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 family friendly hotels
Featured Hotels with Special Offers
The Bird
Bath
Three for Two Break Special Offer
Quirkiness abounds at this contemporary hotel in a remodelled Victorian mansion, decorated with witty eclecticism, featuring modish, well-equipped bedrooms and an all-day menu of modern British dishes served in the restaurant or on the terrace amid dining pavilions and fire pits.
Bishopstrow
Warminster, Wiltshire
Christmas 2025 Package 10% Discount GHG Reader Special Offer
Rolling countryside surrounds this large Georgian house in extensive grounds of meadows and woodland; a tunnel leads to the river Wylye.
The Cottage in the Wood
Malvern Wells, Worcestershire
Christmas and New Year Package 10% discount Special Offer
'Unparalleled views over the Severn Valley' can be seen from this hotel, in extensive grounds high above the Malvern Hills.
The Three Hills
Cambridge, Cambridgeshire
'25% off all Rooms' Special Offer
There is a buzzy ambience to this refurbished, child-friendly, dog-friendly 17th-century village pub, named after local tumuli, with restaurant, smart bedrooms and alfresco dining.
Bedruthan Hotel and Spa
Mawgan Porth, Cornwall
'Winter Warmer' Two Night Break Special Offer
On show through walls of windows, the sea is a huge presence at this family-run hotel on the cliffs above a surfers' beach, which offers craft sessions as well as a spa and kids club.
Shieldaig Lodge
Gairloch, Highland
'Festive Celebrations' Special Offer
Whale-watching, spectacular sunsets and starry, starry nights are among the wonders at this Victorian former hunting lodge on a wooded estate lapped by Loch Gairloch.
Forss House
Thurso, Highland
'Magical Christmas' Special Offer
Under the big skies of Caithness, wrapped in woodland and a curve of the River Forss, this Georgian mansion offers the grandeur of Scottish country house living but with modern-day warmth and comforts.
The Pheasant
Helmsley, Yorkshire
10% Discount Special Offer
This popular hotel and restaurant in a former smithy, shop and barns overlooking the village duck pond might have changed ownership, but it is 'as good as ever', reports a returning guest.
Cary Arms & Spa
Babbacombe, Devon
Early Bird Special Offer
A cosy beamed pub is the warm heart of this hotel, in the shelter of wooded, red sandstone cliffs that reminded the young Queen Victoria of 'a ballet or a play where nymphs appear'.
The Angel Hotel
Abergavenny, Monmouthshire
'Spring Fling' Special Offer
Behind a neo-classical façade, this Georgian coaching inn is a happy mix of local drop-in, hotel and restaurant, with 'comfortable rooms, good food and welcoming staff', says a returning reader.
Widbrook Grange
Bradford-On-Avon, Wiltshire
'Christmas in the Cotswolds' Special Offer
If the Borrowers opened a hotel, it would probably be something like Nick and Charlotte Dent's Georgian farmhouse, filled with upcycled objets trouvés.
The Devonshire Arms
Skipton, Yorkshire
Four Nights for the Price of Three Special Offer
A former 17th-century inn, which is part of the Duke of Devonshire's 30,000-acre estate at Bolton Abbey, is today an impressive country-house hotel, with fine dining and a spa.
Knockinaam Lodge
Portpatrick, Dumfries And Galloway
'Knock 30 Package' Special Offer
Where the road ends and the Irish Sea begins, this former Victorian hunting lodge with a private cove is secluded, unapologetically traditional and rich in comforts and good food.
Headlam Hall
Darlington, Co. Durham
'Summer Escape' Special Offer
The real charm of this grand country house, with sweeping gardens, terraces, oak panelling and swish spa along with a convenient location in a hamlet a few miles from the A1 lies in its warm and informal atmosphere.
Homewood
Bath, Somerset
'Complimentary Night' Special Offer
The yellow submarine in the 'beautiful grounds' and the hedge sculpture of a giraffe set the scene at this 'playful, quirky hotel', in a traditional honey-stone building.
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.
Penally Abbey
Tenby, Pembrokeshire
Three Nights for the Price of Two Special Offer
There are sublime sea views from this hilltop Gothic beauty, run by a dedicated and creative family, with elegant bedrooms and gourmet dining by candlelight.
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'.
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'.
Trefeddian Hotel
Aberdovey, Gwynedd
'Family Beach Breaks' Special Offer
Hambleton Hall
Oakham, Rutland
'Summer Escape' Special Offer
The epitome of country-house luxury, Tim and Stefa Hart's hotel stands on a peninsula, overlooking beautiful gardens and the shining expanse of Rutland Water.
The Nare
Veryan-In-Roseland, Cornwall
'Four Day Break' Special Offer
Lords of the Manor
Upper Slaughter, Gloucestershire
'Taste of the Cotswolds' Special Offer
'Our stay was wonderful – the staff, the food and our lovely room were exceptional,’ readers wrote of a stay at this luxury hotel, a historic country house, extended in the 1800s for the Witts family, rectors and later Lords of Upper Slaughter.
The Cavendish
Baslow, Derbyshire
Three Nights for the Price of Two Special Offer
With the Chatsworth estate on the doorstep, the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire's Peak District hotel has had a ravishing makeover to complement the superb food in its restaurants.
Middlethorpe Hall & Spa
York, Yorkshire
'Tailor-Made Break' Special Offer
Just over a mile from York, this imposing William and Mary country house in 20 acres of beautiful gardens and parkland offers 'luxurious rooms and amazing food'.
Cuckoo Brow Inn
Ambleside, Cumbria
Two Night 15% Discount Special Offer
Whether you turn up with muddy boots or in your Sunday best, with wet dogs or children, you will be greeted with a warm welcome at this jolly country inn between Windermere and Beatrix Potter's Hill Top home.
The Horn of Plenty
Gulworthy, Devon
Up to 25% off Dinner, Bed and Breakfast Special Offer
With glorious views over the Tamar valley and a good choice of rooms and suites, this former mine captain's house has long been a gastronomic destination.
Melville Castle
Edinburgh, Midlothian
'Explore More Getaway' Special Offer
Lush greenery along a sweeping tree-lined drive 'soothes the soul' as the towers and crenellations of this 18th-century castle come into view.
The Kirkwall Hotel
Kirkwall, Orkney
'Explore More Getaway' Special Offer
A French-influenced building on the harbourside, this family-friendly hotel and local hub was extensively refurbished by new owners the Original Collection in 2018.
The Eastbury Hotel & Spa
Sherborne, Dorset
'Garden Escape' Special Offer
Behind the pretty façade of a Georgian town house in an affluent market town, this hotel is a perfect retreat, with small spa, oasis garden and croquet lawn.
More Best family friendly hotels
Lastingham Grange
Lastingham, Yorkshire
Old-fashioned and nurturing, the Wood family's hotel in flower-filled gardens on the edge of the moors inspires devotion among those who know it.
Hazlitt's
London, London
You can imagine nodding off in an armchair over the latest issue of Samuel Johnson's Idler, or William Hazlitt's polemics in the Tatler, when you step into this time-warp hotel and close the door on trendy Soho. It was here, on a Georgian terrace in the 1820s, that essayist Hazlitt penned his valediction, and antiques and furnishings keep faith with a bygone age.
Corse Lawn House
Corse Lawn, Gloucestershire
This beautifully proportioned Queen Anne-style mansion, in a hamlet between the Cotswolds and the Mendip hills, is as traditional as its owner, Baba Hine, who has been at the helm for more than 46 years.
The Carpenters Arms
Pensford, Somerset
In a hamlet just 25 minutes from Bath, 'the Carps' is a 'very nice country pub' offering 'very good' food, and oodles of atmosphere in the stone-walled, beamed bar, with fire and log-burner.
Wildhive Callow Hall
Ashbourne, Derbyshire
This Victorian gothic mansion might appear a little forbidding, but step inside and you are overwhelmed by a warm ambience and beautiful interiors, while some guests choose to sleep out in the woods in a timber-lined 'hive' or tree house.
The Mustard Seed at Echo Lodge
Ballingarry, Co. Limerick
Every painting, sculpture and piece of furniture feels cherished and chosen at John Edward Joyce's Victorian country mansion in landscaped gardens.
Chillingham Manor
Alnwick, Northumberland
This light-flooded Georgian manor house, between Northumberland's beaches and hills, feels like a private country retreat – but with fabulous, leisurely breakfasts thrown in.
The Rose & Crown
Snettisham, Norfolk
Watersmeet
Woolacombe, Devon
'The location is stunning, with views of the Devon coast with its sandy beaches and tumbled rocks,' writes a reader delighted by this family-friendly hotel.
The Seaside Boarding House
Burton Bradstock, Dorset
High on the cliff top above Chesil Beach, this is an effortlessly hip, relaxed, fun hotel with a Cape Cod vibe, light and airy bedrooms, a bar serving cocktails and brilliant snacks, with seriously good cooking in the restaurant.
Portobello Hotel
London, London
Beyond the Doric portico of a white stucco neo-classical mansion, this boutique hotel captures the eclectic charms of glamorous and bohemian Notting Hill.
Beechwood Hotel
North Walsham, Norfolk
Agatha Christie memorabilia, murder-mystery weekends and Art Deco touches set the tone at Hugh and Emma Asher's creeper-clad hotel, former home of the author's doctor friends, in a bustling market town.
Mingary Castle
Kilchoan, Highland
Within a medieval castle and Georgian house above the Sound of Mull, this remote restaurant with rooms has four fantastic suites, spectacular views, and no less memorable cooking by chef-proprietor Colin
The Howard Arms
Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warwickshire
It was nearly Howard's end in 2015 before two local families stepped in to restore the fortunes of this traditional village pub, which 'makes a great base for exploring the Cotswolds' with its 'upmarket pub food, good service and excellent breakfasts'.
The Pear Tree Inn
Melksham, Wiltshire
This gastropub-with-rooms is set in a beguilingly pretty 17th-century Bath stone inn with mullioned windows and cascading wisteria, and lovely gardens outside.
The Black Bull
Sedbergh, Cumbria
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.
Westmorland Hotel
Penrith, Cumbria
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.
Red Lion at East Chisenbury
East Chisenbury, Wiltshire
A 'laid-back, fire-in-the hearth, village pub atmosphere' prevails at this charming thatched gastropub with riverside guesthouse on the edge of Salisbury Plain.
Newbegin House
Beverley, Yorkshire
The 'ridiculously good value' offered at this B&B astounds readers, who love staying at Walter and Nuala Sweeney's Georgian town house, where personal photographs and heirlooms complement the handsome original features.
Hart's Hotel
Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
Modern mixes with medieval on the ramparts of what remains of Nottingham Castle, with this sleek hotel the perfect place to escape the bustling city.
The Middleton Lodge Estate
Richmond, Yorkshire
Leave the fuss and fret of the AI(M) at Scotch Corner to reconnect with the land at this idyllic hotel, centred on a Georgian coach house amid gardens, parkland and woodland.
Pale Hall
Bala, Gwynedd
The chef holds a Michelin green star for his superb tasting menus at this neo-Jacobean Victorian country pile in wooded grounds on the edge of Snowdonia National Park, where past guests have included Queen Victoria and Winston Churchill.
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.
Darwin's Townhouse
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Named in honour of Shrewsbury's famous son, this Grade II* listed Sandford House, moments from the Severn towpath, has evolved into a B&B full of Darwin references, with animal and plant wallpapers, maps and natural history objets.
Fischer's at Baslow Hall
Baslow, Derbyshire
An Edwardian homage to 17th-century style, this beautiful manor house with rich Jacobean-inspired interiors is run as a luxury hotel with fine-dining restaurant where you can enjoy a 'truly memorable meal'.
The Rookery
London, London
With the feel of a private club rather than a hotel, this 'very special place' lies behind the 18th-century facade of three shop-houses in a once-notorious area that is now filled with hip eateris and bars.
Lough Bawn House
Collinstown, Co. Westmeath
Verity Butterfield clearly loves to welcome guests to her loch-side Georgian house, with blazing fires, comfy sofas, good artworks, home-baked biscuits, excellent breakfasts, and dinner by arrangement.
The Collective at Woolsery
Devon
With produce sourced from its own farm and organic market garden, and beautifully styled and lavishly equipped bedrooms spread across cottages and above the village shop, this is a truly exceptional gastropub, a great place for foodies.
Yalbury Cottage
Dorchester, Dorset
Deep in Thomas Hardy country, this picture-perfect thatched cottage is a popular restaurant with rooms run with great charm by Ariane Jones and her husband, Jamie.
Russell's
Broadway, Worcestershire
In a gem of a Cotswold town, with its green verges, galleries and tea shops, a honey-stone house is home to this first-class restaurant-with-rooms