Best hotels in North West England

Featured hotels with Special Offers

Ees Wyke Country House - Two Night Stay Special Offer

Ambleside

‘This is one of the best country houses we have stayed in,’ writes a reader, of this white-painted Georgian gentleman’s residence with glorious views over Esthwaite Water to the Langdale Pikes.

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Cuckoo Brow Inn - Three Night 15% Discount Special Offer

Ambleside

This jolly country inn, between Lake Windermere and Beatrix Potter’s Hill Top home, welcomes walkers, dogs and children with smiles, robust food and toasty log-burners.

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The Black Swan - Two Night Dinner, Bed & Breakfast Special Offer

Kirkby Stephen

Holding court in the centre of Ravenstonedale, ‘twixt the Lakes and the Dales, The Black Swan has the hallmarks of a much-loved village inn: home-cooked food, cheery atmosphere and comforting bedrooms.

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More best luxury and boutique hotels in North West

The Cottage in the Wood, Braithwaite

A whitewashed cottage on a steep woodland pass may seem an unlikely setting for Michelin-starred dining, but this restaurant-with-rooms charms both the eye and the palate.

Clare House, Grange-over-Sands

There is a ‘special character’ about this timeless hotel, a Victorian villa in landscaped gardens overlooking Morecambe Bay.

The Sun Inn, Kirkby Lonsdale

This ‘splendid old inn’ in a market town between the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales deftly mixes historic charm – beams, crackling fires and exposed stonework – with an updated, modern touch.

Victorian House, Grasmere

A second venture for the team behind London’s Georgian House Hotel (see entry), the former Oak Bank Hotel has had a boutique makeover.

The Swan Hotel & Spa, Newby Bridge

‘In a beautiful setting at the tip of Lake Windermere, overlooking the River Leven,’ this family-friendly hotel unveiled an extension in 2022.

The Midland, Morecambe

A ‘superbly positioned Art Deco wonder’, the former railway hotel overlooking the sand flats of Morecambe Bay was restored to its iconic glory by the English Lakes group.

The Grasmere Hotel, Grasmere

Beyond a tree-lined drive, this Victorian villa, home to a small country house hotel, is in the safe hands of new owners Simon and Kate Hustler.

The Hill on the Wall, Gilsland

Elaine Packer’s charming farmhouse B&B overlooks Hadrian’s Wall near Birdoswald, one of the Roman monument’s best-preserved forts.

Borrowdale Gates, Keswick

In three wooded acres, this former private country house combines spacious accommodation, contemporary comforts, spectacular valley views and a restaurant showcasing Cumbrian produce.

Mere Brook House, Thornton Hough

‘A charming and rather eccentric place’, this B&B and events venue is a spacious place for a stay, with bedrooms in a 19th-century house and coach house, three lounges, well-stocked kitchen and extensive grounds.

The Cartford Inn, Little Eccleston

Despite its rustic-sounding name, the occasional brick or timber feature and 1960s bamboo hanging chair, themed riverside suites at this gastropub-with-rooms, art gallery and deli, are bold and contemporary, while menus are modern and eclectic.

The Chester Grosvenor, Chester

Beyond its imposing colonnade and Tudor revival upper storeys, this grand Victorian hotel balances superb service with friendliness, traditionally styled with more contemporary rooms, brasserie fare with refined dining.

The Old Bell Inn, Oldham

In a picturesque Pennines village, this traditional coaching inn has 18 bedrooms, some with beams, some with roof window, an informal brasserie, and a restaurant serving pub classics and more inventive dishes.

Hare and Hounds, Kendal

In a Lyth valley village on the edge of the Lake District, Becky and Ash Dewar transformed a 16th-century hostelry into this family-friendly village pub.

Pentonbridge Inn, Penton

The humble setting of this former coaching inn, half a mile from the Scottish border, belies its chic bedrooms and creative cooking.

The Cow Hollow Hotel, Manchester

Their backgrounds are in finance and marketing, but Mujtaba and Amelia Rana must have their hearts in hospitality and design.

1863, Pooley Bridge

In a touristy village on the River Eamont, at the head Ullswater, this restaurant-with-rooms provided our inspector with ‘one of the finest dining experiences I’ve had’.

Warwick Hall, Carlisle

The River Eden loops past this red-sandstone mansion, topped with a cupola, on a wooded estate.

The Black Bull, Sedbergh

In ‘England’s book town’, under mighty Howgill Fells on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, this is just the place for a drover’s platter and a pint – or Korean beef, shiso and sesame with a shot of wasabi vodka.

The Yan at Broadrayne, Ambleside

Refreshingly different from some of the more traditional Lake District offerings, this contemporary hotel is in a beautiful setting overlooking Grasmere.

The Wheatsheaf, Sandbach

In the centre of a pleasant town, famous  for its Anglo-Saxon crosses, this revitalised  19th-century inn with an ‘informal atmosphere’ is a popular gathering point.

Howtown Hotel, Penrith

If you want a hotel with hi-tech wizardry and hot tubs, this place is not for you, but ‘if you are happy with traditional hospitality’ and ‘like to be cosseted, Howtown Hotel will do nicely’.

Leathes Head Hotel, Keswick

Many regard Borrowdale as the Lake District’s most picturesque valley, and this comfortable Edwardian country house has one of its finest locations.

Lindeth Fell, Bowness-on-Windermere

A new era begins for this Edwardian country house above Lake Windermere, in gardens that melt into the glorious landscape.

Farlam Hall, Brampton

There is a relaxed, timeless ambience at this grown-up 19th-century country house (Relais & Château), but things have moved on apace, with fine dining now at the very heart of the operation.

Rothay Manor, Ambleside

They're serious about their food at this idyllic manor house hotel on the outskirts of Ambleside, with walks from the door and superb facilities for both humans and their four-legged friends.

Aynsome Manor, Grange-over-Sands

Step back in time to an age of quiet elegance at this 400-year-old manor house, run as a 'wonderful, charming B&B', with views over farmland to pretty Cartmel village and its Norman priory church.

Hipping Hall, Kirkby Lonsdale

Hipping Hall will be closing permanently on the 24th July 2023. Between the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District – and just ten minutes from the M6 – Hipping Hall is a surprising foodie find with understated yet luxurious bedrooms, spacious gardens and a relaxed atmosphere.

Rothay Garden Hotel, GRASMERE

Just a short walk from the tourist honeypot of Grasmere, an extended Victorian country house in wooded gardens, on the River Rothay, set against a backdrop of fells, is now in the ownership of Bespoke Hotels.

Hope Street Hotel, Liverpool

In the buzzy Georgian quarter, a Victorian carriage works has been reimagined as a hotel, with industrial-chic style, spa, minimalist bedrooms and modern British menus.

New House Farm, Cockermouth

Away from the Lake District’s hot spots, in quiet Lorton Vale north of Buttermere, this whitewashed farmhouse B&B mixes rustic authenticity with modern comforts.

The Punch Bowl Inn, Kendal

To find a gem in a quiet corner of the visitor-thronged Lake District is not easy, but this smart village inn in the lovely Lyth valley is, as one reader reports, ‘always a favourite’.

The House at Temple Sowerby, Penrith

Welcoming owners ensure guests’ dogs feel at home at their country house B&B, an elegant retreat in the Eden valley, with well-appointed bedrooms in the main house and coach house, and first-class breakfasts.

The Bay Horse, Ulverston

A 17th-century former coaching inn overlooking the Levens estuary is today a likeable, dog-friendly pub-with-rooms, offering homely bedrooms, some with balcony, casual bar meals, and dinner served by candlelight in the conservatory.

The Inn at Whitewell, Clitheroe

Overlooking the River Hodder in the Forest of Bowland, this sprawling 18th-century manor house is joyously traditional, with stone-flagged floors, open fires and bags of atmosphere.

Gilpin Hotel and Lake House, Windermere

With its indulgent bedrooms, Michelin-starred dining, attentive staff and guaranteed privacy, many look to Gilpin as the ultimate in Lakeland luxury.

Westmorland Hotel, Penrith

Banish images of fast-food outlets and slot machines when you break your journey at Tebay on wild and woolly Shap Fell, 60 miles from the Scottish border.

Lyzzick Hall, Keswick

Against a backdrop of Lyzzick Wood, from its vantage on the lower slopes of Skiddaw, this Victorian gentleman’s residence, once home to naturalist and cartographer Joseph Flintoft, has simply glorious fell views.

Number One St Luke’s, Blackpool

This stylish South Shore B&B has a boutique-hotel feel with treats and state-of-the-art music systems in bedrooms.

Augill Castle, Kirkby Stephen

With its towers and battlements this Victorian-folly castle, in 15 acres of grounds, looks imposing yet 'you actually feel like it is your castle'.

Hotels near tourist attractions

. From city breaks in Liverpool, rocking around the home of the Beatles, to tranquil retreats exploring lake filled landscapes and estuaries buzzing with birdlife, there’s an array of holiday experiences to be had in the North West.

It has some of Britain's most important commercial and industrial cities, including Manchester and Liverpool, but it also boasts the stunning scenery of the Lake District, the honky-tonk charms of Blackpool, and the wild landscapes of Cumbria. Among the most visited tourist attractions are the walled city of Chester and Hadrian's Wall, a legacy of the Romans, now a World Heritage site. If you or someone you know is planning a wedding, take a look at our favourite wedding venues in the North West.

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Best luxury and boutique hotels in North West

Featured hotels with Special Offers

Best luxury and boutique hotels in North West

Ees Wyke Country House - Two Night Stay Special Offer

Ambleside

Cuckoo Brow Inn - Three Night 15% Discount Special Offer

Ambleside

The Black Swan - Two Night Dinner, Bed & Breakfast Special Offer

Kirkby Stephen

More best luxury and boutique hotels in North West

Best luxury and boutique hotels in North West

Similar hotels

Hotels near tourist attractions

JOIN THE GHG

BUY THE 46th EDITION OF THE GUIDE

Best Review Wins A Free Night for Two!

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