SOUTHERN ENGLAND HOTELS

LONDON • SOUTHEAST • SOUTHWEST ISLE OF WIGHT • ISLES OF SCILLY • CHANNEL ISLANDS

THE DEEP lanes, hidden valleys and sheltered creeks and coves of Cornwall and Devon make magical settings for a range of charming places to stay, from sophisticated seaside hotels to simple farmhouse B&Bs. In Dorset, Somerset and Avon there are a wealth of gracious mansions and manor houses which have been turned into hotels, perfect choices for a weekend treat. In the southeast, Sussex and Kent are favoured with a crop of delightful traditional buildings, some of them medieval, in which to stay. London had spent many years in the doldrums, but the city and its environs now have an impressive range of beautifully run, highly individual hotels. Note, however, that they are expensive and there are as yet few which stand out in the budget category.

Holne Chase

Quiet, restful former hunting lodge inside Dartmoor National Park. Perfect for sporting enthusiasts: fishing and shooting on tap. Ashburton, Devon TQ13 7NS

Blagdon Manor

Small country house hotel, lost in lovely countryside, run on personal yet professional lines. Pretty bedrooms; good food. Ashwater, Devon EX21 5DF.

Amberley Hotels 

Amberley Castle

The real thing, complete with battlements and portcullis in a charming village. Baronial luxury, plus Jacuzzis. Amberley, Arundel, West Sussex BN18 9ND.

Battle Hotels

Little Hemingfold

This rural haven is hidden away amid farm and woodland yet close to many historic places, including the site of the Battle of Hastings. The rambling house is surrounded by gardens and overlooks a trout lake (fishing, rowing). Inside is cosy (log fires) and full of interesting corners, with plain but individual bedrooms; traditional, satisfying cooking. Battle, East Sussex TN33 OTT.

Bathford Hotels

Eagle House

In a fine village near Bath, this gracious Georgian mansion is run as a guesthouse by its professional yet informal owners, the Napiers. The house is decorated without pomp, using an eclectic mix of furniture, and has an elegant drawing room overlooking landscaped gardens and beyond. Children stay free. Church St, Bathford, Somerset BA1 7RS.

 Bigbury-on-Sea Hotels

Burgh Island

Board a wheezing sea tractor to the small island that houses this genuine Art Deco hotel. It has been lovingly restored and is still acting out the Roaring Twenties, when it played host to a string of famous people including Agatha Christie. There is a feast of Art Deco furniture and fittings in every room. Great views. Bigbury-on-Sea, Devon TQ7 4BG.

Dorset Hotels

Bridge House

Originally a 13th-century clergy house, deep in Hardy country with pretty bedrooms and more than adequate food. Beaminster, Dorset DT8 3AY

Beercrocombe Hotels

Frog Street Farm

Hidden, flower-bedecked Somerset longhouse run by friendly farmers and racehorse breeders Veronica and Henry Cole. Log fires, fine Jacobean panelling. Beercrocombe, Taunton, Somerset TA3 6AF

Brighton Hotels

Hotel du Vin

The newest hotel in this stylish micro-chain. Sleekly modern yet warm and intimate. Ship Street, Brighton, West Sussex BN1 1AD.

Priory Steps

A row of 17th-century weavers’ cottages has been sympathetically restored by Carey and Diana Chapman to become both their home and a welcoming small hotel. The bedrooms, carefully decorated with antiques, are surprisingly spacious and light, with sweeping views. Dinner is served at the communal table. Newtown, Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire BA15 1NQ.

Gidleigh Park

This luxurious Dartmoor hotel has been run by the Hendersons for the past 25 years, and is still as polished and relaxing as ever. In the oak-panelled sitting room and the bedrooms a feeling of good living and serenity abounds. The superb food (two Michelin stars) is a highlight, as is the wine. Golf, fishing, tennis, croquet. Chagford, Devon TQ13 8HH.

Chagford Hotels

Mason’s Arms

Branscombe is a picturesque Devon seaside village surrounded by steep, wooded hills. It’s a hive of activity for walkers in winter and beachcombers in summer, and the Mason’s Arms makes a perfect base for both camps. The bedrooms are cottagey, with (mainly) ensuite bathrooms. Branscombe, Devon EX12 3DJ.

Chettle Hotels

Hotel Castleman

Chettle is special: the estate village is still owned by one family, the Bourkes, who live in its fine Queen Anne manor house. The former dower house is now a hotel and restaurant, run by Teddy Bourke and Barbara Garnsworthy along informal lines: no frills, but period features and spacious rooms attractively decorated. Chettle, Blandford Forum, Dorset DT11 8DB.

Bovey Tracey Hotels

Bel Alp House

On Dartmoor’s edge, a sedate Edwardian house with glorious seaward views from the terrace across a patchwork of fields. Haytor, Bovey Tracey, Devon TQ13 9XX.

Bradford-on-Avon Hotels

Bradford Old Windmill

Simple, romantic bedrooms, ethnic curiosities and exotic cooking. Masons Lane, Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire BA15 1QN.

Hotel Bailiffscourt

An astonishingly realistic 1930s’ re-creation of a medieval manor houses a slightly corporate luxury hotel, handy for Gatwick. Climping, West Sussex BN17 5RW

Lucknam Park

Stately hotel with aristocratic interior, formal dining and a leisure complex. Colerne, Chippenham, Wiltshire SN14 8AZ.

Ockenden Manor

Superb views of the South Downs can be had from the grounds of this fine 16th-century manor. The hotel is elegantly furnished; creative English food is served in the atmospheric wood-panelled dining room with painted ceiling and stained-glass windows. Rooms are individual and spacious, service is friendly. Ockenden Lane, Cuckfield, West Sussex RH17 5LD.

Summer Lodge

The many devotees of this former dower house in the heart of Dorset love its assets: French windows leading onto flowery gardens; airy bedrooms; good food served in a formal but pretty dining room. Peace, comfort, and a touch of extravagance without intimidation. For exercise there is tennis and croquet. Summer Lane, Evershot, Dorset DT2 0JR

Gravetye Manor

For more than 40 years this serene Elizabethan house has exuded understated luxury – at a price. It is close to London, yet surrounded by natural English gardens and woodland. Standards are unfailingly high, with award-winning cooking and attentive yet unobtrusive service. Vowels Lane, East Grinstead, West Sussex RH19 4LJ.

Fowey Hall

The grandest of a group of hotels designed specifically for families. The facilities for children are endless, yet there is plenty of sophistication for grown-ups too. The setting, overlooking the Fowey estuary and the sea, is an extravagant late 19th-century mansion; modern comforts and leisure activities. Hanson Drive, Fowey, Cornwall PL23 1ET.

Nobody Inn

Quintessential West Country inn with satisfying food and wines; the large rooms are a stroll away in an old house, Town Barton. Doddiscombsleigh, Exeter, Devon EX6 7PS.

Ashwick House

Edwardian house on Exmoor. Galleried hall, traditional dining room, thoughtfully equipped bedrooms. Dulverton, Somerset TA22 9QD.

Casterbridge

Georgian town-centre hotel with bright rooms (some small); generous breakfasts served in pretty conservatory. Good value. 49 High East St, Dorchester, Dorset DT1 1HU.

Griffin Inn

Popular pub and local restaurant with above-average food. Mostly four-posters. Rooms in the Coach House are sought after. Fletching, Uckfield, East Sussex TN22 3NE

Old Parsonage

In a charming village, a gracious Georgian country house run as a B&B by Tony and Mary Dakin. Tall, spacious reception rooms are impressively decorated without being overpowering: antiques, Persian rugs, chandeliers, photographs and lithographs on the walls. There is an airy conservatory, and the fresh bedrooms have large bathrooms. Excellent breakfasts. Church Lane, Frant, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN3 9DX

Langshott Manor Gatwick is only a couple of miles away, and urban sprawl is close at hand, but this brick-and-timber Elizabethan manor remains at peace in its own landscaped grounds. The expense-account luxury includes swish, wellequipped bedrooms and an intimate dining room; the price includes a week’s free airport parking. Langshott, Horley, Surrey RH6 9LN.

Babington House

This contemporary country house hotel offers child-friendly metropolitan chic and unpretentious luxury: cinema, computers, health centre, crêche, tennis, snooker, relaxed but efficient 24-hour service and wonderful bedrooms. In the bathrooms are huge bottles of complimentary lotions – no mean sachets here. Babington, Frome, Somerset BA11 3RW.

Old Rectory Down a winding road in the Somerset countryside, the Old Rectory – a 16thcentury building sensitively preserved and enhanced with modern comforts – is the perfect place to unwind. Dinner, on request, is served at a communal table, from a menu of all-local produce. Cricket Malherbie, Ilminster, Somerset TA19 0PW.

Tregildry

In a magical setting overlooking a romantic Cornish creek, a vividly decorated hotel with breezy Far Eastern feel. Gillan, Manaccan, Helston, Cornwall TR12 6HG.

Horn of Plenty

Secluded, creeper-covered house in a splendid location overlooking the Tamar Valley. Notable restaurant. Gulworthy, Tavistock, Devon PL19 8JD.

Stock Hill House

Victorian manor, set in wooded grounds and decorated in the grandly personal style of its owners. Formal dining. NGillingham, Dorset SP8 5NR.

Homewood Park

Georgian building in awardwinning gardens. Hinton Charterhouse, Bath, Somerset BA2 7TB.

At The Sign of the Angel

The epitome of the medieval English inn – half-timbered, with great log fires in cold weather, beamed ceilings, oak panelling, venerable old beds and gleaming antique furniture. The village is owned and cared for by the National Trust. The pleasures are simple, the setting memorable. 6 Church St, Lacock, Chippenham, Wiltshire SN15 2LB

The Athenaeum Hotel and Apartments

The Athenaeum has a caring reputation, but lone women are made to feel particularly welcome. Most rooms are comfortable rather than luxurious, with standard bathrooms, but each has a CD and video player and a proper bar. There is also a range of serviced apartments, some sumptuous. 116 Piccadilly, London W1J 7BJ.

Landewednack House

This lovely old rectory in a thatched hamlet has a superb headland position. The views across the garden and the church to the sea are heavenly, and the three bedrooms are supremely elegant and luxurious. Guests dine en famille; local seafood dishes, perhaps lobster or crab, are a highlight. Church Cove, The Lizard, Helston, Cornwall TR12 7PQ

Beaufort

Consistently praised and with a high percentage of faithful regulars, this is an exceptional townhouse hotel. It is noted for the friendly attitude of its mainly female staff, the smart, tasteful decor, and the wealth of extras included in the rates (airport limo, cream teas, champagne). In a quiet street near Harrods. 33 Beaufort Gardens, London SW3 1PP.

Arundell Arms

Traditional, characterful sporting inn with 20 miles of fishing on the Tamar river and its four tributaries. Log fires, modish food. Lifton, Devon PL16 0AA.

Chewton Glen

Once inside this superbly run hotel you are enveloped in an exceptional degree of luxury (with a price tag to match). Rooms and suites are correspondingly faultless, and both service and cuisine are of the highest quality. Many guests come for the golf and the superb, sybaritic health club. Christchurch Road, New Milton, Hampshire BH25 6QS.

Shurnhold House

This beautifully proportioned stone-built Jacobean house sits close to a main road on the outskirts of the unremarkable town of Melksham, but is well screened by trees. Inside you will find flagstones, beams, floral fabrics, a room full of books, and spacious bedrooms. Licensed bar. Well placed for touring in several directions. Shurnhold, Melksham, Wiltshire SN12 8DG.

Stanwell House

Decorated with great flair. Attractive bistro and courtyard. 14-15 High St, Lymington, Hampshire SO41 9AA.

Angel

Coaching inn with Georgian façade and plush, warmly decorated Tudor interior. Many rooms have beams. North Street, Midhurst, West Sussex GU29 9DN.

Lea Hill

This superior B&B hotel consists of a dreamy thatched Devon longhouse in an isolated position amidst rolling countryside. Membury, Axminster, Devon EX13 7AQ.

Romney Bay House

This remarkable house was designed by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis, creator of Portmeirion . It stands on the edge of Romney Marsh, with wonderful sea views (telescope in the first-floor lookout). The rooms are fresh and individually decorated. Tennis, croquet, golf. Under new management. Coast Road, Littlestone, New Romney, Kent, TN28 8QY

Abbey

This characterful, rather imposing hotel overlooking Penzance harbour and St Michael’s Mount continues to exert its many charms. Set in a building dating back to 1660, the Abbey contains antiques and curios in abundance, yet retains the intimate feel of a private home. Lovely walled garden. Under new management. Abbey St, Penzance, Cornwall TR18 4AR.

The Seafood Restaurant/St Petroc’s Hotel/ Rick Stein’s Café

Choose from one of three places, all friendly and stylish, and all owned by chef Rick Stein. The best rooms (Nos 5 and 6 have estuary views) are above his famous fish restaurant; St Petroc’s is a proper hotel; rooms above the café are the least expensive. Padstow, Cornwall PL28 8BY

Ringlestone Inn

An ‘ale house’ since 1615, Ringlestone Inn is today affably run by Mike Millington Buck and his daughter. They offer comfortable rooms in the converted farmhouse opposite. Hearty pies and English country wines are the specialities of the restaurant, which comprises several intimate dining areas. Ringlestone, Maidstone, Kent ME17 1NX.

Bark House

Interesting newcomer in lovely Exe Valley, simple yet intimate, with innovative food served in the candlelit dining room. Oakfordbridge, nr Bampton, Devon EX16 9HZ.

Old Vicarage

Central but peaceful Tudor-Georgian family-run B&B. Breakfast is a highlight: home-made scones and jams. 66 Church Square, Rye, East Sussex TN31 7HF.

Driftwood Hotel

Stylish yet comfortable haven in whitewashed, refurbished family house. Good restaurant with spectacular views of Cornish coast. Rosevine, nr Portscatho, Cornwall TR2 5EW.

Ennys Beautiful

17thC manor house with grounds that lead to the River Hayle, where you can walk and picnic. Exemplary B&B. Trewhella Lane, St Hilary, Penzance, Cornwall TR20 9BZ.

St Enodoc

This child-friendly seaside holiday hotel, with slate roof and pebbledash walls, is typical of the area, and has splendid views across the Camel estuary. Its breezy interior suits the location perfectly: bright colours, painted furniture, modern art. Golf, surfing, sailing, fishing. Rock, Wadebridge, Cornwall PL27 6LA

Stone House

Peter and Jane Dunn’s ancestral home is a fine 16th-century manor with graceful interior. Of the seven sumptuous bedrooms, two have antique four-posters and huge bathrooms. Jane cooks elegant dinners, and produces picnics for Glyndebourne. Other attractions: log fires, shooting, billiards, woodland walks, croquet. Rushlake Green, Heathfield, East Sussex TN21 9QJ.

Crugsillick Manor

Elegant Queen Anne manor in a sheltered hollow on the lovely Roseland Peninsula. Owners the Barstows treat you as their house guests (communal candlelit dinners) but know when privacy is required. The drawing room has a ceiling moulded by Napoleonic prisoners. Picnic hampers available for lunch. Ruanhighlanes, nr St Mawes, Truro, Cornwall TR2 5LJ.

Jeake’s House

The 17th-century building makes a fitting B&B in picture-perfect Rye: beamed bedrooms, furnished with brass or mahogany bedsteads, lace bedspreads and antiques, look out over rooftops or over Romney Marsh. There is a comfortable book-lined sitting room and bar; breakfast is taken in a galleried former chapel. Mermaid Street, Rye, East Sussex TN31 7ET.

Walletts Court

Handsome old manor. Smart period or more modern bedrooms; pool, spa. Westcliffe, St Margaret’s at Cliffe, Dover, Kent CT15 6EW.

Seaview

Popular seaside hotel and local watering hole, run with care and bonhomie. High St, Seaview, Isle of Wight PO34 5EX.

St Martin’s

Welcoming holiday hotel in a superb, remote location. Modern, built of local stone, with comfortable bedrooms. St Martin’s, Isles of Scilly TR25 0QW.

Innsacre

Peaceful farmhouse set amongst hills and orchards. French country-style bedrooms; secluded terrace; imaginative set dinners. Shipton Gorge, Bridport, Dorset DT6 4LJ

Well House

Victorian hilltop house built by a teaplanter in 1894, obviously with no expense spared. The mood is calm and stylish, although a few more personal touches – such as books and current magazines – would be welcome. What stands out is the food and the impressive wine list. Convenient for the Eden Project. St Keyne, Liskeard, Cornwall PL14 4RN.

Sandgate

This hotel/restaurant stands on land that is as close to France as it is possible to be without actually being there. Ten minutes’ drive from the Channel Tunnel, overlooking the sea, the Sandgate has traditionally been staffed by a charming, mainly French team. Try to get a room with sea view, and book dinner. Under new management. The Esplanade, Sandgate, Folkestone, Kent CT20 3DY.

Tresanton

Owned by Olga Polizzi, daughter of hotelier Lord Forte, this much-vaunted hotel marries cool city sophistication with Cornish character. The cluster of cottages, built on different levels, overlooks the unspoilt town and the sea. Yacht, watersports available. Excellent food and service, but very expensive. 27 Lower Castle Rd, St Mawes, Cornwall TR2 5DR

La Sablonnerie

A long, low, 16th-century farmhouse at the southern tip of traffic-free Sark, this is the Channel Islands’ sweetest hotel, and the one serving the best food. Guests return year after year for utter peace and lovely scenery. There are no phones or TVs in the rooms; instead, each has a vase of flowers and bowl of fruit, and crisp linen on the comfy beds. Little Sark, Sark, Channel Islands GY9 OSD

Plumber Manor

A relaxed restaurant with cosy rooms, in a handsome Jacobean manor. The fish is superb, and the desserts tempting. Sturminster Newton, Dorset DT10 2AF.

Island

Smoothly run hotel on this charming privately owned island. Public rooms have huge picture windows onto the sea. Tresco, Isles of Scilly TR24 0PU.

Castle

Castellated, wisteria-clad site of Judge Jeffreys’ Bloody Assize. Pricey, acclaimed British cooking. Best rooms overlook garden. Castle Green, Taunton, Somerset TA1 1NF

Cridford Inn

Admire a Saxon mosaic in the oldest house in Devon, a cosy thatched inn run by a friendly young pair. Trusham, Teign Valley, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ13 0NR.

Priory Bay

Stylish decor and contemporary cuisine are successfully married with a relaxed ambience to suit both families and romantic couples. The eclectic house embraces many periods, including a Georgian muralled dining room and a French Gothic porch. A highlight is the private beach, with beach bar in summer. Priory Drive, Seaview, Isle of Wight PO34 5BU.

Orestone Manor

Rudyard Kipling lived just up the road from this grand, colonial-style manor house on the English Riviera, high above Lyme Bay. Outside, large conservatory and palm trees on the lawn; inside, Indian fabrics and Oriental prints. New proprietors Rose and Mark Ashton welcome you like old friends. Excellent food. Rockhouse Lane, Maidencombe, Torquay, Devon TQ1 4SX.

Bowlish House

Recently taken over by Darren Carter and Jason Goy, and currently undergoing major restoration work, Bowlish House feels relaxed and homelike, despite the fine Georgian mansion’s august air. The dining room makes a popular local restaurant. The unobtrusive bedrooms have large bathrooms. Wells Road, Shepton Mallet, Somerset BA4 5JD.

Hotel du Vin

A faded but grand hotel became the second Hotel du Vin (see page 92). This one has more space and period features than the first but similarly stylish bedooms and bathrooms. It also has the same friendly, efficient service and buzzing bistro, down to the hop garlands, the sunny food and the world-class sommelier. Crescent Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 2LY.

Percy’s

Elegant country hotel occupying a Devon longhouse. Every comfort is provided, in rural surroundings. Coombeshead Estate, Virginstow, Okehampton, Devon EX21 5EA

Priory

Former priory on River Frome. Some bedrooms are in the old boathouse. NChurch Green, Wareham, Dorset BH20 4ND.

Wartling Place

Georgian house in 2 acres of gardens, run as a sophisticated guest-house. Wartling, Herstmonceux, East Sussex BN27 1RY.

Bishopstrow House

Swish Georgian mansion with state-of-the-art health spa and much more. Six fantastic suites, but other rooms are small. Warminster, Wilts BA12 9HH.

Hooke Hall

In the centre of Uckfield, this elegant Queen Anne townhouse makes a smart, yet informal hotel. Public rooms and bedrooms (some named after famous lovers) are decorated with designer fabrics by owner Juliet Percy. Despite the homely atmosphere, there are such unexpected accoutrements as trouser presses. 250 High Street, Uckfield, East Sussex TN22 1EN.

Wykeham Arms

Plain outside, but convivial within. Guests tuck into top-notch pub food, washed down by real ales and an impressive selection of wines. Cosy, low-ceilinged bedrooms upstairs; less characterful but smarter ones in the annexe across the road. 75 Kingsgate Street, Winchester, Hampshire SO23 9PE.

Hotel du Vin

The owners of this extremely popular modern-day hostelry wrought a miracle when they took over a dowdy town centre hotel. Stylish but unpretentious, its heart is the bustling Bistro (be sure to book), serving zesty food and excellent but affordable wines. The elegant bedrooms are sponsored by wine companies. Southgate Street, Winchester, Hampshire SO23 9EF.

George Hotel

The carefully restored former 17th-century governor’s residence sits in the centre of this breezy and historic little harbour town. It has much to recommend it, including a panelled sitting room and elegant bedrooms. The amiable brasserie, where lunch is served all week, is preferable to the sombre dining room. Yarmouth, Isle of Wight PO41 OPE

Hotel Continental

Breezy, youthful, Deco-style hotel, plus six simple, gaily decorated fisherman’s huts for a bit of seaside fun. 29 Beach Walk, Whitstable, Kent CT5 2BP.

Old House

A Georgian house in an ancient market square. Contemporary comfort with award-winning restaurant. The Square, Wickham, Hampshire PO17 5JG. Map p75 D5

Royal Oak

Village pub transformed into a suave, sophisticated and pricey restaurant and buzzing brasserie; attractive bedrooms upstairs. The Square, Yattendon, Tatcham, Berkshire RG18 0UG.

White House

Comfortable house with pretty courtyard garden run for 30 years by the affable Smiths. They have a passion for good food and wine: their list has won awards. 11 Long St, Williton, Somerset TA4 4QW