The Good Hotel Guide is the leading independent guide to hotels in Great Britain & Ireland, and also covers parts of Continental Europe. The Guide was first published in 1978. It is written for the reader seeking impartial advice on finding a good place to stay. Hotels cannot buy their way into the Guide. The editors and inspectors do not accept free hospitality on their anonymous visits to hotels. All hotels in the Guide receive a free basic listing. A fee is charged for a full web entry.
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Best luxury and boutique hotels in the South East
The South East offers a gentility, as well as a variety of landscapes and experiences for travellers coming from both near and far. From romantic escapes to family getaways, hotels in this enchanting corner of England, have it all.
Belle Tout Lighthouse, Eastbourne
Featured Hotels with Special Offers
The Montagu Arms
Beaulieu, Hampshire
Dog Friendly Special Offer
Guests have a wide choice of individually style rooms and suites at this dog-friendly, creeper-covered hotel on the edge of the New Forest, and can opt for fine dining in the restaurant, or cheaper fare in Monty's Bar pub.
Beachcroft Hotel
Bognor Regis, Sussex
Christmas and New Year Festive Package Special Offer
A stay in Felpham inspired William Blake to write of 'England's green and pleasant land', but it's the beach that draws holidaymakers to the de Savarys' South Coast hotel.
The Dog at Wingham
Canterbury, Kent
Super Special Two Night Special Offer
More a stylish gastropub than a community hub, this historic inn has a loyal following of foodies who rave about its 'delicious meals' as well as its 'lovely quiet rooms'.
The Crown Inn
Surrey
Midweek Two Night Stay Special Offer
History feels very present at this half-timbered, jettied medieval inn overlooking village green, with a choice of atmospheric four-poster rooms and contemporary accommodation, real ales on tap, and an eclectic menu served in a panelled dining room.
The Feathered Nest
Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire
25% Discount Two-Night Special Offer
Inventive cooking of beautifully presented dishes impress at this gastropub overlooking the Evenlode valley, with four rooms that are smart but not ostentatiously 'designer'.
Hartwell House
Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire
'Three Nights for the Price of Two' Special Offer
A grand country house with both Jacobean and Georgain sides, Hartwell gazes over an 18th-century landscape, with Ionic temple, obelisk, and a lake spanned by an arch from the old Kew Bridge.
The Cat Inn
West Hoathly, West Sussex
15% Discount Two Night Stay Special Offer
The quintessential local gastropub in a Wealden village never ceases to please readers, with imaginative food, four good bedrooms and a warm, friendly ambience.
The Star
Alfriston, Sussex
'Summer Ramblers Retreat' Special Offer
There is star quality indeed at Olga and Alex Polizzi's updated version of a historic Tudor inn, in a charming medieval South Downs village.
The Greyhound Inn
Wantage, Oxfordshire
'Lazy Sunday Sleepover' Special Offer
This is a proper village inn with locals enjoying pints in the bar, scrubbed tables, robust food and comfortable, homely bedrooms.
Park House, Hotel & Spa
Midhurst, West Sussex
'Cosy Down at the House' Special Offer
An Edwardian country house in long-time family ownership is run as a spa hotel, restaurant and leisure destination with facilities for golf, tennis, bowls, croquet, swimming.
Stanwell House
Lymington, Hampshire
Complimentary Dinner Special Offer
New owners have lavished millions on this Georgian hotel in a New Forest yachting town on the edge of the Solent.
The White Horse
Chilgrove, West Sussex
Summer Sip and Stay Special Offer
With the Goodwood Estate down the road and the South Downs on the doorstep, this rural, dog-friendly former coaching inn is popular with Barbour-wearing country-sports enthusiasts and hikers.
More Best luxury and boutique hotels in the South East
Britannia House
Lymington, Hampshire
Step inside a red-brick corner house in a yachting town on the edge of the New Forest, to find an idiosyncratic B&B, imbued with the generosity and personality of Tobias Feikle, perfect host and breakfast chef extraordinaire.
Hever Castle B&B
Edenbridge, Kent
Anne Boleyn's childhood home, reimagined by William Waldorf Astor as a fairytale moated castle, the seat of a Tudor courtier, stands in landscaped grounds with an Edwardian 'Tudor' village, home to this exceptional B&B.
Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons
Great Milton, Oxfordshire
For 40 years, Raymond Blanc has held two Michelin stars at this beautiful country-house hotel 'and it's not surprising – every mouthful of every meal is a triumph', say Guide insiders.
The Crab & Lobster
Sidlesham, West Sussex
Overlooking the reed beds and salt marsh of Pagham Harbour Nature Reserve, in an 'atmospheric location with great birdwatching from the doorstep', this excellent restaurant with rooms serves 'great food with especially imaginative vegetarian dishes'.
Alkham Court
Dover, Kent
If you're outward bound for France, this farmhouse B&B, just ten minutes from the port of Dover and Eurotunnel, is perfect for a stop-off – but you might not want to leave. 'This didn't feel like a hotel, it felt like a home,' writes one contented reader.
Artist Residence Oxfordshire
South Leigh, Oxfordshire
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.
Artist Residence Brighton
Brighton, Sussex
Bohemian Brighton is artfully encapsulated in this Regency townhouse with its cool vibe, quirky furnishings and neighbourhood café-bar.
The Gallivant
Sussex
East Coast America meets South Coast England at this single-storey, coastal-chic hotel with interesting room choices, good, locally sourced food, and uncrowded sandy beach just over the spectacular dunes.
Chewton Glen
New Milton, Hampshire
This quintessential English country house with spa, pools, kids' club, elegant bedrooms and fun tree houses, hits all the right luxurious notes for a romantic or family stay.
The George Inn
Sussex
Do you remember an inn, Miranda? Hilaire Belloc certainly remembered this Georgian coaching inn, from which he described setting out in The Four Men.
Bingham Riverhouse
Richmond-Upon-Thames, Surrey
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.
Daisybank Cottage
New Forest, Hampshire
Belle Tout Lighthouse
Eastbourne, Sussex
A beacon of hospitality on a remote cliff-top between the English Channel and the rolling downs, this decommissioned 19th-century lighthouse found new purpose in 2010 as a unique B&B. It offers superb 360-degree views from the lantern room, taking in the Seven Sisters chalk cliffs and the South Downs. test
Lime Wood
Lyndhurst, Hampshire
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.
Drakes
Brighton, Sussex
For a romantic escape or a stylish seaside retreat, this quintessential British beachfront hotel, offers an unparalleled coastal setting in the heart of Brighton.
The Double Red Duke
Bampton, Oxfordshire
Eat inside or dine alfresco under a striped parasol, at this exceptional gastropub with super-stylish rooms, some for a family, some dog friendly with access to the garden.
Gravetye Manor
East Grinstead, West Sussex
Amid 1,000 acres of historically important gardens, pleasure grounds and woodland, this romantic Elizabethan manor house, built by an ironmaster for his bride, forms an impressive backdrop for Michelin-starred cuisine.
The Halfway Bridge
Petworth, West Sussex
At the heart of the South Downs National Park, this village pub with rooms is the rural sister of the seaside Crab & Lobster, Sidlesham (see entry). It is country but no bumpkin.
The Welldiggers Arms
West Sussex
Just a couple of minutes' drive from Petworth, with views over farmland to the South Downs, this gastropub has smart contemporary bedrooms and some exciting menu choices.
The George Inn
Banbury, Oxfordshire
'A really nice place to stay, in a lovely quiet village setting,' this beautifully renovated 17th-century thatched inn lives anew as a local pub with rooms. Manager Claire Lenkowiec and chef Valerio Grimaldi-Plant run the show for the owners and, by George, they get it right!
The Lamb at Angmering
Littlehampton, West Sussex
Between the South Downs and the Sussex coast, the Newbon family's revived village pub enfolds locals and visitors alike in its warmly welcoming atmosphere.
The Queen's Inn
Hawkhurst, Kent
Old-meets-new in this revived 16th-century coaching inn, now a 'busy, cheerful pub' in a historic Wealden village.
Hurley House
Hurley, Berkshire
A fine base for exploring the Chilterns, this urbane hotel is just outside a picturesque riverside village near historic houses and vineyards.
Hare & Hounds
Newbury, Berkshire
This former coaching inn is now an equestrian-themed gastropub and restaurant, with affordable boutique bedrooms spread across four annexe buildings.

The Lamb Inn
Burford, Oxfordshire
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.

The Pig in the South Downs
Arundel, Sussex
'The perfect restaurant-with-rooms for lovers of British bubbles', this recent addition to Robin Hutson's Pig litter is surrounded by some of Britain's best wine-making country and offers 'plenty of fizz with your food'.

The Millstream
Chichester, West Sussex
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.

Beaverbrook
Leatherhead, Surrey
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.

Ashling Park Estate
West Ashling, Sussex
'It felt like we were in France, looking out from the restaurant balcony at rows of vines.' Our inspectors were transported by their stay on this estate, now a family-run concern with a vineyard planted in 2017

The Trout at Tadpole Bridge
Buckland Marsh, Oxfordshire
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 South East offers a gentility, as well as a variety of landscapes and experiences for travellers coming from both near and far. From romantic escapes to family getaways, hotels in this enchanting corner of England, have it all. Wine lovers will delight in the English vineyards scattered across Surrey and Kent, where the mild climate and rich soil makes for grapes that rival their European counterparts. See for yourself at the likes of Gusbourne or the Bolney Wine Estate. Meanwhile, the history, architecture and academic prowess of Oxfordshire makes for a weekend escape that's brimming with luxury and romance.
Alternatively, perhaps a trip to the beach would suit you better? Tuck into good old fashioned fish and chips by the sea in Margate or Broadstairs after a tour around Dickensian Bleak House. Or gorge on ice cream by the famous pier in Brighton. For those looking to be a little more active on holiday, the South East is home to some of the most prestigious golf courses in the UK, from Royal St George's to Wentworth.
Then again, at the heart of it all, hotels in London, are surrounded by cosmopolitan attractions, welcoming guests to enjoy a feast for the senses. From theatres to restaurants, parks to spas, shopping to cultural icons, whatever holiday you're looking for, hotels in the South East offer something for everyone.
From Buckinghamshire to Hampshire, Berkshire to Sussex and the blissful tranquillity of Surrey, the South East has it all.