15 Exceptional Design Hotels in England That Stand Out

The Nags Head Hotel is a 4-star 15th-century inn positioned a 10-minute walk from Great Missenden, making it a practical base for exploring the Chilterns AONB while remaining connected to London via the Underground to Amersham. Each en suite room is individually designed - several feature original exposed timber beams alongside contemporary fittings - and all look out onto open Buckinghamshire countryside or the hotel's own large garden. The kitchen holds an AA Rosette and serves Anglo-French fusion cuisine using locally sourced ingredients, a meaningful distinction from the standard pub-food offer of comparable-priced inns. The bar stocks real ales and centres on an impressive open fire, making it a genuinely atmospheric evening space. Nearby, the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre adds a cultural anchor for families and literary visitors.

• AA Rosette Anglo-French fusion restaurant with local sourcing
• Individually designed rooms with original 15th-century timber beams
• Free Wi-Fi and countryside garden views throughout

Red Lion Hotel By Greene King Inns occupies a central Fareham position with direct M27 access - making it a strong choice for guests visiting Portsmouth's Historic Dockyard (a 10-minute drive) or using the nearby ferry port without paying Portsmouth's premium hotel rates. The 18th-century coaching inn character is preserved in the leather-sofa bar with real ales, while rooms are traditionally furnished with TV, free Wi-Fi, and ironing facilities. Fareham Shopping Centre sits immediately adjacent, and the town's restaurants and shops are within a 10-minute walk. Family rooms are available, making this a practical option for groups visiting the south Hampshire coast.

• Free parking with direct M27 motorway access
• 10-minute drive to Portsmouth Historic Dockyard and ferry port
• Family rooms with full breakfast included

Himley House By Chef & Brewer Collection sits alongside the A449 with easy access to Wolverhampton, Stourbridge, and Dudley - making it an efficient base for business travellers operating across the West Midlands without the cost or congestion of central Birmingham accommodation. The 23 en suite bedrooms feature flat-screen TVs, tea and coffee facilities, free Wi-Fi, and hairdryers throughout. Local attractions include Dudley Zoo and Castle, the Black Country Museum, and the West Midlands Safari Park, giving leisure guests a strong cultural and outdoor programme. A function room handles weddings and conferences, and facilities for disabled guests are included.

• A449 location with direct access to Wolverhampton, Dudley, and Stourbridge
• Facilities for disabled guests throughout the property
• Adjacent to Black Country Museum, Dudley Zoo, and West Midlands Safari Park

The Old Bell Inn is a 14th-century coaching inn in Warminster town centre, with Warminster railway station just a 5-minute walk away - one of the more accessible rural design properties in Wiltshire for train travellers. Rooms include private bathrooms with bath or shower, flat-screen TVs, and fresh linens, while breakfast uses local Wiltshire ingredients across a full English and lighter options. Historic Bath is just 30 minutes by car, and Salisbury lies 21 miles south, making this inn a practical dual-destination base. The historic pub serves traditional and modern dishes for lunch and dinner, and family rooms are available for groups.

• 5-minute walk from Warminster railway station
• 30-minute drive to Bath, 21 miles from Salisbury Cathedral
• Full English breakfast with locally sourced Wiltshire ingredients

The Vestry sits in Chichester city centre, 300 metres from Chichester Cathedral and a 5-minute walk from the Tudor Market Cross - making it one of the most centrally positioned stays in West Sussex for guests without a car. Individually styled rooms include private modern bathrooms, TVs, and tea and coffee facilities, with select options featuring super king-size beds or corner baths. The bar operates until 3am on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights with live music, which creates an energetic atmosphere - but guests seeking quiet early nights should note this clearly before booking. Free parking and free Wi-Fi are included, rare for a central UK city location at this price point.

• 300 metres from Chichester Cathedral and Pallant House Art Gallery
• Free parking included in central Chichester - unusual for this location
• Rooms with corner baths and super king-size beds available

Dartbridge Inn By Greene King Inns sits on the edge of Dartmoor National Park just off the A38, positioned next to the River Dart with a leafy terrace and open fires that define the interior atmosphere. Bedrooms include free Wi-Fi, private modern bathrooms, tea and coffee facilities, and some rooms offer scenic Dart valley views or characterful sloping ceilings typical of traditional Devon inn architecture. Totnes is a 10-minute drive, Paignton's coast is reachable in 20 minutes, and free on-site parking makes this a strong driving-holiday anchor. The kitchen serves classic British cuisine with seasonal specials alongside real cask ales.

• Edge-of-Dartmoor location with River Dart terrace setting
• 10-minute drive to Totnes, 20 minutes to Paignton coast
• Open fires, real cask ales, and free parking on site

The Briar Court Hotel occupies a convenient West Yorkshire Pennines position just off the M62 - making it a well-connected base for guests navigating between Leeds, Manchester, and Huddersfield without the cost of city-centre accommodation. The standout feature is Da Sandro Pizzeria Ristorante, the hotel's own authentic Italian restaurant where pizzas are cooked in a visible log-burning oven - an unusual and genuinely appealing food offer for a 3-star regional property. All en suite rooms include flat-screen TVs with Freeview, free Wi-Fi, and tea and coffee facilities, while family rooms and facilities for disabled guests are available. Free parking, room service, and a superb breakfast round out a practical, well-priced package.

• On-site Da Sandro Italian restaurant with log-burning pizza oven
• M62 junction access connecting Leeds, Manchester, and Huddersfield
• Family rooms, disabled facilities, room service, and free parking included

Saracens Head Hotel By Greene King Inns carries genuine literary provenance - this 400-year-old Towcester inn featured in Charles Dickens' The Pickwick Papers - and sits on a Roman road just 5 minutes' walk from Towcester Racecourse and 10 minutes' drive from Silverstone Circuit. Rooms are traditionally furnished with private bathrooms, TVs, free Wi-Fi, and tea and coffee facilities. Stoke Bruerne canal village is a 10-minute drive away, offering narrowboat scenery and historic waterway heritage for guests building a Northamptonshire itinerary. Food runs all day across the split-level lounge bar, from steaks and fish and chips to contemporary options.

• 10-minute drive from Silverstone Circuit - key for motorsport event stays
• Featured in Charles Dickens' The Pickwick Papers - genuine historic provenance
• All-day dining with room service and free parking included

Hilton Garden Inn Manchester Emirates Old Trafford is built into the Emirates Old Trafford Cricket Ground - home of Lancashire County Cricket Club - giving most rooms a private balcony overlooking the world-famous pitch, a setting no other Manchester hotel can replicate. Old Trafford Football Stadium (Manchester United) is half a mile away, and Manchester city centre is reachable in around 20 minutes by public transport or 20 minutes' drive. The 250 bedrooms feature free Wi-Fi, air conditioning, in-room safes, fridges, Sky Sports satellite channels, and work desks - a strong business-travel configuration alongside the sporting setting. The Edge restaurant delivers a full hot and cold breakfast buffet daily, and on-site parking is available subject to availability.

• Balcony rooms overlooking Lancashire Cricket Club's Emirates Old Trafford pitch
• Half a mile from Manchester United's Old Trafford Football Stadium
• Air conditioning, Sky Sports, fridge, and in-room safe in all rooms

Cave Castle Hotel is a historic manor house set within parkland and woodland in East Yorkshire, with over 350 years of history expressed through original stone turrets, period features, and a wooded entrance drive that establishes the tone before check-in. Three restaurants offer varying culinary styles, and the health club - available as an add-on at check-in - includes a swimming pool, gym, sauna, steam room, and jacuzzi. Guests can choose between contemporary and traditionally styled rooms, with the latter carrying original architectural detail. Two swimming pools and a full spa and wellness centre make this one of the most comprehensively equipped country house properties in Yorkshire. Note that weekend wedding and event functions can generate noise until around 1am.

• Two swimming pools, sauna, steam room, jacuzzi, and full spa on site
• Three on-site restaurants with parkland and woodland setting
• Original stone turrets and period manor features throughout the property

The George Hotel Of Stamford stands on the site of a medieval inn with 1,000 years of documented history - original gateways, passageways, and chapel remains form the architectural fabric of one of England's most distinguished coaching inns. The boutique-style bedrooms are individually designed with modern art, rich fabrics, and luxurious bathrooms, plus Sky Sports TVs and free Wi-Fi. The oak-panelled restaurant serves a creative modern menu, complemented by an outstanding wine list and real ales in the York Bar. Burghley House Estate - one of England's greatest Elizabethan houses - is a 5-minute drive away, and Rutland Water is under 20 minutes, making the cultural and outdoor programme around Stamford exceptional.

• 1,000 years of documented history with original medieval gateways and passageways
• Oak-panelled fine dining restaurant with award-recognised wine list
• 5-minute drive to Burghley House, 20 minutes to Rutland Water

Broome Park Hotel is a substantial private estate near Canterbury in Barham, built around a 17th-century main house that contains the Peacock Restaurant - featuring an antique crystal chandelier - and the Kitchener Bar. Accommodation ranges from rooms in the historic main house (Deluxe, Junior Suite, and 2-Bedroom Suite) to well-equipped two-bedroom woodland cabin apartments with full kitchens and two bathrooms, giving genuine flexibility for groups and families. A full championship golf course runs through the estate grounds, with hotel guest discounts, alongside squash, tennis, croquet, snooker, and a gym. Canterbury - a UNESCO World Heritage city with fast rail links to London St Pancras - is just minutes away.

• Championship golf course on the estate with hotel guest discounts
• Woodland cabin apartments with full kitchens and two bathrooms for group stays
• Peacock Restaurant with antique crystal chandelier and countryside views

Nottingham Belfry Hotel & Spa is part of the well-regarded Belfry collection and offers a spa and leisure-focused stay in the Nottingham area - a strong choice for guests seeking a design-conscious property with wellness facilities in the East Midlands. The hotel is well-positioned for exploring Nottingham's rich heritage, including Nottingham Castle, the historic Lace Market district, and Sherwood Forest. As a spa hotel, it caters to guests looking to combine city access with on-site relaxation facilities, making it suitable for both weekend retreats and business trips requiring downtime.

• Spa and wellness facilities positioning it above standard East Midlands hotel options
• Access to Nottingham Castle, the Lace Market, and Sherwood Forest
• Part of the established Belfry hotel collection

Cambridge Belfry Hotel & Spa sits in Cambourne, 8 miles west of Cambridge, offering an indoor swimming pool, gym, tennis court, spa with sauna and steam room, and lake views - a configuration that outperforms any comparable central Cambridge hotel for leisure depth. Stylish modern rooms include free Wi-Fi, tea and coffee facilities, and TVs, while The Bridge Bar and Restaurant provides relaxed on-site dining. The M11 junction is 6 miles away, connecting quickly to Duxford Imperial War Museum and the American War Cemetery - significant cultural drawcards for international visitors. Family rooms and free parking make this a practical Cambridge-area base for guests who prioritise space and facilities over walking distance to King's College.

• Indoor swimming pool, spa, sauna, steam room, and tennis court on site
• Lake views with M11 access to Duxford Imperial War Museum
• Family rooms and free parking included - rare at this facility level near Cambridge

Pedn-Olva sits directly on a rugged rock formation above Porthminster Beach in St Ives, with every room delivering sea views over the Celtic Sea and St Ives Bay - a setting that makes it Cornwall's most scenically positioned design hotel in this guide. The restaurant serves a seasonal menu built around local Cornish produce and fresh fish, and the bar terrace doubles as a contemporary art space featuring local work alongside a selection of Cornish ales and fair-trade coffee. Tate St Ives is a 15-minute walk along the coastal path, making this property genuinely walkable to one of Britain's most important contemporary art galleries. Compact room sizes are the honest trade-off for the clifftop location, but the private modern bathrooms and stylish decoration ensure quality is maintained.

• Beachfront clifftop position on Porthminster Beach with Celtic Sea views from all rooms
• 15-minute coastal walk to Tate St Ives gallery
• Seasonal restaurant using fresh Cornish fish and local produce