Best hotels in South East England

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.

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.

Jeake’s House, Rye

Swathed with creepers and bedecked with flowers, this wildly atmospheric B&B stands on a cobbled street in a medieval citadel with views over Romney Marsh.

Old Parsonage Hotel, Oxford

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

The Lamb Inn, Burford

In a picturesque Cotswold town, an 18th-century inn contrived from a row of 15th-century weavers’ cottages has been gently shepherded into the 21st century.

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'.

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.

The Gallivant, Camber

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.

Drakes, Brighton

Indulge in a Pornstar Martini in the sea-facing cocktail bar at this stuccoed, bow-fronted Georgian seafront hotel, for this is Brighton, after all – hip, tolerant and fun.

The Halfway Bridge, Petworth

At the heart of the South Downs national park, this village pub-with-rooms is the rural sister of the seaside Crab & Lobster (see Sidlesham), country but no bumpkin.

Britannia House, Lymington

Uber-friendly host Tobias Feilke welcomes guests to his idiosyncratic B&B in a yachting town and ancient seaport on the edge of the New Forest.

The Trout at Tadpole Bridge, Buckland Marsh

The gardens run down to the Thames with free moorings for guests at this gastropub-with-rooms in the Vale of the White Horse, a former toll house for the eponymous 18th-century stone bridge.

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 Crab & Lobster, Sidlesham

Overlooking the reed beds and salt marsh of Pagham Harbour Nature Reserve, this ‘lovely little pub’ is not a local boozer but a very good restaurant-with-rooms.

Old Whyly, East Hoathly

‘A curling gravel drive lined with mature trees and wild flowers’ leads to this ‘exceptionally beautiful Georgian manor house’ B&B.

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.

Belle Tout Lighthouse, Eastbourne

Remote on a 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.

Hever Castle B&B, Edenbridge

If Anne Boleyn could return to her childhood home, she would be astonished to find a ‘wonderful B&B for history lovers’, housed in a ‘Tudor village’ in landscaped parkland with Italian garden, Japanese tea house and 35-acre lake.

The Pig in the Wall, Southampton

This little piggy, the babe in the litter of Robin Hutson’s Pig hotels, is set in a crenellated Georgian house and former pub built into the city’s medieval wall.

The Old Vine, Winchester

A vine does indeed scramble up the wall of this Georgian house by the cathedral, in the historic heart of the city.

Daisybank Cottage, New Forest

The name has an Enid Blyton ring to it, and it sits in a dingley dell on the edge of the New Forest, but this single-storey Arts and Crafts cottage is home to an entirely grown-up B&B.

New Park Manor, BROCKENHURST

Charles II might not recognise his old royal hunting lodge today but, as the father of at least 11 children and a great lover of his spaniels, the Merry Monarch would enjoy the dog-friendly, inclusive ethos.

The Greyhound Inn, Wantage

A proper village inn with locals enjoying pints in the bar, scrubbed tables, robust food, and light, creaky-floored bedrooms.

The Ginger Pig, Hove

Across the road from Hove’s shingle beach, Ben and Pamela McKellar’s Edwardian mock-timbered gastropub is ‘loved by locals for its foodie reputation’.

Foresters Hall, Cowes

‘The Isle of Wight’s chicest boutique hotel,’ reports a Guide insider of these Georgian town houses, set above Cowes harbour.

The Pig at Bridge Place, Canterbury

A short hop from Canterbury, a Grade I listed Jacobean mansion and former music venue that once hosted rock legends such as The Kinks, was the sixth addition to Robin Hutson’s Pig collection

The George Inn, Banbury

In an ‘interesting village of honey-coloured stone, well off the beaten track’, a beautifully renovated 17th-century thatched inn lives anew as a local gastropub-with-rooms.

The Harcourt Arms, Witney

Although it has been taken over by the Barkby Group, this 17th-century gastropub-with-rooms in a rural village between the rivers Thames and Windrush 'still feels individual', say readers.

The George Inn,

Do you remember an inn, Miranda? Hilaire Belloc certainly remembered this Georgian coaching inn, from which he described setting out in The Four Men.

The Pig in the South Downs, Arundel

‘The perfect restaurant-with-rooms for lovers of British bubbles’, this latest 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 Star, Alfriston

Mother and daughter Olga and Alex Polizzi have beautifully reinvented this picturesque 15th-century hostelry in a medieval South Downs village.

The Double Red Duke, Bampton

The latest addition to Georgie and Sam Pearman’s Country Creatures portfolio, this 17th-century Cotswold stone inn is ‘one of the best pubs-with-rooms I’ve ever seen’, says our inspector.

The Bottle & Glass, Henley-on-Thames

Offering 'the perfect foodie escape', this thatched gastropub is 'ideally located' just ten minutes from Henley-on-Thames on the Phillimore estate.

Bay Tree Hotel, Burford

A charmingly refurbished hotel, forged from a row of 17th-century houses in picturesque Burford – gateway to the Cotswolds.

Old Swan, Minster Lovell

In a village of thatched houses, surrounded by woodland and wildflower meadows and close to a willow-hung riverbank, the 600-year-old Old Swan has a timeless charm.

The Crown Inn, Chiddingfold

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

Sissinghurst Castle Farmhouse, Cranbrook

A draw for garden-lovers, this serene Victorian farmhouse B&B is sheltered by a National Trust estate of ancient woodland, farmland and Vita Sackville-West’s acclaimed gardens (tickets for Sissinghurst Castle may be purchased at the gate).

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.

Alkham Court, Dover

Home-made cake is the welcome treat from ‘wonderful, engaging’ Wendy and Neil Burrows at their award-winning Alkham Valley farmhouse B&B; their warm thoughtfulness lasts the stay.

Hurley House, Hurley

A fine base for exploring the Chilterns, this urbane hotel is just outside a picturesque riverside village.

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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 tranquility of Surrey, the South East has it all.

Best luxury and boutique hotels in the South East

Best luxury and boutique hotels in the South East

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Hotels near tourist attractions

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