This week The Times and The Sunday Times reveals its definitive list of the 50 Best Places to Stay from across the UK.
The guide will be available on Monday 9th March via the online interactive guide and as a supplement within the newspaper on Sunday 15th March.
The Royal George in Tintern, Monmouthshire is named the best place to stay in Wales by The Times and The Sunday Times. The guide says a “revamp of the rooms and an impressive new restaurant are set to put it on the tourist map”.
The judges praise its 20 snug rooms and restaurant, which are “decked out in earthy greens and oranges in a nod to the Wye Valley’s forests. The new Upper Deck restaurant is well worth planning a stay around.”
The guide is split into ten regions: London, Southeast, Southwest, Central, East, North & Northeast, Northwest, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland. With writers from The Times and The Sunday Times travelling from the Scottish Highlands to the coasts of Cornwall, and bustling boroughs to coaching inns hidden away in the deep countryside, there’s something for every taste, budget and location.
There are also winners in five different categories; Foodie, Family-friendly, Great value, Grown-up getaway, and Pubs with rooms.
The guide focuses on the things that really matter; hotels with the essentials of comfort, great service and value, as well as personality and warmth.
Claire Irvin, Head of Travel of The Times and The Sunday Times, says;
“The highly anticipated unveiling of this year’s Best Places To Stay awards arrives like a breath of much-needed fresh air. It lands amid the tremors of global uncertainty and a winter that has felt uniquely, relentlessly grey. This list is as celebratory as the judging was uncompromising; our criteria remain fixed, even as our readers’ focus on genuine value sharpens. And while what constitutes ‘affordable’ and ‘worth it’ is subjective, in a world of rising costs, we know that every break must do more than simply tempt you – it must unequivocally earn its place on your calendar. But it helps that 22 out of the 50 come in at or under £200.
Our readers are fortunate enough to enjoy multiple escapes a year, yet they are savvy enough to know that UK hospitality is becoming an increasingly expensive indulgence. When,even in turbulent times, international destinations are so easily reached, home-grown hotels have to fight harder for your attention. Fortunately, they are meeting that challenge with creativity, ingenuity, passion and brilliance. While the rates vary, every entry shares a singular commitment to the excellence that your time – and your investment – demands.”
Jenny Coad, Associate Travel Editor of The Times and The Sunday Times, added:
“It’s been an exciting year for UK hotel openings – London continues to lead the charge with such luxury offerings as The Newman and Six Senses. But Scotland is thriving too – so much so it’s the home of our winner, Ardbeg House on Islay – though all five of the Scottish hotels in the list are gorgeous. The days of boring beige interiors are behind us too. And in their place is character and wonder – take the room with runaway knitted crabs at Ardbeg House or the lino prints of legendary Fitzrovians at the Newman. Hoteliers are properly investing in art and it shows. The result is a raft of uplifting and inspiring places to stay”.
Lizzie Frainier, Associate Travel Editor of The Times and The Sunday Times, commented:
“I’ve loved seeing how countryside hotels across the UK are upping their game this year offering experiences that will really help you to unwind. The addition of saunas to the offering is a clear trend, from the glorious wood-fired one with valley views at family-run B&B Glebe House in Devon to another overlooking the lake at new hotel-slash-members’ club Crafted at Powdermills in East Sussex. Fowlsecombe Farm in Devon also stood out for their all-inclusive rates, which mean you can really relax into the stay whether that means playing a boardgame by the fire, taking part in a yoga class in the greenhouse, or tucking into the four-course seasonal menu (with many ingredients sourced from their own farm) at dinner.”
