They’re back – and there is room at the inn (even in Cornwall)
With British hotels reopening on Monday, we pick 20 great places to stay for an early summer treat
The wait is finally over: hotels can fling open their doors from tomorrow. And oh, how we’ve missed them. Although self-catering properties have valiantly filled the void for the past month, the excitement and indulgence of a good hotel stay simply can’t be beaten.
As expected there’s been a rush on bookings, but if you didn’t get in there early, don’t panic: there are still a number of fabulous options across the country for stays this month and next, even in Cornwall (and see our guide to bagging last-minute cancellations at telegraph.co.uk/tt-hotelhacks). Here are 20 top choices.
SEASIDE SPOTS THE IDLE ROCKS St Mawes, Cornwall
When St Mawes was being touted as Britain’s answer to St Tropez in the 1940s, the Idle Rocks Hotel was the beating heart of that riviera scene. The Victorian hotel has since been reopened to become one of the smartest hotels in Cornwall – though it’s familyfriendly, too. It’s set on the waterfront of pretty St Mawes, with a suntrap of a terrace above the water where lobster, oysters and champagne are served under parasols. Upstairs, rooms are fresh, light
and seaside chic, decorated with local artworks and antiques. Consider its sister property, the St Mawes Hotel, too. Doubles from £220; idlerocks.com
GARA ROCK Devon
Rising dramatically above an empty stretch of golden sand, Gara Rock is a clifftop sanctuary that’s all windswept romance. Design-wise it’s rustic-coastal chic, with architecture that brings the outside in, giving sweeping views of the blue Atlantic and craggy coast stretching out either side, from the restaurant, the spa pool and the gorgeous suites. This is the kind of luxury that’s laidback, child and dog-friendly, but best of all is the location, above Gara Rock beach, accessible only on foot or by boat – unless you’re staying here.
Doubles from £589; gararock.com
HELL BAY HOTEL Bryher, Isles of Scilly
A jaunt in the Isles of Scilly might be the closest thing we’ll get to a private-island escape for a while. The hotel feels remote, set on a shore of sleepy little Bryher island facing the Atlantic Ocean, with beaches and gardens to run wild in. Rooms are in a collection of wooden clapboard houses, each with its own entrance. In warmer months, the hotel’s Crab Shack pops up, serving wine and super-fresh crab beside the shore; but year round the hotel restaurant has a focus on hyper-local seafood.
Doubles from £135; hellbay.co.uk
LYMPSTONE MANOR Exmouth, Devon
A Georgian country-house hotel overlooking the Exe and serving Michelinstarred food created by the owner Michael Caines. The dishes change with the seasons, and the eight-course tasting menu is a showcase for Caines’ clever, creative cooking. He’s been clever in the design, too, bringing the colours of the valley into the interiors, which are five-star glamorous. Doubles from £444; lympstonemanor. co.uk
BIKE & BOOT Scarborough, North Yorkshire
Head up to Scarborough for a blast of sea air at this forward-thinking hotel geared towards surfers, cyclists and walkers. There’s even an area to clean your boots, store your boards and wash your dogs. After a day out and about, return to the hotel for complimentary cake and hot drinks. In the evenings, there are film screenings, board games aplenty and a buzzy vibe in the Bareca restaurant, which serves craft ales and Mediterranean sharing platters. Rooms
are reasonably priced but still thoughtfully designed with vintage Scarborough posters and quirky light fittings; many also have sea views.
Doubles from £65; bikeandboot.com
THE CARY ARMS Babbacombe Beach, Devon
This 17th-century seaside inn, overlooking Babbacombe Bay’s turquoise waters, has blossomed from humble pub into five-star resort, despite having the appearance of a low-key village. There’s a spa, sophisticated restaurant where lobster features heavily, and various cottages and beach huts have been added. It’s dog-friendly, too.
Doubles from £295; caryarms.co.uk
CARBIS BAY ESTATE Cornwall
As if Carbis Bay Hotel’s location wasn’t glorious enough – right above the pale sands of one of Cornwall’s prettiest bays – then came a series of beach lodges, right on the beach itself. Depending on what kind of break you want, you can stay in the main house where rooms are grand and grown-up, or go for the new beach lodges, which are contemporary and ideal for families and groups of friends, with three or four bedrooms, a kitchen and hot tub on the terrace. Doubles from £290; carbisbayhotel.co.uk
RIVER COTTAGE FARMHOUSE Devon
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s River Cottage is a bucolic bolthole overlooking the Axe valley on the Devon-Dorset border. It’s beautiful, outside and in (three stylish Scandi-chic bedrooms, with painted floorboards, sheepskins and sustainably handcrafted furniture). But, of course, it’s the food you come for. River Cottage is a celebration of sustainability and seasonality, with everything sourced locally or on the estate and four-course feasts served in the delightfully restored barn.
Doubles from £130; rivercottage.net
ROUND ABOUT TOWN ARTIST RESIDENCE Brighton
Bohemian Brighton is the perfect antidote to the mundanity of lockdown. The original Artist Residence (since joined by outposts in London, Oxfordshire, Cornwall and soon Bristol) leans into the city’s creative feel with original artwork and graffiti on the walls. Of the 25 individually designed rooms, the best has a freestanding copper bath and a little balcony you can climb out on to. For families, there’s a new sea-view apartment with bedroom, bunk room and open plan kitchen/living space. Doubles from £130; artistresidence.co.uk
THE UNIVERSITY ARMS Cambridge
Cambridge’s oldest hotel (opened in 1834) was reimagined as the University Arms in 2018 with a no-expense-spared £80million injection. As the name suggests, the university is referenced at every turn, from the Cambridge blue walls to Parker’s Tavern restaurant, a glossy take on a college dining hall. Be sure to book a table at this British bistro for beef-dripping toast and a daily changing pie. The studious style continues in the rooms, which are all stocked with a few books from Cambridge luminaries. Bicycles are available to borrow if you want to explore the city like a student. Doubles from £200; universityarms.com
HENRIETTA HOTEL London
Though many are rushing out of town, a capital staycation this year offers more reasonable rates and a chance to explore without the crowds. Take Covent Garden’s Henrietta Hotel, a minute from
the usually packed piazza. Décor is playful, with statement multi-layered headboards and art-deco bathrooms. New for this summer is a relaxed restaurant inspired by Italy’s west coast.
Doubles from £250; henriettahotel.com
THE MITRE Hampton Court
If you don’t fancy central London itself, try the Mitre outside, a new venture from Hector Ross, the old old Beaverbrook boss. This revamped riverside hotel opposite Hampton Court Palace impresses with individually designed rooms (some with vintage tennis rackets; others hand-painted wallpaper). Order rock oysters and a crab toastie at the 1665 brasserie, or the hotel can arrange for a picnic along the Thames. Doubles from £150; mitrehamptoncourt.com
SCOTTISH ESCAPES GLENEAGLES, Auchterarder, Perthshire
There are few places more enticing than Gleneagles, that grand resort with art-deco flair. With 850 acres to roam and a range of country pursuits to try, you’ll need a few days to explore. To tempt you further, this summer the hotel is offering 20 per cent off stays of three nights or more, along with al-fresco foodie pop-ups, garden games on the lawn, picnics by the loch and whisky nights around a roaring fire pit.
Doubles from £380; gleneagles.com
CROMLIX, Perthshire
The tennis champ Andy Murray turned his backhand to hospitality when he bought Cromlix a few years ago. The imposing Victorian mansion, in the countryside outside Murray’s hometown of Dunblane, had seen better days, but Murray has spiffed it up in lairdly style (with minimal tartan upholstery), installed Albert Roux in the restaurant (now overseen by his son Michel) and turned Cromlix into one of Scotland’s best country-house hotels.
Doubles from £369; cromlix.com