, you'll have plenty of space to walk off the mince pies at Bailiffscourt Hotel & Spa. The charming Christmas hotel transforms into a festive wonderland, with crackling log fires, mince pies and mulled wine as it welcomes guests for a three-night Christmas spectacle. Afternoon tea, Midnight Mass at the hotel's quaint chapel and four-poster beds to climb into create the most marvellous atmosphere for a Christmas break. You can also enjoy a Christmas morning stroll on Climping Beach, festive luncheon with local Sussex wines and roaring fires for toasting marshmallows on Boxing Day.
Courtesy of the hotel - 8/13
7) The Bath Priory, Somerset
Whether you choose to stay for three nights or four, a Christmas break at The Bath Priory is a treat. Champagne receptions, fireside cream tea on Christmas Eve and Midnight Mass at the impressive Bath Abbey are part of the celebrations, while mince pies and mulled wine are served throughout. Guests receive a special gift from the hotel on Christmas morning and after breakfast, there's a spectacular birds of prey display on the lawn. A five-course Christmas Day lunch is served and on Boxing Day, you can explore the city of Bath on a guided walking tour, or enjoy pantomime fun at The Theatre Royal.
Courtesy of the hotel - 9/13
8) Lake Vyrnwy Hotel & Spa, Powys
This gorgeous hotel close to Snowdonia and overlooking Lake Efyrnwy offers a dream-like Christmas in Wales. Lake Vyrnwy Hotel & Spa is a charming hotel within the 24,000 acre Vyrnwy Nature Reserve. If you're looking to escape to a peaceful location for your Christmas break, this is the place to book. Arrive on Christmas Eve and you'll enjoy afternoon tea and a champagne cocktail before dinner in the lovely Tower Restaurant. There's also traditional Christmas Day lunch, Christmas cake served and a festive buffet in the evening. On Boxing Day, you can enjoy the spa and country pursuits, as well as more sumptuous dining.
STEVE JETLEY - 10/13
9) Bovey Castle, Devon
One of the best hotels in the UK, this grand Devonshire hotel sits within 275 acres of beautiful countryside and rolling valleys of the Dartmoor National Park and is the perfect place to experience the magic of Christmas. Check into Bovey Castle for three nights from Christmas Eve and choose between boutique bedrooms and luxury private lodges. There's carol singing, sloe gin making, a visit from Father Christmas, guided walks around the castle and so much more. You could opt for a festive spa treatment, play golf or watch Christmas films. It's the ideal place for a family Christmas away from home.
Courtesy of the hotel - 11/13
10) St Enodoc Hotel, Cornwall
Head for Rock when the shoreline is sprinkled with festive magic and, across the water, the lights of Padstow twinkle back. You can soak up the Christmas cheer at St Enedoc, with its fires crackling and Christmas trees shimmering under beautiful decorations. Freshly baked mince pies, deep sofas for relaxing by the fire and Christmas carols at the beach make it worth the trip to Cornwall. There's also a Christmas Day swim, guided winter walks and a Christmas Day feast that shows off all the best local produce.
Courtesy of the hotel - 12/13
11) Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve, Kent
Have a quirky Christmas at this safari hotel in Kent. At Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve, you can experience the festive cheer while spending time on a nature reserve. Christmas Eve supper is served in The Garden Room, with live music creating a merry ambience and a visit from a VIP from the North Pole. There'll be plenty of time to spend with the family and on Christmas Day, you can all look forward to exploring the Reserve and tucking into a four-course lunch. Boxing Day brings more opportunities to head out for a personalised animal experience.
Booking.com - 13/13
12) The Connaught, London
Have a luxurious Christmas city break in London with a stay at the five-star Connaught. Famous for its vast Christmas tree with 25,000 light bulbs, which annually lights up Mount Street, this place oozes festive cheer. The elegant hotel treats guests to stockings, Christmas Eve carols, a horse-drawn carriage ride through Mayfair and more. A Christmas break is complete with roaring fires and a traditional festive lunch.
Booking.com
