2020 Editor's Choice Fishing Hotels
Editor’s Choice Fishing Hotels
Gliffaes - Spring Break Special Offer
Crickhowell
The River Usk flows through the beautiful grounds of this Italianate mansion in the Brecon Beacons national park, with beats on a mile-and-a-half stretch. Fish for wild brown trout from early March. Take a course with recommended ghillies and guides.
The Peacock at Rowsley - 25% Discount Offer
Rowsley
Guests at Lord and Lady Manners’s manor house hotel, as well as day-ticket holders, can fish on more than 15 miles of the four rivers that run through the Haddon Estate, including seven miles of the Derbyshire Wye, the only river in the UK with wild rainbow trout.
Pen-y-Dyffryn - Up to 30% Discount & Complimentary Afternoon Tea Special Offer
Oswestry
Ideal for a tranquil hour or two with rod and line, and just two minutes’ walk from the Hunter family’s hotel, is a private pool stocked with rainbow, brown and blue trout. Residents can fish for free. Bring your own tackle. You can keep one trout; please throw the rest back.
The Inn at Whitewell
Clitheroe
The River Hodder, flowing south from the Forest of Bowland to join the Ribble, passes through the grounds of Charles Bowman’s characterful inn, which has four rods for trout, sea trout and salmon on some seven miles of river, 14 pools and interesting runs. Ghillies on request.
The Lake
Llangammarch Wells
The River Irfon, known for its grayling and wild brown trout, flows though the wooded grounds of Jean-Pierre Mifsud’s fishing lodge, in its rush to join the River Wye. As well as seven miles of riverbank there is a well-stocked trout lake. Tuition and tackle available.
Currarevagh House
Oughterard
You need no licence to fish in Lough Corrib at Henry Hodgson’s Victorian sporting lodge from mid-February through to September. The lough is renowned for its wild brown trout – and for the mayfly they gorge on (enterprising local schoolchildren can sell you a box of them).
Kinloch Lodge
Isle of Skye
From June through September – but never on a Sunday, Highland rules decree – guests taking a three-day fishing break at Lord and Lady Macdonald’s hunting lodge can fish for wild salmon, brown and sea trout in river and loch, with the expert help of a ghillie.
Hotel Endsleigh
Tavistock
Built as a fishing lodge for Georgiana, Duchess of Bedford, and formerly home to the local fishing club, Olga Polizzi’s Regency cottage orné is surrounded by parkland landscaped by Humphry Repton, with the Tamar running through. Guests can fly fish for salmon and sea trout on eight miles of riverbank – tackle and ghillie provided.
Riverwood
Pitlochry
And quiet flows the Tay past Ann and Alf Berry’s pristine B&B set in wooded grounds between river and golf club. Guests can fish for brown trout on a private 150-metre stretch of riverbank for no extra charge.
The Arundell Arms
Lifton
With full-time instructors, a tackle shop in an old cock-fighting pit and 20 miles of river bank on the Tamar and six tributaries, the Fox-Edwards family’s hotel has been a fisherman’s friend for more than 50 years. Its own, crystal-clear Tinhay Lake is fishable all year.
2019 Editor's Choice Fishing Hotels
Editor’s Choice Fishing Hotels
Gliffaes - Spring Break Special Offer
Crickhowell
The host family have been catering to fishing folk since 1948 at this Italianate Victorian former vicar’s house in a beautiful situation overlooking the River Usk. Guests can fish for trout and salmon on the Wye and Usk. There are fly-fishing courses and ghillies. Land a trout and they will cook it for your breakfast.
The Inn at Whitewell
Clitheroe
This fun and characterful old inn stands on the banks of the River Hodder in the Forest of Bowland. Fishing is available to residents on some seven miles of river, with 14 pools. Readers this year praise the professionalism of the ghillie – even though the wily trout and salmon got away.
Currarevagh House
Oughterard
Readers praise the old-fashioned charms of this Victorian mansion in parkland. You can fish from a drifting boat on Lough Corrib, for wild brown trout, pike, perch and salmon. No permit or licence required and no bag limits. In early summer buy mayflies from the local children, who are given a week off school to catch them.
Ballyvolane House
Fermoy
It is not revealed if the Prince of Wales indulged his love of fly fishing when he stayed at this Georgian country house with the Duchess of Cornwall in July 2018. Had he done so, he would have been in his element, with more than ten miles of salmon and trout fishing on the Blackwater, one of Europe’s most important salmon rivers.
Culdearn House
Grantown-on-Spey
Flexible dinner and breakfast arrangements, a freezer and drying facilities are all available to fishing fans at this Victorian villa. The River Spey teems with salmon. Tuition, ghillies, permits and equipment hire can be arranged, and you can take your pick of malt whiskies to warm you at the end of the day.
Hotel Endsleigh
Tavistock
The Tamar runs through the Arcadian parkland surrounding this regency fishing lodge turned relaxed, stylish country house hotel. As a member of Endsleigh Fishing Club, the hotel offers access to excellent salmon fishing on eight miles of river bank, with any equipment you may need, and a ghillie to show you your beat.
Dolffanog Fawr
Tywyn
Tal-y-llyn lake, stocked with brown trout to supplement wild fish, is almost on the back doorstep of this Snowdonia farmhouse B&B. Alternatively, you can take a short drive to fish for grayling on the Dee, or perhaps go for a spot of fly-fishing off the coast, with your sights on bass, mullet and mackerel.
Riverwood
Pitlochry
This immaculate B&B in a contemporary house is far removed from the traditional fishing lodge or hunting box. But breakfasts are hearty, the River Tay runs through the four-acre woodland gardens, and brown-trout fishing is free to guests.
The Arundell Arms
Lifton
Roaring fires, comfy sofas and rooms filled with antiques set the tone at this country sports hotel on the Tamar. It is geared to fishing, with 20 miles of riverbank, a full-time instructor, tackle hire – and a drying room for when you arrive back soaked with a catch of brown or sea trout, salmon or grayling.
Langass Lodge
Isle of North Uist
In the luminous, watery landscape of North Uist, guests at this former shooting lodge find an exciting variety of fishing challenges, in lochs, lochans and tidal pools. New legislation mandates a catch-and-release policy for salmon caught in coastal waters, and there are limits on sea trout, but no limit on brown trout – and there’s local lobster for dinner!
2018 Editor's Choice Fishing Hotels
Editor’s Choice Fishing Hotels
Gliffaes - Spring Break Special Offer
Crickhowell
‘An amazing mansion set in equally amazing gardens.’ Praise from Guide readers this year, for this former Victorian vicar’s house high above the River Usk.
Forss House - Free Bottle of Wine Special Offer
Thurso
‘Scottish country house living on a grand scale.’ Near the mainland’s northern tip, this Georgian mansion is surrounded by woodland and waterfall on the Forss river, a fishing hot spot.
Shieldaig Lodge - Food Lover's Package
Gairloch
Stone eagles mark your arrival at the gates of Nick and Charlotte Dent’s ‘impressive’ Victorian hunting lodge, down a single-track road, its lawns lapped by Loch Gairloch.
The Inn at Whitewell
Clitheroe
‘Conjuring up an image of a heartier England, with hunting, idiosyncratic aristocracy and solid home comforts', this ‘great inn’ continued to delight readers this year.
Enniscoe House
Ballina
It’s ‘something of a mystery tour’ getting to this ‘fine-looking’ pale-pink Georgian house, ‘but utterly worth it’, says a Guide inspector.
Ballyvolane House
Fermoy
With a seven-a-side soccer pitch, glamping tents, Bertha’s Revenge Gin distilled in a converted cattle shed, and breakfast served until noon, this is no run-of-the-mill hotel.
The Arundell Arms
Lifton
People get hooked on Adam Fox-Edwards’s country sports hotel close to Dartmoor, with its tackle shop in an original cock-fighting pit, ghillies for hire, and 20 miles of fishing on the Tamar and tributaries.
Ballathie House
Stanley
A Victorian ghost, a Russian grand duke and a former Prince of Wales have all graced this ‘lovely’ Scottish country house in a 'delightful position' on the River Tay.
Langass Lodge
Isle of North Uist
On an island of long, white-sand beaches, lochs, peat bogs and tidal strands, Amanda and Niall Leveson Gower run their ‘handsome' white-painted sporting lodge as a family-friendly hotel.
The House at Temple Sowerby
Penrith
‘This will become our stop-over of choice on the way to west Scotland.’ A full entry this year for Alison and Andi Sambrook's ‘small, unpretentious hotel’ opposite the green in a village bypassed by the A66.
2017 Editor's Choice Fishing Hotels
Editor’s Choice Fishing Hotels
Gliffaes - Spring Break Special Offer
Crickhowell
‘An amazing mansion set in equally amazing gardens.’ Praise from Guide readers this year, for this former Victorian vicar’s house high above the River Usk.
Forss House - Free Bottle of Wine Special Offer
Thurso
‘Scottish country house living on a grand scale.’ Near the mainland’s northern tip, this Georgian mansion is surrounded by woodland and waterfall on the Forss river, a fishing hot spot.
The Inn at Whitewell
Clitheroe
‘Conjuring up an image of a heartier England, with hunting, idiosyncratic aristocracy and solid home comforts', this ‘great inn’ continued to delight readers this year.
The Lake
Llangammarch Wells
‘In a beautiful setting’ in wooded grounds, with trout lake and the River Irfon running through it, Jean-Pierre Mifsud’s hotel is especially praised for its ‘location, ambience and welcoming staff’.
Knockinaam Lodge
Portpatrick
‘A very special place,’ say guests in 2019, of Sian and David Ibbotson’s Victorian hunting lodge overlooking the Irish Sea. ‘The accommodating hosts went out of their way, more than once, to ensure we had a terrific time.’
Enniscoe House
Ballina
It’s ‘something of a mystery tour’ getting to this ‘fine-looking’ pale-pink Georgian house, ‘but utterly worth it’, says a Guide inspector.
Currarevagh House
Oughterard
Opened as a sporting lodge by owner Henry Hodgson’s great grandfather in 1890, this Victorian country house is surely Ireland’s longest-standing hotel under family ownership.
Howtown Hotel
Penrith
Bong, bong! It is dinner time at this ancient farmhouse-turned-hotel in grounds bordering Lake Ullswater, where the gong still summons guests to table.
The Arundell Arms
Lifton
People get hooked on Adam Fox-Edwards’s country sports hotel close to Dartmoor, with its tackle shop in an original cock-fighting pit, ghillies for hire, and 20 miles of fishing on the Tamar and tributaries.
Ballathie House
Stanley
A Victorian ghost, a Russian grand duke and a former Prince of Wales have all graced this ‘lovely’ Scottish country house in a 'delightful position' on the River Tay.
2016 Editor's Choice Fishing Hotels
Editor’s Choice Fishing Hotels
Ballyvolane House
Fermoy
With a seven-a-side soccer pitch, glamping tents, Bertha’s Revenge Gin distilled in a converted cattle shed, and breakfast served until noon, this is no run-of-the-mill hotel.
Culdearn House
Grantown-on-Spey
‘Our stay at William and Sonia Marshall’s delightful small country house could not have been bettered,’ wrote happy readers. ‘We so enjoyed their warm, friendly, personal service.’
Hotel Endsleigh
Tavistock
Et in Arcadia we go – to Olga Polizzi’s Regency cottage-orné, in gardens and pleasure grounds with woodland walks and waterfalls, arboretum, fount and follies.
Ardanaiseig
KILCHRENAN
Ardanaiseig closed as a hotel at the end of November 2017. It will be relaunched in 2018 a venue catering for groups, weddings, and corporate functions.
Best UK hotels for anglers
Anglers can combine a luxury hotel stay with fishing at one of our recommended fishing hotels. They have been independently reviewed and chosen based on their facilities, ambience and attention to detail.
You could cast your rod at Hotel Endsleigh near Tavistock on the banks of the River Tamar. The 19th-century fishing lodge has been restored and has eight miles of fishing and a ghillie to show you the ropes.
Try Forss House, Thurso, for salmon or trout fishing – in 1954 a fish weighing 42lbs was caught at the bottom of the garden. Tasty packed lunches for fishing trips are available and the hotel has a room for hanging rods, gutting and freezing fish or drying out wet gear.
Currarevagh House in County Galway is set in 180 acres of private parkland and woodland bordering on Lough Corrib. Fish on the lough for wild brown trout – with ghillies available if needed.