Best hotels for Christmas in the South East

The name says it all: a place to skip along Camber Sands, enjoy backgammon in the bar, chill in the garden or relax with yoga – and with no children to disturb the peace.

The Harcourt Arms, Witney

Between the Thames and Windrush, this 17th-century pub blends all the charm of a traditional village local with rugs on flagstone floors, comfy sofas and log-burner, country-chic bedrooms and gastropub cooking.

Foresters Hall, Cowes

With their background in TV and film, Sara Curran and Peter Sussman, new owners of the former North House, are experts in presentation.

Burley Manor, Burley

This baronial-style Victorian manor house overlooking a deer park in the New Forest has been stylishly updated as an adults-only retreat with a well-regarded restaurant.

Albion House, Ramsgate

This chic and stylish small hotel in a restored Regency building has an enviable clifftop position overlooking the beach and Royal Harbour.

Beaverbrook, Leatherhead

Once a retreat for Lord Beaverbrook, this Victorian mansion, filled with fascinating memorabilia, is home to chic contemporary bedrooms, a fine-dining restaurant, Japanese grill, library, cinema and spa.

Artist Residence Oxfordshire, South Leigh

A 16th-century village inn has been reinvented as a fun, bohemian hangout, with rustic-chic bedrooms, upcycled furniture, modern artworks, good pub grub and an irrepressible sense of fun.

Wingrove House, Alfriston

A colonial-style Victorian villa with galleried veranda has been refurbished in fine style, with 16 classy bedrooms and an airy restaurant serving locally sourced, seasonal, modern British fare.

Old Bank Hotel, Oxford

Jeremy Mogford’s conversion of the old Barclays Bank gets credit from a Guide insider for its 'brilliant location, right in the city centre'.

Deans Place, Alfriston

An outdoor heated pool, extensive grounds, Downs views, individually styled bedrooms and refined dining are among the attractions at this dog-friendly hotel on the banks of the River Cuckmere.

The Trout at Tadpole Bridge, Buckland Marsh

With Thameside gardens and free mooring, this 18th-century inn has six courtyard bedrooms with vintage and contemporary furniture, a cosy beamed bar, a menu of pub favourites and creative dishes.

The George in Rye, Rye

In a picturesque medieval hilltop town, behind the street front of a Georgian coaching inn, ancient buildings are subsumed into one smart hotel.

Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, Great Milton

‘There is a timeless elegance to Raymond Blanc’s gorgeous country house hotel, where English–French relations reach a deliciously stylish entente cordiale,’ say Guide insiders.

The Pig in the Forest, Brockenhurst

Pigs have foraged in the New Forest since the Norman Conquest, but a different breed arrived in 2011, when Robin Hutson took on a Georgian hunting lodge and reinvented the English country house hotel.

Bay Tree Hotel, Burford

Smart accommodation combines with the ambience of a country pub, replete with beams, flagstones and open fires, and a restaurant serving modern British cooking at this Cotswolds hotel.

The Crown Inn, Chiddingfold

This black-and-white timbered medieval inn overlooking Chiddingfold’s village green is almost ridiculously picture perfect.

The Lamb Inn, Burford

Olde worlde charm is mixed with contemporary comforts, traditional Sunday roasts and pub classics with modern British dishes, at this Cotswold-stone inn, contrived from a row of 15th-century weavers' cottages.

Lime Wood, Lyndhurst

A New Forest bolt-hole, this country house hotel has an easy glamour, romantic and family-friendly rooms, heart-warming Italian food and top-notch spa.

Bingham Riverhouse, Richmond-upon-Thames

You can paddleboard on the river, stroll to see the deer in Richmond Park, and feel a world away from central London at this smart, multifaceted Thames-side hotel.

The Grand Hotel, Eastbourne

A great white wedding cake of a hotel, this Victorian extravaganza invites you to take a step back in time, to take tea or cocktails to the sound of the Palm Court Strings, dine in style and retire to a deluxe bedroom at prices that won’t break the bank.

Old Parsonage Hotel, Oxford

‘A stone’s throw from everything Oxford has to offer’, Jeremy Mogford’s second hotel (see the Old Bank) impressed our inspectors with its ‘peaceful, classy vibe’.

Gravetye Manor, East Grinstead

Deep in the Sussex countryside, a romantic Elizabethan manor house, built by an ironmaster for his bride, stands amid 1,000 acres of historically important gardens, pleasure grounds and woodland.

The Millstream, Chichester

In gardens bordered by a stream, the Wild family’s hotel, converted from three 17th-century cottages, a stroll from its own quayside, has well-equipped, country-classic bedrooms, formal and informal dining in restaurant and brasserie.

Hotels not in the Guide that you may want to consider

Southampton Harbour Hotel

Southampton

Jutting out over a private marina, this ocean liner-like hotel is ship-shape inside, with porthole-shaped mirrors, vintage glass fish floats and nautical bits and pieces. Bedrooms and suites, several with a Juliet balcony, are cheerily decorated with some retro touches, and supplied with decanters of gin and sherry. The buzzy sixth-floor bar has harbour views. Jetty restaurant pairs locally caught seafood with seasonal produce, eaten on the terrace in welcoming weather.

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More on hotels for Christmas in the South East

From family escapes to romantic getaways, Christmas is always about spending quality time with the people we love, and taking joy in spoiling ourselves as well. Stylish coaching inns, manicured gardens, country house hotels, spa escapes, city breaks and country retreats. Good food, good wine and magical decorations are all part of what we’re looking forward to, setting the scene for fun, games and giggles. It’s all the more reason to leave the cooking to someone else so that you can make the most of the time together.

The Inn at Whitewell

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