It feels like it has been a while coming this year, but summer is finally here. And if it’s the nostalgic sounds and scents of a traditional British summer – birdsong; the knock of mallet on croquet ball; new mown grass; children splashing in the pool; the clink of teacups on a sunny terrace; lapping waves – then it’s in Britain’s spoiling, gracious, characterful and wonderfully varied hotels that you will find them most readily.
Compiled by Telegraph Travel’s Britain experts, who have stayed at, reviewed and rated all these properties, this selection covers every aspect of the land: on the coast of course, but also hotels that are summertime idylls in the countryside, on lakes, on islands, in cities and for families. From castles to inns, hotels set in glorious gardens to ones right on the beach, there is something for everyone, and if the weather misbehaves, you can always retreat – happily – indoors.
COAST
The Scarlet, Newquay, Cornwall
On a bluff above a sandy surfing beach - summer sunsets are sensational. A big range of activities are on offer, from horse-riding on the beach to surf lessons, tree-climbing and coasteering. The reed-fringed, rock-strewn outdoor pool extends from the indoor one, punctuated by two bright scarlet wood-fired hot tubs perched between boulders overlooking the sea. The excellent restaurant serves lunch and dinner from a short menu of classic British and Italian dishes with a modern twist. Doubles from £330.
Read the full review: The Scarlet, Cornwall
Lewinnick Lodge, Newquay, Cornwall
Gob-smacking ocean views are the heart and soul of this cool property, perched on the edge of a cliff on rocky Pentire Head. Whether gazing out of picture windows, or supping prawns and Prosecco on the terrace, it’s all about the sea and the sunsets and the amazing Cornish light. The coast path is on the doorstep with Fistral Beach, Pentire Head and the white dunes of Crantock sands also close by. Doubles from £180.
Read the full review: Lewinnick Lodge, Cornwall
Salcombe Harbour Hotel, Salcombe, Devon
This 50-room luxury spa hotel has a magnificent view of Salcombe bay, with its twinkling seas, sandy beaches and pastel cottages. Now a chic retreat the hotel offers a luxury spa, a private cinema, a stylish restaurant, and outdoor terraces with panoramic bay views. As you’d expect from a coastal hotel, the menu is seafood-heavy, and the offerings are simple and classic. Doubles from £155.
Read the full review: Salcombe Harbour Hotel, Devon
Escape Boutique B&B, Llandudno, Conwy, Wales
The first boutique hotel to come to Llandudno, this design-led property combines the aesthetics of a Wallpaper* photoshoot with the home-from-home welcome of a family-owned b&b. It offers a frisson of style for weekend escapers seeking privacy, and a stylish base for exploring local adrenaline and cultural attractions. Doubles from £80.
Read the full review: Escape Boutique B&B, Llandudno
Idle Rocks, St Mawes, Cornwall
Staying at this stylish, laid-back waterfront inn in chic St Mawes is guaranteed to make you feel like a very cool model in a World of Interiors shoot. Skies and sea often look Mediterranean, and sitting in the bar over a perfectly executed Fizz, it can be hard to believe you are in England. The amazing concierge can advise on beaches, pubs and coastal walks and whether to explore by foot, ferry, RIB or kayak. Doubles from £180.
Read the full review: Idle Rocks, Cornwall
The Cary Arms, Babbacombe, Devon
Set beneath the cliffs on the beach, The Cary Arms’ location is nothing short of spectacular. Rooms are delightful, with retro red leather bed heads, pretty wardrobes and sticks of rock on snow white pillows. Best of all are six new beach huts for overnight stays: luxurious touches abound, including walk-in showers, non-mist bathroom mirrors, soft carpets, White Company toiletries, a Smeg minibar, coffee-maker and sun loungers on the terrace. Doubles from £240.
Read the full review: The Cary Arms, Devon
The Pig on the Beach, Studland, Dorset
The hotel stands in a stunning position overlooking the sea, with the dramatic chalk stacks of Old Harry Rocks in the foreground and the Isle of Wight in the distance. The beach is a five-minute walk away. All the rooms are delightful, many with interesting original features. They employ vintage style fabrics, chandeliers and beautifully dressed beds, with the Pigs’ signature Roberts radios, well-stocked ‘larders’ and excellent bathrooms. Doubles from £235.
Read the full review: The Pig on the Beach, Dorset
Blakeney Hotel, Blakeney, Norfolk
The grande dame of North Norfolk, the Blakeney has been a hotel since 1922. A recent makeover has smartened up public rooms, replacing dark colours with soothing shades of greens, creams and dove greys. While not cutting edge, the effect of the refurbishment is contemporary and stylish, successfully transforming the interiors without alienating its long-standing clientele. Around a dozen rooms have estuary views, some with small balconies. Dogs welcome. Doubles from £170.
Read the full review: Blakeney Hotel, Norfolk
Ynyshir Hall, Machynlleth, Powys, Wales
The location is very peaceful. Queen Victoria acquired the handsome white painted house as a hidden retreat. The undulating grounds are lovely and lead to the RSPB Ynys Hir Nature Reserve at the head of the Dovey estuary. Bedrooms are given the names of famous artists and are loosely themed. The Garden Suites are fabulous: great bedrooms by any standards with cosy sitting rooms and glamorous bathrooms. Doubles from £215.
Read the full review: Ynyshire Hall, Powys
Penally Abbey, Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales
The house has an elevated position in the coastal village of Penally, one mile south of Tenby and with easy access to the Pembrokeshire Coast Path. The 11 bedrooms are lovely and have views over the sea. It’s a pleasure to dine in the restaurant, with its candlelight and white linen tablecloths. The food is enjoyable and the menu might include dishes such as steamed clams or seared salmon fillet. Doubles from £145.
Read the full review: Penally Abbey, Pembrokeshire
Hotel Tresanton, St Mawes, Cornwall
The all-white restaurant and the huge ship’s deck of a terrace are just right for stylish summer dining, with simple but effective menus and excellent breakfasts. Otherwise, you can enjoy Sunday summer barbecues throughout July and August. There is no pool but no matter – instead, meet Pinuccia, the 8-ft resident yacht, which you can sail around Falmouth Bay to the end of September, with the help of the hotel’s skipper. Doubles from £265.
Read the full review: Hotel Tresanton, Cornwall
Anchor Inn, Seatown, Dorset
Sat beyond snaking lanes and tucked between scarped cliffs on the edge of a little-known Dorset village, The Anchor Inn is a boutique hideaway that cocoons guests in the sound of rolling waves. The highlight of tiny Seatown is the beach, with a steeped ochre shore bordered by green fields. The three rooms – named after Dorset landmarks – are all large, with plush king beds and all have sea views. Doubles from £150.
Read the full review: Anchor Inn, Dorset
Bodysgallen Hall, Llandudno, Conwy, Wales
The medieval core of a fine 16th-century mansion, the tower was built as a lookout for Conwy Castle. The higher you climb, the older its spiralling staircase becomes: Victorian at the bottom, 13th century at the top. The encircling view is enthralling. As you turn, first Conwy Castle, then Snowdonia, then the sea and Anglesey, then Great Orme, catching the golden light, and lastly Llandudno, with the promise of its marvellous 19th-century promenade, come into view. Doubles from £195.
Read the full review: Bodysgallen Hall, Llandudno
The Reading Rooms, Margate, Kent
A restored Georgian townhouse on genteel Hawley Square, a stone's throw from Margate's sandy beach, quirky Old Town and the Turner Contemporary. Three bedrooms span a floor each and, with lavish breakfasts enjoyed in the privacy of one's room, it's more boutique luxury hotel than typical beachside b&b. Floorboards are stripped, walls unevenly undressed of layers of multicoloured paint and plaster, antique chandeliers hang above old radiators painted slate grey, and wildflower posies sit on ornate fireplaces.
Read the full review: Reading Rooms, Margate
Greywalls Hotel & Chez Roux, East Lothian, Scotland
Just outside the East Lothian golfing town of Gullane, overlooking the Firth of Forth and as close as you can get to the Muirfield championship course without actually sleeping on the greens. Edinburgh is only 30 minutes’ drive away and there are plenty of long walks, sandy beaches and appealing coastal towns nearby if you are put off by putting. As well special golf packages (there are no fewer than 22 courses within 10 miles), there are other distractions: tennis courts and croquet, fishing, clay pigeon shooting and bicycles by arrangement (although you might find yourself reluctant to leave the gorgeous garden). Doubles from £110.
Read the full review: Greywalls Hotel & Chez Roux, East Lothian
COUNTRY
Lime Wood, New Forest, Hampshire
Set in 145 square miles of ancient heath and woodland where ponies, donkeys, pigs, cattle and deer still freely roam – the New Forest. In the sybaritic Herb House Spa – airy, encased in glass and surrounded by greenery, there are private bathrooms with deep copper baths in the changing rooms, sensuous swimming, hydrotherapy and steam pools. There’s also a mud house, relaxation rooms and state-of-the-art gym leading to a beautiful rooftop garden, all with sylvan views. Doubles from £295.
Read the full review: Lime Wood, New Forest
Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, Cotswolds
Raymond Blanc’s famous hotel is a living monument to the charismatic chef patron’s 30-year pursuit of perfection. Its star attractions are its restaurant and kitchen gardens, but the Frenchman’s passionate enthusiasm can be seen throughout the property. Seasonality is king in its two-Michelin starred restaurant with ingredients from the hotel’s kitchen garden. A 1930s-style bar serves comforting cocktails and the wine cellar stocks a French dominated list of more than 1,000 different wines. Doubles from £535.
Read the full review: Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, Cotswolds
Gidleigh Park, Chagford, Devon
Perched atop a bank overlooking private woodlands traced by a boulder-strewn river, Gidleigh’s location is wild and dramatic with Dartmoor National Park is on the doorstep. This imposing Tudor-style house, set in 107 acres of private woodlands, has impeccable culinary credentials, with a two Michelin-starred chef at its helm. Refined standards continue throughout the hotel, in beautifully decorated bedrooms, attentive service and luxurious touches. Doubles from £245.
Read the full review: Gidleigh Park, Devon
Gleneagles, Perthshire, Scotland
An 850-acre Caledonian wonderland of full-on fancy-pants luxury. Golfers go weak at the knees at the mere mention of the championship courses, but with a fabulous spa, and chef Andrew Fairlie (a bit of an icon himself) offering two-starred Michelin food, there’s a little bit of heaven for everyone. The hotel is also home to possibly the best spa in Scotland; a sublime haven of sybaritic delights with an added health dimension, offering complementary and alternative therapies. Doubles from £365.
Read the full review: Gleneagles, Scotland
Soho Farmhouse, Cotswolds
Created by the Soho House group, this is not your standard rural retreat: a boutique hotel meets Canadian wilderness cabin meets American country club. What was once a derelict farm has been transformed with some 40 reclaimed timber cabins flanking four man-made lakes and the original 18th-century farmhouse buildings. The facilities are without peer – from the Cowshed spa with sauna, hammam, hot tubs and a broad range of treatments, to the luxurious cinema, cookery school, gym and spinning studio, tennis courts, horse riding and indoor and outdoor pools.
Read the full review: Soho Farmhouse, Cotswolds
Lord Crewe Arms, Blanchard, County Durham
A lord-of-the-manor building, in a pin-neat estate village, that oozes atmosphere at every stone-flagged turn. A reputation for honest, British cooking, plus its rural location, makes it popular with walkers and foodies as well as the country-sports fraternity. There are also free bicycles, OS maps and compasses, wellingtons, walking and cycling routes plus a drying room. In summer, there’s croquet on the back lawn plus picnic hampers for lazy days. Several bedrooms accommodate dogs for £10. Doubles from £99.
Read the full review: Lord Crewe Arms, County Durham
Gravetye Manor, East Grinstead, West Sussex
The gardens define this country house. Come in spring or summer to see its 7,000 species of tulips in full, raging bloom. Gravetye Manor itself is an authentic Elizabethan edifice, all mullioned windows and red-brick chimney stacks. The restaurant, overseen by home-grown rising star George Blogg, has a Michelin star, and it is one of the most pleasurable places to dine in the country. Doubles from £168.
Read the full review: Gravetye Manor, West Sussex
Forest Side, Grasmere, Lake District
Forest Side is a glamorous address in the heart of the Lake District that puts food – and foraging – firmly at its centre. Guests are at liberty to wander the gardens, including the walled kitchen garden. These have been specially created and are filled with plants that are perfumed, ornamental or edible, the latter covering a vast and hugely impressive range of wild, exotic and cultivated plants, fruits and vegetables. Doubles from £220.
Read the full review: Forest Side, Lake District
Cliveden, Taplow, Buckinghamshire
This has to be one of the loveliest spots for a hotel, overlooking a spectacular 19th-century parterre and surrounded by acres of ancient woodland running down to the Thames. The former home of several Dukes, a Prince of Wales and Nancy Astor, now owned by the National Trust, Cliveden is one of Britain’s grandest hotels. Yet for all its rural setting, Cliveden is also very accessible, located just outside the Buckinghamshire village of Taplow and less than an hour from London. Doubles from £350.
Read the full review: Cliveden, Buckinghamshire
Cowley Manor, Cotswolds
An Italianate country house with contemporary-cool interior styling, Cowley Manor has dreamy and extensive grounds, chic interiors and a wacky bar. The icing on the cake is the exceptional C-side spa with two swimming pools. The grounds are great for picnics. The outlook from the public areas is spectacular and takes in a swan lake. Doubles from £195.
Read the full review: Cowley Manor, Cotswolds
Askham Hall, Penrith, Cumbria
In the delightful village of Askham. The Hall, which dates back to medieval times, has great character and commands superb views over its gardens, the River Lowther and the fells beyond. A mixture of family furniture and paintings have been combined with more modern, or quirky pieces to create something both charming and unusual. The whole place feels part stately home, part private club, but mostly unique. Doubles from £150.
Read the full review: Askham Hall, Cumbria
FAMILY
Watergate Bay, Newquay, Cornwall
A family-oriented hotel, with an appropriately laid-back and unfussy attitude (you might find dad chatting at reception in his bathers and kids wandering past in their wetsuits or clutching buckets and spades). There are organised games, craft and activities, as well as evening entertainment, indoor/outdoor pools and two miles of sandy beach outside the door, surf and many other watersport lessons at the Extreme Academy (part of the hotel). Doubles from £145.
Read the full review: Watergate Bay, Cornwall
Chewton Glen, Hampshire
Facilities are legion: a lavish spa, indoor and outdoor pools, tennis centre, nine-hole golf course and many activities, from archery and buggy riding to duck herding. It also has lovely grounds, and guests can follow the stream through the woods to emerge at Naish Beach, with a view of the Needles rising from the sea. Bedrooms and suites, in many different styles, display an astonishing attention to detail. Doubles from £285.
Read the full review: Chewton Glen, Hampshire
Four Seasons Hampshire
Children are beautifully looked after, with their names spelt out in sponge letters along the bathtub, teddy bears, slippers and dressing gowns. There is a superb Kids’ Club, and two wooden climbing frames, one for older and one for younger children, plus children’s meals and family swim times. And since the opening of the hotel’s Equestrian Centre, you can now bring your horse on holiday too; if you don’t have one, the hotel offers an ‘own a pony’ experience. Doubles from £285.
Read the full review: Four Seasons Hampshire
Fowey Hall, Fowey, Cornwall
Small children can sleep free in their parents’ room. For older children there are family suites and inter-connecting rooms. Trained nannies run the Four Bears Den from 10am-4.45pm daily. There’s plenty for older children including an indoor pool, zip-wire and trampoline as well as watersports and the run of its beautiful grounds. Room-service suppers are available for children so parents can enjoy fine dining later (baby-listening available) or relax in the hotel’s spa. Doubles from £175.
Read the full review: Fowey Hall, Cornwall
Calcot Manor, Cotswolds
This is a shining example of how luxury and family-friendliness need not be mutually exclusive. There is a good choice of family rooms – these have baby listening devices tuned into the reception desk so you can dine at ease, safe in the knowledge that you’ll be alerted if there are any problems. As well as the indoor kids’ area there’s a pirate ship outdoor play area. The brasserie-style Gumtree Inn restaurant has a specially devised children’s menu. Doubles from £220.
Read the full review: Calcot Manor, Cotswolds
Augill Castle, Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria
Augill Castle stands in 20 acres of grounds in the beautiful upper Eden Valley, within striking distance of both the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District. Children are genuinely made to feel at home and warmly welcomed, with toys and board games in the house, a playground, a fort in the forest, a tree house, and cats and dogs. Early suppers, baby monitors and cots are available and there is a children’s cookery school. Doubles from £170.
Read the full review: Augill Castle, Cumbria
Polurrian Bay Hotel, Cornwall
Perfect for pre-school children. There’s a fully-staffed creche for children over three months, high tea and baby listening devices so parents can enjoy a romantic dinner. New this year is an outdoor playzone for adults and children with giant chess and snakes and ladders. During school holidays there are supervised evening Den activities for older children. You can even borrow buckets, spades and crab lines to take down to the private beach below. Doubles from £105.
Read the full review: Polurrian Bay Hotel, Cornwall
ISLANDS
Glengorm Castle, Isle of Mull, Scotland
The castle, a country house built in the 1860s, is thrillingly sited on high ground at the northernmost tip of Mull overlooking the Sound of Mull, Ardnamurchan Peninsula, outlying islands and, vivid at sunset in the far distance, the Outer Hebrides. Rooms are delightful, with pretty wallpapers, family furniture and charming, unusual bathrooms. Breakfast is fit for a king. Tobermory, with several pubs and restaurants is four miles away. Doubles from £160.
Read the full review: Glengorm Castle, Isle of Mull
Isle of Eriska Hotel, Argyll & Bute, Scotland
Poised between land and loch, a few miles north of Oban at the mouth of Loch Creran, looking across to the green hills of Appin and the mountains of Morvern. Calm and solitude are assured in a haven of herons and badgers, where the loudest sound is likely to be a fishing boat puttering over tranquil water. The hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurant offers fish, game and vegetarian dishes made from the finest local produce. Doubles from £350.
Read the full review: Isle of Eriska Hotel, Scotland
Hell Bay, Isles of Scilly
Wonderful views over two rocky bays, a saltwater lagoon and the open Atlantic Ocean. Take the 16-seater aircraft from Land’s End airfield to St Mary’s and a boat will transfer you to Bryher. The hotel features a collection of clapboard chalets and cottages transformed into a small New England-style resort. The grounds contain a heated outdoor pool, a multi-use games area (tennis, football, basketball) and there are organised watersports including kayaking, snorkelling and diving. Doubles from £260.
Read the full review: Hell Bay, Isles of Scilly
The Little Gloster, Isle of Wight
Rooms are Scandinavian simple and well equipped, but by far the best is the Balcony Suite, with outdoor space and stunning views of the Solent. With a bar along one wall and kitchen open to view, the simple, glass encased L-shaped dining room of this fun-loving restaurant-with-rooms buzzes with life. Owners Ben Cooke and Holly Siddons are both front of house and instantly likeable. Doubles from £110.
Read the full review: The Little Gloster, Isle of Wight
Three Chimneys, Isle of Skye, Scotland
There’s peaceful loch views, with its scatter of small islets – platforms for sunbathing seals. Following a badly needed refresh and refurb, this destination restaurant-with-rooms is back doing what it does best, with a new chef, updated look and reinvigorated sense of discipline and purpose. Five of the six suites are split-level, with sumptuous king-sized beds and gleaming, big bathrooms generously supplied with Temple Spa toiletries. Doubles from £345.
Read the full review: Three Chimneys, Isle of Skye
Star Castle, Isles of Scilly
The star-shaped fortress, built in 1593, stands on the commanding heights of Garrison Hill above Hugh Town on St Mary’s. As well as accommodation in the castle itself, there are Garden Rooms in two parallel wings in the grounds. There's also a swimming pool. Guests have the choice of two restaurants, both featuring fresh, locally caught seafood and vegetables from the hotel’s kitchen garden. Doubles from £204.
Read the full review: Star Castle Hotel, Isle of Scilly
Atlantic Hotel, Jersey
You feel on top of the world here, with a sweeping view of St Ouen’s bay; the cliffs of the other Channel Islands clear on the horizon. The six acres of grounds border La Moye Golf Course and you can watch the arcs of silk of para-gliders floating in front of you while you lounge by the pool. A short walk or drive takes you to the beach, which is popular with surfers and served by a number of gastro beach cafés. The hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurant is a highlight. Doubles from £240.
Read the full review: Atlantic Hotel, Jersey
LAKES
Gilpin Hotel, Lake Windermere, Cumbria
The Gilpin might seem like a lost world, set in delightful landscaped gardens — but civilisation is on the doorstep. Bowness is a six-minute drive and Beatrix Potter’s Hill Top house is 10 minutes by car. Fishing, shooting, horse riding, mountain biking, paintballing and treasure hunts can also be organised on-site. Summer sees the kitchen garden at the main hotel come alive, with afternoon tea and evening canapés taken outdoors. Doubles from £255.
Read the full review: Gilpin Hotel, Cumbria
Eltermere Inn, Elterwater, Lake District
The inn’s halfway between Ambleside and Langdale, a couple of hundred metres from Elterwater’s village green. It’s surrounded by green lawns leading down to the lakeshore. There’s even a rowing boat to borrow. Built in the 18th century, the house is quintessentially Georgian, with high ceilings, sash windows, plasterwork and original cornicing. Each of the 12 rooms has its own character: we particularly like Robin Ghyll, with its A-frame beams and oak bed, and Willy Goodwaller, with its freestanding tub and rococo furniture. Doubles from £110.
Read the full review: Eltermere Inn, Elterwater
Hambleton Hall, Rutland Water, East Midlands
The hotel occupies a late Victorian house that when it was first built overlooked a small hamlet; since 1978, it has overlooked Rutland Water, the creation of which provided the Midlands with one of its most beautiful and evocative landscapes as well as leisure and sporting activities from sailing to cycling. The restaurant has a long held Michelin star and is rooted in local and seasonal produce, charmingly presented and always delicious. Doubles from £265.
Read the full review: Hambleton Hall, East Midlands
Brimstone at Langdale, Lake District, Cumbria
Langdale is one of the Lake District’s most picturesque valleys and home to some of the finest walking in the country. Nestled in its own woodland, surrounded by craggy peaks and muscular fell, the Brimstone Hotel has the valley’s prime position. There’s a boot room stocked with a complete range of Berghaus kit for guests to borrow and the Langdale Estate’s impressive spa, treatment centre, pool and gym is a mere 50 metres away. Doubles from £250.
Read the full review: Brimstone at Langdale, Lake District
CITY
The Berkeley, London
The hotel is in Knightsbridge, opposite Hyde Park. It’s close to Exhibition Road and just a short walk to the neighbourhood’s best shops and restaurants. The nearest tube station is Hyde Park Corner. The seventh-floor spa is an English country garden high above the city. The green treetops of Hyde Park can be seen from the swimming pool, while a secret garden lined with daybeds, in full bloom in summer, is a good spot to wind down after a treatment. Doubles from £390.
Read the full review: The Berkeley, London
Radisson Collection Hotel, Royal Mile Edinburgh
The only five-star hotel on the Royal Mile, located between the George IV Bridge and the photogenic charms of Victoria Street. Just about everything you might want to see or do is close at hand, with Waverley Station and airport links five minutes’ walk away. It’s also perfectly positioned for the city’s annual festival. Thoroughly fun, seasonally-themed afternoon teas are a great antidote to a hard day’s sightseeing. Doubles from £190.
Read the full review: Radisson Collection Hotel, Royal Mile Edinburgh
Ham Yard Hotel, London
The hotel’s rooftop bar, which is only open to hotel guests, is the place to see and be seen. A grand piano that also doubles up as an icebox takes centre stage amid cane furniture, cool white cushions and a fragrant herb garden. Not to mention show-stopping views that put the ‘oh’ into Soho. There’s also a buzzing restaurant, 188 seat theatre and 1950s-style bowling alley. Doubles from £350.
Read the full review: Ham Yard Hotel, London
The Royal Crescent, Bath, Somerset
The best possible location in Bath. The crescent is residential and very peaceful, with no passing traffic. It overlooks lawns and one end of Victoria Park, Bath’s main green lung. The centre of the city is a very pleasant five to 10-minute walk away. The swanky Spa & Bath House is a big draw for many visitors to the hotel. There are six treatment rooms, a 12-metre ‘relaxation’ pool and the spa has its own Mediterranean-styled walled garden. Doubles from £225.
Read the full review: The Royal Crescent, Bath
The Goring, London
The hotel has the great advantage of a huge private garden, surrounded by flower borders and shrubbery, with a central lawn on which croquet is played in the summer months. The bedrooms have been redesigned over the past few years, many by Russell Sage, who was responsible for the Royal Suite, where the then Kate Middleton stayed the night before her wedding. Doubles from £350.
Read the full review: The Goring, London
Contributions from David Atkinson, Ros Belford, Gavin Bell, Suzy Bennett, Oliver Berry, Sophie Butler, Sophie Campbell, Gill Charlton, Jade Conroy, Rob Cowen, Fiona Duncan, Lesley Gillilan, Lisa Grainger, Sherelle Jacobs, Gabriella Le Breton, Linda Macdonald, Fred Mawer, Johnny Morris, Harriet O’Brien, Maggie O’Sullivan, Benjamin Parker, Helen Pickles, Caroline Shearing, Charles Starmer-Smith and Antonia Windsor.