Britain is well known for its splendid country house hotels and these have their slight less well-known urban counterparts. For me, the best luxury hotel should be small, smart, full of character and not obviously part of a chain.
I'd expect a grand bathroom and wi-fi to be included. (I recently stayed in a Hilton where the broadband charge was a staggering £15 a day.) I look for style and excellence. There should be no trace of dirt anywhere and the staff must be happy and on the ball. The food must be divine and clearly not out of a tin or the freezer.
Here is a selection of five luxury hotels I really like…
Russel Street, Bath, BA1 2QF
Just a short walk from Bath's Circus and Royal Crescent, The Queensberry Hotel was created by joining together four elegant town houses. Its owners, the husband and wife team of Laurence & Helen Beere worked at such establishments as Claridge's and the Savoy and their experience shines through like gold. The Queensberry has 29 bedrooms and suites, ranging from snug little attics to large Georgian drawing rooms with original fireplaces.
Guests may enjoy time contemplating nature in the small walled garden at the rear, and meals served in the smart Olive Tree restaurant are among the best I've tasted in Bath. The food is simple and utilises the best of local produce. For example: breast of guinea fowl with fondant potato with Eades farm corn and rainbow chard. Pity they didn't know where the potatoes came from.
Le Manoir Great Milton
Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons, Church Road, Great Milton, Oxford, OX44 7PD
Raymond Blanc's dream country house hotel and restaurant, Le Manoir, nestles in the picturesque Oxfordshire village of Great Milton. Aside from being a truly great restaurant, it is also one of the UK's finest and most original hotels. Le Manoir opened in 1984. A year later it achieved two Michelin stars, both of which have been held ever since.
Surrounded by walled gardens, lawns, flower beds and working orchards, Le Manoir enjoys an idyllic setting. The gardens provide fresh produce for the kitchens throughout the entire year.
The rooms and suites are unique and most have been designed by Emily Todhunter. Take Bluebell, described as a Superior Room: it is located on the second floor of the main house, overlooking the front courtyard. Designed in a very traditional country style, with wallpaper of light blue toque design. Its bathroom features a traditional hand-painted Victorian bath. Or what about the Blanc de Blanc Garden Suite? Situated on the ground floor, with access to a private garden, the eco-friendly Blanc de Blanc is layered in shades of white and cream to create a stunning yet peaceful effect. As the brochure proclaims: "Blanc plays with the colours of his name: all the textures and shades of white are here, in the fabrics, paint and sandstone. With the ceramics and porcelain, these hues create space, light, calm and intimacy. At night the magic of the lights creates darker shadows of white, all contributing to a blissful, luxurious experience."
Quebec Street, Leeds
LS1 2HA
In 1891, the Grade II listed Quebecs began life as the regal home of the Leeds & County Liberal Club. It's a mere three minutes' walk from Leeds railway station, and you arrive to see a flurry of flags outside and the bright pink façade may cause you to pause. The lobby is dominated by heavy woods and glorious stained glass, and the corridors leading to its 45 well-appointed rooms are strictly Victorian – and no bad thing. Check-in on a Sunday and you can take advantage of a special "name your price" offer where you pay what you think it's worth, with a minimum of £50 per room, including breakfast served in the rather grand rooftop conservatory.
Hotel Du Vin Harrogate
Prospect Place,
Harrogate HG1 1LB
Occupying eight Georgian houses and facing common land, the Harrogate branch of this small but rather rather fine hotel and bistro chain has a head start on the competition. Comprising 48 luxury bedrooms and airy loft suites, the decor includes hugely comfortable beds of luxurious Egyptian linen, Monsoon showers, stylish furnishings and the usual luxuries you would expect in a four-star establishment. I know we said it shouldn't be obviously a chain, but the location and the stylishness of Hotel Du Vin won me over.
Blythswood Square, Glasgow
11 Blythswood Square, Glasgow, G2 4AD
After opening four well-respected hotels in Edinburgh, the Town House Collection recently moved west with the launch of this majestic 100-room hotel set amid the slightly faded grandeur of Glasgow's Blythswood Square. Dating from 1823, the hotel occupies a complete row of former town houses that were re-modelled in the 1920s to form the headquarters of the Royal Scottish Automobile Club. The first-floor bar has become a hit with locals drawn to a classy venue serving vintage cocktails such as the daisy, cobbler and New York sour.
The bedrooms, starting with the aptly named "Wee Classics", have a restful simplicity, with king-sized beds, marbled bathrooms and complimentary Tunnock's teacakes. Although too large to be strictly considered a town house, the Blythswood remains faithful to its owners' devotion to creating terrific five-star boutique hotels that are a flagship of Scottish hospitality – and it is all done without a drop of tartan.
These are just five of my favourite hotels. All of them in the higher end of the market. Luxury Hotels UK were never so luxurious.
I think this one hotel is very wonderful and amazing design and structure .I like this great luxury hotel of UK.This hotel is provide good rooms and food service.
ReplyDeletePeixeurbano