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3 years ago
Where to go for an unforgettable stay
Looking for a quintessentially British staycation? Wiltshire, famous for Stonehenge and the Avebury stone circles, is top of the list for culture vultures, adventurers, and families alike. Read on for our guide to the best hotels Wiltshire.
Read the C&TH Responsible Tourism Guide
Some reviews are taken from this year’s Great British & Irish Hotels Guide. You can read the full reviews online or purchase your print Hotels Guide here.
At the head of a double avenue of lime and beech trees, Lucknam Park is in a league of its own. It occupies a mellow 17th-century mansion, with gracious reception rooms and stylish bedrooms in the house and former stables. It’s impeccably run, with attentive yet discreet service. You’ll find Hywel Jones’ exceptional Michelin-starred cooking in his eponymous formal restaurant and the cool, contemporary brasserie with open kitchen.
+44 (0)1225 742777 / lucknampark.co.uk
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Situated in the pretty village of Maiden Bradley in the southwest of the county, The Bradley Hare is Wiltshire’s newest country inn, with twelve homely bedrooms set across two buildings on the Duke of Somerset’s Estate. Locals hum in the busy bar during the week, but at weekends it’s the out-of-towners seeking high-quality thread counts, superb local and seasonal food and excellent value that fill the space.
Launched in July 2021 by James Thurstan Waterworth (ex-European Design Director for Soho House) and Andrew Kelly (food and beverage entrepreneur) in conjunction with the Estate, the hotel has a ‘dine anywhere’ environment, with a traditional pub space and main bar flowing naturally into a more casual lounge, and a dining area called The Snug.
A short stroll to the Potting Shed provides guests with vegan and organic beauty treatments and holistic therapies in picturesque walled garden surroundings. Close to Bruton, Frome and Bath, The Bradley Hare is well-located for a West Country retreat – or stay tucked within the idyllic grounds to soak up some peace and quiet. Ask if Lucy Mortimer is doing an on-site pottery session – the best therapy you’ll get not sitting on a sofa, but getting stuck into making pinch pots and coiled vases. Heaven.
Rooms from £135 per night midweek, £150 per night at the weekend, including breakfast. thebradleyhare.co.uk
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Originally the rectory to a nearby church before it became a country house hotel, this grade II-listed Georgian building was revamped and re-opened by former music executive Alex Payne in 2017. Now it has 18 pared-back but beautiful bedrooms – 15 in the main house, plus three in a separate cottage – all kitted out with contemporary furniture; beds with smart velvet headboards in shades such as mustard or navy and roll top baths with Bramley products in the bathroom.
+44 (0) 1666 577194 / therectoryhotel.com
On the Fonthill Estate, founded by the eccentric William Beckford in the 18th century, the stylish yet immediately welcoming Beckford Arms combines country pub, restaurant and comforting place to stay in equal measure. Eat in the animated bar, elegant dining room or pretty conservatory; there’s also private dining for 12 in the homely library or for 24 in the quiet sitting room, with its crackling log fire, comfy antique chairs and table piled with books and magazines worth reading.
+44 (0)1747 870385 / beckfordarms.com
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New for October 2022, The Great Arch at Fonthill has opened on the same estate as The Beckford Arms. The original Grade I listed entrance arch – now a two bedroom accommodation – dates back to 1755 and is within walking distance through the estate to The Beckford Arms. Arranged over three floors connected by a spiral stone staircase, The Great Arch is well-equipped, with a large ensuite bedroom on the first floor and bespoke-designed bunk bed room on the top floor, as well as passion-project interiors chosen by Beckford Group co-founder Charlie Luxton, and new Farrow & Ball colours (courtesy of Charlie’s friend, Patrick O’Donnell) across the property.
+44 (0)1747 870385 / beckfordarms.com
This 18th-century inn on the edge of the Longleat Estate is the latest venture by the team behind The Beckford Arms and The Talbot Inn. Countryside-inspired interiors feature a muted colour palette, cosy blankets and sink-into armchairs. At the wood-panelled bar, local is a priority: gin is from nearby distilleries, beer is from artisan breweries, and wine is from the Beckford Bottle Shop in Bath. In the kitchen, chef Jack Chapman cooks up comforting favourites, including a hearty Sunday lunch. During the summer, there’s nothing lovelier than settling down at cocktail hour on the sun-trap terrace, looking out across the fields.
+(0)1985 844308; batharmsinn.com
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The enthusiasm and drive of The Methuen Arms’ friendly team has secured the reputation of this former coaching inn as a first-rate local pub and dining experience on Corsham’s charming high street. An inn since 1608, its handsome façade is Georgian, in common with many of its neighbours, including the stately home and beautiful grounds of Corsham Court. Food is front and centre here, with a focus on local, seasonal and sustainable produce, much of which is sourced from their own kitchen garden.
+44 (0)1249 717060 / themethuenarms.com
A short drive from Stonehenge, this quintessential English pub is run with unpretentious warmth by committed owners Guy and Brittany Manning and their close-knit team. The couple – who met while working in a New York restaurant – are incredibly hands-on in the day-to-day running, including overseeing the menus in the restaurant and 12-seater dining room upstairs. Head chef Daniel Barker prepares wonderful dishes such as the signature roast chateaubriand of Wiltshire beef for two with hand-cut chips and sauce béarnaise, while Brittany whips up laminated pastries for breakfast (the eggs Benedict is another must-try) using butter that is hand-churned weekly by Guy’s father.
+44 (0)1980 671124 / redlionfreehouse.com
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Featured image: The Beckford Arms
