Traditionally, England is renowned for its scenic countryside and historic city life, for its superb shopping and its relaxing spa breaks. A better-kept secret (but just as easy to discover) is that England is peppered with a great variety of unusual places to stay. From a quirky town hotel to a storybook country hideaway, we’ve found a selection that is sure to stir the imagination…
If history is your passion, you could spend a weekend or longer self-catering at Pekes Manor (www.enjoyengland.com/Accommodation/Lewes/Self-Catering/115032/Pekes.htm) in beautiful Sussex, which tells a story dating back to William the Conqueror. You can stay in the Manor itself, which sleeps up to 18, or choose from one of the smaller properties on the grounds, including the Gate Cottage, and a traditional Oast House for which the area is famous.
Or if you’d prefer to be waited on in unusual surroundings, then perhaps Oxford’s Malmaison (www.enjoyengland.com/Accommodation/Oxford/Hotel/488262/Malmaison-Oxford.htm) would be more your style. A converted prison, it has retained many features, such as the original cells, door and bars. Whatever your crime, you’re sure to enjoy doing time at this lovely boutique hotel.
For the more adventurous, you could try taking in England’s dramatic coast in a traditional lighthouse. No longer operational, (so a good night’s sleep is guaranteed), Cromer Lighthouse on the Norfolk coast offers quaint accommodation for two in the lighthouse keeper’s cottages, with the main bedroom having been built into the stunning octagonal lighthouse tower itself.
Staying with buildings famous for both their beauty and their function, The Windmill Hotel (www.enjoyengland.com/Accommodation/Scarborough/Guest-Accommodation/77955/The-Windmill-Hotel.htm) in Scarborough offers 9 ensuite rooms around a courtyard and two apartments within the Grade II-listed windmill building itself, which is over 220 years old. Or finally, if you’ve always wondered what it would be like to roam, then The Old Forge (www.enjoyengland.com/Accommodation/Totnes/Guest-House/70504/The-Old-Forge.htm) at Compton Abbas in Dorset offers a traditional Gypsy Caravan, carefully restored and complete with breathtaking views across open countryside.
So, from medieval grandeur to a taste of Romany romance, to there’s more to discover when you Enjoy England.