The UK’s Most Beautiful Boutique Hotels For Design Lovers

Sometimes it’s the location that draws one to a hotel; other times, it’s the food offering, or perhaps the spa. But travellers with an eye for design are often lured in by the promise of beautiful interiors. If that sounds like you, read on for our pick of the best boutique hotels for design lovers across the UK. From quirky art-filled hotels in Cornish towns to glossy London hotspots and charming inns in Somerset, these charming British staycations will have you marvelling at their aesthetics (and no doubt getting some good Instagram content in the process).

These reviews were taken from Great British & Irish Hotels 2025.

Best Design Hotels In The UK To Visit In 2025

Artist’s Residence, Penzance

It’s unsurprising that Justin and Charlie Salisbury turned to Cornwall with its vibrant art scene for their second venture after Brighton’s Artist Residence (now there are five locations across the country). In the charming old quarter of Penzance, they have converted a handsome Georgian manor house into a delightfully eclectic hotel, decorated with works of art and a quirky collection of furniture (packing crate tables, sleigh beds) throughout. Rooms include the Chapel Suite, which comes with a brass bathtub in the living area, and the Mini Lookout, an open-plan apartment for three tucked away in the eaves with sea views (ideal for families). The café-bar-restaurant hangout has reclaimed wooden walls, metal tables and art to enjoy alongside your food. Drinks and snacks are on tap all day, plus delicious smoked meat and fish at dinner, courtesy of the smoker in the garden. Here, you’ll also find a bar, table tennis and ping pong, and an al fresco seafood shack serving local lobster rolls, chargrilled steaks and frozen margaritas. An excellent base for exploring this charming corner of Cornwall. 

Doubles from £140, artistresidence.co.uk

The Hari, London

Strolling through the leafy streets of Belgravia, one building naturally draws the eye – e Hari. Its striking navy and glass façade, adorned with cascading greenery, offers a glimpse of the residential retreat within. Inside, 85 newly refurbished rooms, including 14 suites, feature views of London’s iconic skyline, sleek marble bathrooms, and contemporary artworks by luminaries such as Tracey Emin and Mario Testino. The hotel champions the arts, hosting an annual prize in collaboration with A Space For Art, which gifts the finalist a generous £14,000. Sustainability is also a priority, earning e Hari a Silver Accreditation from EarthCheck, the global benchmark in environmental certification for travel and tourism. Tucked beneath a canopy of ivy, the Garden Terrace is a hidden oasis. With its retractable roof and heaters, it remains a welcoming spot in any weather. Meanwhile, Il Pampero serves up enticing Italian-inspired menus, complete with homemade pasta and Dolci Momenti Afternoon Tea. All this, just moments from Hyde Park, Buckingham Palace, the Royal Albert Hall, and the city’s most exclusive shopping districts.

Doubles from £540, thehari.com

Hart Shoreditch, London

The location of Hart Shoreditch couldn’t get any better, with Old Spitalfields, Brick Lane and Columbia Road Flower Market pretty much on its doorstep. But there’s a lot more to it than the address. Craftmanship is the big thing here, with Hart Shoreditch drawing inspiration from the area’s rich industrial history, blended with elevated design. A passion for arts and culture continues the creativity. The hotel regularly hosts a thrilling line-up of events, hands-on workshops and activities. Then there’s the Communal Table – a free workspace for local entrepreneurs, freelancers and creatives. The 126 bedrooms are thoughtfully designed by Fabled Studio. A muted, elegant colour palette is the backdrop for copper mirror accents, deep green leather detailing and modern furnishings. The bathrooms are warm, yet urban spaces – picture concrete vanities, herringbone flooring and bold geometric tiling plus, impressively, vegan Shoreditch-crafted soap. The UBA restaurant serves exquisite pan-Asian contemporary street food, while the Lobby Bar is the perfect spot for drinks, with handcrafted cocktails and vibrant music, cementing the buzzy vibe. 

Doubles from £207, hartshoreditch.com

The George Inn, Butcombe

This historic 14th-century, Grade I-listed Tudor inn is set in the peaceful village of Norton St Philip, midway between Frome and Bath. Having recently undergone a full makeover and preservation project, The George combines beautiful decoration and furnishings with many original features and antiques from the inn’s fascinating past – something which was recognised with its latest award, Pub of the Year 2024. With a history dating back to 1397, it is one of Britain’s oldest taverns and has 13 charming ensuite bedrooms. On sunny days, make a beeline for the beer garden, which has views of the village and church. The inn is owned by the Butcombe Brewing Company (it’s worth checking out the Butcombe loyalty club for discounts and offers) so expect a good selection of craft beer, real ale and cider. Chef Aimie Harley was voted Pub Chef of the Year 2024 and together with the team, focuses on seasonal, locally sourced produce and exciting takes on pub classics. A perfect base to explore the village, Bath and the Somerset surroundings. 

Doubles from £120, butcombe.com

Hazlitt’s, London

Hazlitt’s is the real deal: as genuine, amusing and revealing a hotel as you could hope for, especially in bustling Soho. It’s named after the radical essayist and master of English prose, William Hazlitt. He died in poverty in 1830 at 6 Frith Street, one of three adjoining townhouses that the owners, experts on the Georgian era, fashioned into Hazlitt’s in 1986. A fourth building behind was converted to create a sitting room with an honesty bar and an additional eight bedrooms, reached by a lift. As befits an establishment with such literary connections, the hotel is popular with authors, who leave signed copies of their works when they depart, and the heaving bookcases are full of signed tomes from former guests including Bill Bryson, Ted Hughes and Seamus Heaney. The sloping, creaking floorboards have been retained and the rooms, decorated with antiques, busts and paintings, are individually furnished, with splendid bathtubs and Victorian fittings. Like the rooms in its distinctive sister establishments, Batty Langley’s and The Rookery, they are delightfully different from other London hotels. 

Doubles from £369, hazlittshotel.com

Batty Langley’s, London

As you walk through the doors of this charming hotel, packed with character and Georgian detail, you feel as if you’re entering another era. In lively, gentrified Spitalfields, Batty Langley’s lives up to its unusual name. Under the same ownership as the equally captivating Hazlitt’s and The Rookery, it was inspired by the 18th-century architect and landscape gardener of the same name, who published handbooks designed to help inexperienced clients plan their Georgian houses and gardens ‘in the most grand taste’. The panelled interior, with its open fires, countless books and fine paintings feels more like a private house than a hotel. Cocooning their inhabitants in comfort and calm, the 29 bedrooms and suites are furnished with 17th- and 18th-century carved oak beds or four-posters, heavy silk curtains and bathrooms with restored period fittings. Nods to the 21st century are discreetly hidden. Your most difficult choice, though, will be which of the three warmly decorated sitting rooms to occupy. Our pick is The Tapestry Room, with its honesty bar stocked with local spirits and French doors that open onto a pretty courtyard. 

Doubles from £369, battylangleys.com

Artists Residence Oxford

Artist’s Residence, Oxford

When it opened in 2017 this was a new departure for the burgeoning Artist Residence group of eccentric, art-led hotels that have sprung up courtesy of enterprising owners, Justin and Charlie Salisbury. This energetic couple, complete with a new baby, headed out of town to leafy Oxfordshire and took on the Mason Arms, a well-loved local inn in South Leigh, stamping it with their inimitable sense of style. There are now 15 rooms in total, split between the main farmhouse, stables and outbuildings, plus a cool shepherd’s hut in the garden. Original features have been retained and restored, auction houses and reclamation yards scoured and modern art set against William Morris wallpaper. The restaurant features art by The Connor Brothers, Ben Eine and Lucy Sparrow, while the kitchen produces seasonal food that pays homage to the local area, served in a fun and friendly setting. There’s also a sun-trap terrace garden for warm days. If you’ve fallen for an Artist Residence in Penzance, Pimlico, Bristol or Brighton, then this cosy Oxfordshire escape is your next country hideaway. 

Doubles from £140, artistresidence.co.uk

The Rookery, London

Those in the know in London don’t lay their heads in the centre of town – they swerve east to its most fashionable districts. Luckily, we know of secret abodes beyond the reach of hipsters and tech geeks. One such hideaway is the deliciously unique Rookery, set in the heart of gastronomic Clerkenwell. After eating top-class grub and partying hard, you can retreat to one of its 33 quirky bedrooms, none of which is the same. Each, though, shares gorgeous Georgian detailing, polished brass metalwork in bathrooms, antiques aplenty and shelves bulging with real books. In the 1800s, Clerkenwell was teeming with thieves, tarts and ne’er-dowells. A rookery was universally understood to mean a criminal area and many of the rooms are named after those local characters of ill repute. And you won’t worry about the wonky floors or the lack of things like a spa or a gym as you enjoy the hotel’s calm and mannered atmosphere – a bit like that of a private club – as you settle in the drawing room or courtyard garden with the papers. Plus, you’re only a stone’s throw from St Paul’s Cathedral. 

Doubles from £369, rookeryhotel.com 

The Mayfair Townhouse, London

Located on Half Moon Street, alongside Piccadilly, The Mayfair Townhouse sits across 15 Georgian townhouses, seven of which are listed. Rich in history and once a known haunt for colourful characters, it evokes a debonair Oscar-Wilde-meets-Alice-in-Wonderland aesthetic. Touches of whimsy combine with practicality in the 172 individually designed guestrooms and suites which range from the Cabin Rooms to The Garden Suites that open onto a courtyard patio, or the Signature Suites offering the best in old and new world exclusivity in a glamourous setting. The Dandy Bar, an intimate and sophisticated cocktail bar where style meets decadence, is the heart and soul of The Mayfair Townhouse, while e Lower Ground is a vibrant space to work, connect and eat. An expertly curated collection of over 550 pieces of art, including a Swarovski crystal peacock sculpture, is woven seamlessly throughout the hotel. Stepping out into the heart of Mayfair, there is a wealth of restaurants, boutiques, art galleries and museums on the doorstep; a short walk leads to Shepherd Market, Green Park and Buckingham Palace. 

Doubles from £390, themayfairtownhouse.com

Artist’s Residence, Bristol

When Justin and Charlie Salisbury were hunting for a site for their latest Artist Residence hotel (they have four others), they settled on a Georgian townhouse and old boot factory in Bristol, a stone’s throw from the city’s buzzing centre. To start with, the building had all the qualities the pair typically looks for – a nod to the past, original beams and exposed brick walls – to which they added their signature industrial luxe style, an eclectic mix of vintage and boho furniture and a collection of original, specially-commissioned artworks by local artists. e 23 rooms in the boutique hotel range from the super-cosy Shoe Box, which has arched floor-to-ceiling windows, a comfy kingsize bed and a compact bathroom (best suited for solo travellers or shorter stays) to the vast Artist Suite – think Georgian cornicing, views over leafy Portland Square and a roll-top tub in the bathroom. The idea was to create a proper, vibrant neighbourhood hangout so there’s a real emphasis on the social spaces that are open to everyone: a coffee shop, bar, casual all-day restaurant and garden. 

Doubles from £140, artistresidence.co.uk