Now in its 48th year, The Good Hotel Guide, has released its latest collection of top recommended hotel destinations, including the cream of the crop – the 20 winners of their prestigious 2025 César awards. Named after the famous Swiss hotelier César Ritz, the awards showcase the hotels, inns and B&Bs considered outstanding in their particular category and nominated by those who have visited them.
Here are The Good Hotel Guide’s top 20 award-winning hotels in the UK to visit in the new year.
The Cookie Jar, Northumberland
Best in Cities & Towns
In an architecturally inspiring building that was once the Convent of Mercy, The Cookie Jar is an 11-bedroom hotel with an abundance of charm. In the historic town of Alnwick in Northumberland, the hotel is the brainchild of husband and wife team Debbie and Robert Cook, former chief executive of Malmaison and Hotel du Vin. Elegantly renovated, it has 11 luxurious rooms and suites filled with plush furnishings and heritage colours. The Chapel Suite is a real favourite special, complete with a copper bath under a stained glass window.
Tŷ Mawr, Carmarthenshire
Best Country House Hotel
Tŷ Mawr sits in the charming village of Brechfa, just outside Carmarthenshire in the Welsh countryside. The retreat’s fast growing reputation for wonderful food stretches far and wide, along with much appreciation for its warm welcomes, and enchanting 17-century architecture. Dog friendly, and endlessly helpful, there are torches and binoculars to use. They will also dry wet walking clothes while you enjoy seasonal menus and cosy spaces.
The Terrace, Isle of Wight
Best B&B
An exquisite Italianate Victorian villa overlooking the promenade in Ventnor, The Terrace is a B&B with a twist. It has six beautiful rooms, all with sea views. Owners Ashley and Tom have put enormous energy and care into renovating the guesthouse, including adding a small wine shop. All stays include a wine tasting, with access to their incredible 900-bottle wine cellar, while rooms have a wine fridge and beach towels rather than a robe and slippers.
The Howard Arms, Warwickshire
Best Pub
In 2015, The Howard Arms was on the brink of closing, when two local families stepped in to restore the traditional village pub. Today, they have done a beautiful job, turning it into an award-winning destination for food and drink, and a Cotswold stay. In the village of Ilmington, it has eight cosy bedrooms decorated with its proud heritage in mind. It features a welcoming log fire and the lure of a proper pint along with a menu of top-quality pub favourites.
The Collective at Woolsery, Devon
Best Foodie
Located in the pretty village of Woolsery, The Collective at Woolsery is a Devon foodie favourite, and home to a variety of experiences. Within its ranks it has the Farmers Arms gastropub, a gourmet fish and chip shop, a 150-acre farm providing much of the produce they serve, and beautifully designed bedrooms and cottages. As if that wasn’t enough, it also has its own corner shop and post office.
Hotel Endsleigh, Devon
Best Romantic Hotel
Originally created as a summer home for Georgiana, Duchess of Bedford, Hotel Endsleigh is a multi award-winning country house hotel, owned by celebrated interior designer Olga Polizzi. Located on the River Tamar, it’s characteristically stylish and brimming with history, with sumptuous rooms. Its picture perfect gardens are a particular feature, with their enchanting woodlands, follies and grottoes.
Bodysgallen Hall, Conwy
Best for Gardens
An ancient mansion, Bodysgallen Hall and Spa in Wales is friendly and welcoming. Set in over 200 acres of majestic parkland, it enjoys views of Snowdonia and Conwy Castle. The 17th century retreat is owned by the National Trust and boasts beautiful gardens including a walled rose garden, several follies, a rare 17th-century parterre of box hedges and herbs, a woodland walk leading to a gothic tower and another to a mountain-top obelisk. Inside, it is all original fireplaces, fresh flowers and leather-bound books. There’s also a spa offering space to relax and unwind.
Lime Wood, Hampshire
Best Spa
Famously luxurious, Lime Wood is a five-star hotel in the New Forest with an established reputation for wellbeing. Known for nurturing the natural landscape in which it sits, the hotel is the perfect combination of rural beauty, heritage architecture and modern hospitality, all just a 90-minute drive from London. Surrounded by ancient woodland, the hotel’s reputation is further enhanced thanks to its culinary prowess, with food served by celebrated chefs Angela Hartnett and Luke Holder. The Herb House Spa, set within the grounds, is an attraction in its own right, surrounded by forest and complete with a variety of features including a sauna with wooded views and yoga on the roof.
Mill End Hotel, Devon
Best for Dogs
With the River Teign running through the garden, walks from the door, a warm ambience and plenty of good food, Mill End Hotel on Dartmoor prides itself on welcoming guests and their four-legged friends. It also boasts a selection of dog-friendly rooms and dining areas, together with a special treat box and personalised Mill End collar tag is presented to each four-legged guest upon arrival.
The Castle, Shropshire
Best for Walkers
Set in one of England’s prettiest market towns, The Castle is surrounded by the beautiful South Shropshire Hills, renowned as some of the best walking countryside. The hilltop Georgian coaching inn is known for delivering hospitality that’s second to none, with beautifully designed interiors and hearty gastropub fare. For longer stays you can book the self-catering Gate House, former stables that housed displaced circus elephants in WW2. It’s the perfect place to return to for excellent food and a comfy room, following a strenuous hike.
thecastlehotelbishopscastle.co.uk
The Seaside Boarding House, Burton Bradstock, Dorset
Best Seaside
Light and airy, The Seaside Boarding House invites you to enjoy views over Lyme Bay and Chesil Beach, taking in the spectacular beauty of the Jurassic Coast from the moment you wake up. White-painted, it’s fresh and breezy, and a treat for foodies. It’s dedicated to celebrating simplicity; an ideology that very much extends to their food, which is served under the mantra ‘local when it’s best, British when it’s right, international when it’s called for’. It is therefore apt that with fresh seafood from the adjacent coast and great produce from the surrounding countryside, the celebrated hotel and restaurant really packs a real punch at the dinner table.
Mingary Castle, Highland
Best Restaurant with Rooms
A unique experience, the beautiful Ardnamurchan Estate on the west coast of the Scottish Highlands, is the setting for the 13th-century Mingary Castle. Arrive down a winding single-track road to be greeted by the enormous fortification, which stands proud on a rocky sill washed by the Sound of Mull. Head inside and you’re met with a warm welcome, opulent rooms, and distinctly Scottish interiors. Food is a fine-dining experience with daily changing menus showcasing chef patron Colin Nicholson’s talent of working with local produce and showcasing the best that the Highlands have to offer.
Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons, Oxfordshire
Best Hotel in the South
Created by celebrated chef Raymond Blanc, Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons has stood the test of time since opening in 1984. It was almost immediately awarded two Michelin stars and has held onto them ever since. The 15th-century manor house is surrounded by magnificent gardens where many of the ingredients for meals are grown. The honey-coloured, stone hotel is framed by lavender-lined paths, while interiors are opulent and service is exceptional.
The Blonde Hedgehog
Best Hotel in South West and Channel Islands
A restored former public house and now a small luxury hotel, The Blonde Hedgehog is situated within the cobblestone streets of Saint Anne, on the remote island of Alderney in the Channel Islands. Steeped in history, the retreat is a well-kept secret with deluxe suites and a family-friendly cottage to stay in. Inside, it has been beautifully decorated with unique details in every room as well as melt-in-the-mouth shortbreads waiting for you on arrival. Food is a treat at every meal, whether it’s a butterbean cassoulet at the breakfast buffet, and superb chocolate torte for after dinner dessert.
The White Horse, Brancaster, Norfolk
Best Hotel in East Anglia
Wake to salty sea air and unwind to spectacular sunsets at The White Horse in North Norfolk. Set in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the hotel is a recurring Guide favourite, with its 15 comfortable bedrooms. A haven for walkers and birdwatchers, who delight in the dramatic views and opportunities to explore the marshland and sandy coast, its vast skies are always teeming with bird life. Return to a friendly and relaxed atmosphere and excellent dining thanks to Fran Hartshorne, executive chef, who is passionate about seasonality, working in a kitchen that faces the tidal marsh.
Hambleton Hall, Rutland
Best Hotel in the Midlands
Arguably one of the finest country house hotels in the UK, Hambleton Hall is just a 2.5 hour drive from London, but feels a million miles away. Elaborately decorated and surrounded by exquisitely curated gardens, after more than 40 years of ownership and dedication by Tim and Stefa Hart, it continues to go from strength to strength, set on the peninsula above Rutland Water. Its elegant style and Michelin-starred cuisine are reason enough to visit this majestic hotel.
The Traddock, Yorkshire
Best Hotel in the North
The Traddock is a welcoming country house surrounded by breathtaking scenery in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Homely and warm, the family-run hotel offers quiet rooms, top-quality Yorkshire food and excellent value for money. It’s an extremely popular walking destination, especially if you choose to bring the dog with you – you can embark upon the Three Peaks or the Wainwright walk from Austwick to Crummackdale right from the hotel’s front door. Food, meanwhile, follows the Slow Food Movement with locally sourced ingredients taking centre stage.
Prestonfield, Edinburgh
Best Hotel in Scotland
A glamorous retreat just five minutes from Edinburgh city centre, Prestonfield House is a five-star, 17th-century Baroque mansion surrounded by 20 acres of gardens and located next to the magnificent Arthur’s Seat. It gives the feeling of a secluded country retreat, despite its proximity to the city, and offers theatrical interiors with a deep sense of indulgence – one suite even has its own private turret staircase, a dedicated porter and concierge. Prestonfield’s restaurant, Rhubarb is famous for its inspiring dining from daylight to twilight, renowned as Edinburgh’s most decadent fine-dining restaurant.
Penally Abbey, Pembrokeshire
Best Hotel in Wales
A Gothic house dating back to the 18th-century, Penally Abbey is a family run, 12-bedroom boutique hotel on the coast, just a five-minute drive from Tenby. Decorated by owner and interior designer, Melanie Boissevain, it is peppered with antiques, French market finds, blowsy wallpapers and Persian rugs, delivering a stylish and restful stay in the Pembrokeshire countryside. Close to the coastal path, every inch of it soothes the soul. Tuck into local fare including fresh fish from Tenby Harbour or hand-picked strawberries from the farm down the road, whilst enjoying views over the bay to the Gower peninsula.
Rathmullan House, Co Donegal
Best Hotel in Ireland
A family-run, Georgian hotel on the shores of Lough Swilly in Donegal, Rathmullan House has a three-kilometre beach at the bottom of its garden, where guests have been known to spot dolphins and porpoises going about their day. It’s set in seven acres of wooded grounds, including a walled garden that supplies the kitchen with seasonal produce. This is served along with other local fare, such as fresh fish and seafood caught on the hotel’s doorstep. It’s a tranquil retreat and a beautiful location where you can’t help but unwind.
