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Where to stay

Hand-picked hotel shortlists for 188 places, by hotel class and guest rating, each linking to the hotels' own pages.

188 places247 guides

Picking where to stay in this region starts with the trip you have in mind. London is the biggest choice of the places here, with 45 hotels spanning 5-star, 4-star and 3-star categories, and a guest score of 8422. Brighton follows with 37 hotels, of which 10 are 5-star and 17 offer parking, while Bristol matches London's 45 hotels and 15 five-star properties and adds 40 with parking. Oxford and Cambridge suit a short break among colleges, each with 45 and 36 hotels.

Popular places

London

England's capital packs royal parks, museums and nightlife into one sprawling city, with 45 hotels from 5-star to 3-star.

Photo: Samuel Sweet / Pexels

Brighton

A pebbled seaside city of piers and promenades, offering 37 hotels, 15 of them good for families.

Photo: Josh Withers / Pexels

Bristol

A harbour city of bridges, street art and independent food, with 40 of its 45 hotels providing parking.

Photo: Boys in Bristol Photography / Pexels

Oxford

Dreaming spires, rivers and ancient quads make this a classic short break, with 22 family-friendly hotels.

Photo: Mario Spencer / Pexels

Cambridge

Punting on the Cam and college courts reward a slow visit; 29 of its 36 hotels have parking.

Photo: Mark Stebnicki / Pexels

Birmingham

A canal-side city of shopping, curry houses and live music, with 27 family-friendly hotels among its 40.

Photo: Olga Lioncat / Pexels

Reading Town Centre

A compact hub of shops and offices with fast links onward; 30 hotels, including 3 in the 4- and 5-star bracket.

Photo: Dominik Gryzbon / Pexels

Bath

Georgian terraces and thermal springs draw visitors year round, and 15 of its 39 hotels are 5-star.

Photo: Jacek / Pexels

3-star or 4- and 5-star: which to choose

Three-star hotels keep things straightforward: Luton's 9 are all 3-star, and Reading Town Centre has 30 hotels split between 4- and 5-star and 3-star. Four- and 5-star hotels dominate most places here. Bristol and Oxford each count 15 five-star hotels among 45, Brighton 10 among 37, and Bath 15 among 39. Choose 5-star for space and service, 4-star for a reliable middle ground, or 3-star where the list offers it, as in London, Brighton, Bristol, Oxford, Cambridge, Birmingham, Reading Town Centre and Bath.

Hotel guides by place

Aberaeron

Abergavenny

Aberystwyth

Aldeburgh

Andover

Ashford

Banbury

Barnstaple

Barry

Basingstoke

Bath

Bedford

Bideford

Birmingham

Bodmin

Bournemouth

Braunton

Brecon

Bridgnorth

Bridgwater

Bridport

Brighton

Bristol

Brixham

Broadstairs

Broadway

Brockenhurst

Bude

Builth Wells

Burford

Bury St Edmunds

Cambridge

Camelford

Canterbury

Cardiff

Cardigan

Carmarthen

Cheltenham

Chichester

Chippenham

Chipping Campden

Chipping Norton

Christchurch

Cirencester

Colchester

Corsham

Coventry

Crawley

Croydon

Dartmouth

Deal

Diss

Dorchester

Dover

Earley

Eastbourne

Ely

Exeter

Falmouth

Farnborough

Farnham

Folkestone

Fowey

Frome

Glastonbury

Gloucester

Great Malvern

Great Yarmouth

Guildford

Hastings

Haverfordwest

Helston

Henley-On-Thames

Hereford

Holsworthy

Horley

Hounslow

Huntingdon

Ilfracombe

Ipswich

Kingsbridge

Lampeter

Launceston

Leicester

Lewes

Liskeard

Littlehampton

Llandovery

Llandrindod Wells

Llandysul

London

Looe

Lowestoft

Ludlow

Luton

Lydney

Lyme Regis

Lymington

Lyndhurst

Lynton

Machynlleth

Maidenhead

Maidstone

Merthyr Tydfil

Mevagissey

Milton Keynes

Minehead

Moreton In Marsh

Narberth

Newbury

Newport

Newquay

Newton Abbot

Newtown

Northampton

Norwich

Oakham

Okehampton

Oxford

Padstow

Paignton

Par

Pembroke

Penzance

Peterborough

Plymouth

Poole

Portsmouth

Reading Town Centre

Ross On Wye

Royal Tunbridge Wells

Rye

Saint Helier

Salcombe

Salisbury

Saltash

Sandown

Shanklin

Shepton Mallet

Sherborne

Sidmouth

Slough

Solihull

Somerton

Southampton

Southcote

Southend-On-Sea

St Austell

St Ives

St Just

Stamford

Stow On The Wold

Stratford-Upon-Avon

Stroud

Swanage

Swansea

Swindon

Taunton

Tavistock

Tenby

Tintagel

Tiverton

Torpoint

Torquay

Totnes

Tregaron

Truro

Ventnor

Wadebridge

Wareham

Warminster

Warwick

Wells

Weston-Super-Mare

Weymouth

Whitland

Whitley

Whitstable

Winchester

Windsor

Witney

Woking

Wolverhampton

Woodbridge

Worcester

Worthing

Yelverton

Yeovil

Questions, answered

Which place is best for a first visit to the region?

London carries the widest choice, with 45 hotels and 15 of them 5-star, plus a guest score of 8422. Oxford and Cambridge offer smaller, walkable stays with 45 and 36 hotels. Bath suits anyone drawn to Georgian streets, with 15 five-star hotels among 39.

Where should families stay?

Birmingham leads on family-friendly hotels with 27, followed by Cardiff at 24, Oxford at 22 and Bath at 21. Bristol and Southampton each offer 19, and Brighton 15. Those places pair a large family hotel count with plenty of other things to do.

Which places suit travellers arriving by car?

Bristol has 40 hotels with parking, Oxford 39, Brighton 17 and Nottingham no, but Cambridge 29, Birmingham 33, Bath 28 and London 27. Bournemouth and Torquay each offer 29, and Newquay 29, making them easy for drivers.

Which places have the most 5-star hotels?

London, Bristol, Oxford, Bath, Cardiff, Exeter, Norwich, Newquay, Torquay, Plymouth and Aberystwyth each count 15 five-star hotels. Brighton, Cambridge, Southampton, Great Yarmouth, Rye and Cardigan follow with 10 or 11.

Where can I find 3-star hotels?

London, Brighton, Bristol, Oxford, Cambridge, Birmingham, Reading Town Centre, Bath, Cardiff, Southampton, Exeter, Norwich, Colchester, Bournemouth, Portsmouth, Leicester, Eastbourne, Swindon and Milton Keynes all list 3-star hotels alongside 4- and 5-star options. Luton lists 3-star hotels only.

What is available in Reading Town Centre?

Reading Town Centre has 30 hotels, with 3 of them in the 4- and 5-star bracket and the rest 3-star. Parking is offered at 8, and 4 are family-friendly. The town centre is a compact base for shopping and onward travel.

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