Outdoor Pursuits: Best Hotels For Adventurers
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From the UK’s most northerly five-star hotel to East Anglia's loveliest boltholes
Spa getaways are always pleasing, but if you have a bit more get-up-and-go about you, you will be in the market for something more intrepid. Here are 11 of our favourite hotels on home shores, perfect for adventurers.
All these reviews were taken from Great British & Irish Hotels 2025, and have been visited by a member of the C&TH team.
Best British Hotels For Adventurers 2025
The Packhorse Inn – Moulton, West Suffolk
The village of Moulton in the West Suffolk hills is the quintessential rural idyll: a village green, thriving local shop, meandering river and an award-winning pub. At its heart sits The Packhorse Inn, a short trot from Newmarket, the British headquarters of horse-racing. The first and founding inspiration for the Chestnut Collection, which includes The Gin Trap in Ringstead and The Maltings in Weybourne, The Packhorse Inn provides a winning combination of great food, beautiful bedrooms and cheerful service. The modern British food champions local produce to create regularly changing seasonal menus, which call for long lunches and relaxed suppers. Staff are always on hand to recommend the perfect wine pairings. The 16 generously proportioned bedrooms are spread across the main building, courtyard and the timber-clad barn; each is individually designed, inspired by French country, Scandi cool and grand Parisian style. There’s all you could need for a restful night’s sleep: crisp Egyptian cotton bed linen, indulgent king and superking beds and free-standing baths. And, to top it off, dogs are very welcome too. Doubles from £135.
Address: Bridge St, Moulton, Newmarket CB8 8SP
(© Rebecca Tappin)
Middleton Lodge Estate – Richmond, North Yorkshire
Owner James Allison has spent the past 20 years restoring Middleton Lodge, the 200-acre Georgian estate in North Yorkshire. Today, it’s a place to eat, gather, and pause in the countryside, with individually designed spaces, an estate-to-plate ethos, restaurants, event spaces, a renowned walled garden, and the Forest Spa. When it comes to overnight stays, rooms are dotted across the estate, and the interiors bring the outdoors in with botanical themes and calming colour palettes. Each space combines the old with the new – some feature grand tin bathtubs, while others offer private Yorkshire garden terraces. The estate-to-plate ethos means that menus at both the relaxed Coach House restaurant and Forge, the fine dining restaurant, are inspired by the estate’s gardens and surrounding landscape. For relaxation, the Forest Spa has been designed to connect guests with nature. It features an outdoor heated pool and bubbling hot tub, a thermal area with sauna, steam room, plunge pool and relaxation space, a pool lounge centred around a log-burning stove, and treatment huts where massages and wellness rituals take place. There is also a series of events and activities for guests to enjoy, with the estate welcoming local creatives and resident instructors for weekly yoga, ceramic workshops, and even cookery sessions led by the chefs. Doubles from £235.
Address: Kneeton Ln, Middleton Tyas, Richmond DL10 6NJ
Gleneagles – Auchterarder, Perthshire
This glorious Scottish sporting estate kicks off its second century with a host of new activities – from a thrilling off-road 4×4 experience to padel courts and a climbing wall at the recently launched Gleneagles Sporting Club, and a guided salmon shing adventure on the River Tay (the season ends in October). That’s on top of the already extensive list of country pursuits, meaning that most guests simply stay put after check-in. Elegant bedrooms and suites are spread across the historic main house and newer Braid House. The latter is closer to the pool, gym, beauty lodge and spa, where treatments use own-oil blends featuring natural botanicals from rural Perthshire. There is also a trio of top golf courses (the Ryder Cup has been hosted here) and adventures for children, such as gun dog handling, tree climbing and riding. Then there’s the food: classical fine dining at the Strathearn and two-Michelin starred French-inspired cooking at Andrew Fairlie, followed by cocktails at the American Bar. Or casual fare ranging from Tandoor curries at the Dormy to handmade pastas at the Birnam. A fabulous all-rounder you won’t want to leave. Doubles from £575.
Address: The Gleneagles Hotel, Auchterarder PH3 1NF
Penmaenuchaf Hotel – Eryri
The fantastical landscape of Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park is spellbinding. The stone-fronted mountain hideaway of Penmaenuchaf Hotel fits right in. Perched high above the Mawddach Estuary at the foot of the rugged Cadair Idris, this grand country house is celebrating a new chapter, with new owners Zoe and Neil Kedward. The couple took over in June 2022, growing their Seren family business, a lovely collection of proudly Welsh hotels and restaurants. There are individually designed bedrooms – all delightful. Traditional style and textures mingle with contemporary touches, with a sprinkling of Welsh arts, crafts and antiques. In the kitchen, head chef Dan Andrée (formerly right-hand man to Hywel Griffith at Michelin-starred Beach House restaurant in Oxwich) and his talented team do a cracking job, using high-quality seasonal ingredients, sourced locally. His menus are a true reflection of the land, with every dish telling a story of the region. Of course, all is topped off by the phenomenal views of Eryri – and this gem of a retreat is the perfect base for exploring this extraordinary region. Doubles from £230.
Address: Penmaenpool, Dolgellau LL40 1YB
Linthwaite House – Windermere, Cumbria
Linthwaite House embodies the perfect Lake District hotel: understated and elegant, yet warmly welcoming and relaxing. The views over Lake Windermere, especially with the sun slanting across the water, are simply unbeatable. The bedrooms offer the last word in lakeside luxury. For those wanting a more back-to-nature experience, there’s a secluded tarn with a private cabin and six Fell Suites among the wooded grounds. Inside, a crackling fire welcomes guests in the Hall’s carved mahogany fireplace, leading to The Bar & Conservatory (on warm days, nab a seat on the terrace, which faces the Coniston Fells). The inspired all-day dining menus feature seasonal and flavourful dishes, from lobster rolls for lunch to afternoon tea. For a more refined dining experience, guests can visit Henrock, overseen by multi-Michelin-starred chef Simon Rogan, who sources the freshest Cumbrian ingredients from his Our Farm in Cartmel. Linthwaite House also offers an array of activities, from croquet and outdoor chess to cycling and rowing. With wedding, events, and conferencing facilities, this hotel truly ticks all the boxes. Doubles from £265.
Address: Crook Ln, Bowness-on-Windermere, Windermere LA23 3JA
Wildhive Callow Hall – Ashbourne, Derbyshire
Surrounded by 35 acres of gardens at the edge of the Dove Valley, Victorian Callow Hall opened in September 2021 as the first opening from Wildhive, a new hotel brand focusing on rural getaways. Stay in the main house where rooms with an eclectic, playful feel are the vision of interior designer Isabella Worsley, or in one of the 11 cosy, tucked-away woodland hives. There are also two spectacular self-contained treehouses, each with an outdoor tub on the deck. The wellness centre in The Coach House has a Pilates studio, sauna and steam room, botanical massages on the treatment menu and bicycles that guests can borrow to pedal along the scenic Tissington Trail. Picnic by the burbling Bentley Brook and take afternoon tea on the lawn but do leave room for the seasonal dishes using British produce at dinner – goats cheese tortellini with wild nettle pesto and a garlic and treacle-cured Packington pork belly with fidget pie, Yorkshire rhubarb, purple kale – in the Garden Room restaurant. A gorgeous retreat, perfectly positioned at the gateway to the Peak District. Doubles from £214.
Address: Mapleton Rd, Ashbourne DE6 2AA
The Torridon – Wester Ross
A former and still very grand shooting lodge, The Torridon has one of the Highlands’ most stunning locations. As the UK’s most northerly five-star hotel, it stands on a beautiful sea loch in 58 acres of parkland, with breathtaking views all around. The bedrooms in the main hotel blend its Scottish heritage with Victorian-era features designed by co-owner Rohaise Rose-Bristow, while those in The Stables are simple and cosy (there’s also the newly refurbished Chestnut Cottage, which has an outdoor bathtub). Dine in refined splendour at 1887, with the very best Scottish produce expertly showcased by head chef Danny Young. The more casual brasserie, Bo & Muc, housed in what was once the estate’s old buttery and dairy, offers dishes such as pine cured trout, with yuzu, seaweed and buttermilk. At both, menus evolve with the seasons, with much of the meat and vegetables coming from the grounds and kitchen garden. After dinner, head for the whisky bar, which is stocked with more than 350 malts. There are many outdoor activities on the doorstep too, from kayaking and hiking, to star gazing and loch-snorkelling. Doubles from £305.
Address: Annat, By Achnasheen, Wester Ross IV22 2EY
Rothay Manor – Ambleside, Cumbria
Dating back to 1835, this handsome white stucco Regency house sits in the heart of the Lake District, at the northern tip of Lake Windermere. Husband and wife duo, Jenna and Jamie Shail, have breathed new life into the property, completing extensive, stylish renovations on the main house’s 15 rooms, some with private terraces, others with balconies overlooking the landscaped gardens and wooded grounds. You can also stay in The Pavilion, which has eight beautiful garden suites, designed with a colour palette of deep, luscious greens, peppered with opulent fabrics, sumptuous furnishings, and luxury amenities. In the restaurant, new head chef Aaron Lawrence draws upon his passion for fresh, seasonal British produce to create an exceptional modern menu, including a delicious Sunday Roast. Dogs are welcome – Rothay Manor even has a dedicated dog wash room with Ruff & Tumble dressing gowns, so you can rinse off muddy paws after a day on the fells. This is a bucolic, boutique bolthole, perfectly situated for easy lake strolls and hilly hikes, and a ten-minute walk from the pretty village of Ambleside. Doubles from £320.
Address: Borrans Rd, Ambleside LA22 0EH
The Dabbling Duck – Great Massingham, Norfolk
In picturesque Great Massingham, The Dabbling Duck is a successful village pub, run with great warmth by experienced, hands-on owner-manager Mark Dobby and his wife Sally, a professional photographer whose prints decorate some of the walls. As soon as you walk in the door, you’re struck by the cosy, rustic decoration: wooden floors, tables, and bar; hops hanging from beams; and shelves of books. There are 13 bedrooms (some dog-friendly) – including three garden rooms – plus Duckling Cottage, a few doors away, which sleeps six. Sally and Mark have also renovated the house next door, adding four spacious bedrooms with roll-top baths and walk-in showers. The pub has a well- deserved reputation for its own Mucky Duck gin, real ales, and a well-curated wine list. The terrific food is made using local produce and prepared by skilful chef Dale Smith. There’s also a beautiful oak-beamed barn with a cosy wood burner, an outdoor bar, and a kitchen serving pizza and tapas on Fridays and Saturdays. The barn opens up onto the lovely pub garden, which has a play area for little ones. Doubles from £110.
Address: Middle St, Shere, Guildford GU5 9HF
The Inn At Whitewell – Forest of Bowland, Lancashire
Charles Bowman, the third generation of his family to run this charming 25-bedroom former coaching inn, continues a proud tradition. Part of the Duchy of Lancaster estate, the inn’s roots date back to the 14th century and it brims with character – from the impressive collection of antiques that include Victorian bathing machines, to the pictures on the bedroom walls. Bookcases are packed with travel and cookery tomes, while the reception area also serves as a well-stocked wine shop with the inn’s own vintner, Bowland Forest Vintners, on-site. Modern-day pampering has not been overlooked, with the welcoming SkinSense treatment room. The food, overseen by head chef Jamie Cadman, who is celebrating his 28th year here, is simple yet refined, with a focus on locally sourced ingredients. The elevated restaurant offers compelling window seat views – so breathtaking that conversation often takes a backseat. The road leading to tiny Whitewell descends through the wild, steep-sided Trough of Bowland, opening into a natural amphitheatre of meadows and hills. The River Hodder, with fishing available, runs alongside the inn. Doubles from £160.
Address: Forest of Bowland, Clitheroe, Lancashire BB7 3AT
Saltmoore – Sandsend, Yorkshire
A 15-minute walk from Sandsend beach, this gorgeous hotel opened last year after a multi-million-pound renovation. Set on an 80-acre estate with woodlands, a lake and gardens, the 19th-century Saltmoore House has interiors inspired by its surroundings. Snug rooms in the eaves, for instance, have striped wave-like bedheads and coastal blues while Divine rooms take their cues from golden gorse. There’s also the family-friendly Beach House (with its own bar and reception, and pizza restaurant opening in June) and cottages where pets are welcome. Head chef Adam Maddock – along with consultant chef Tommy Banks, of the Michelin-star Black Swan at Oldstead – whips up elevated classics that celebrate local produce in The Brasserie restaurant. Fine-dining Calluna is slated to open at the end of the year and the Orangery leads to a terrace for summer evening cocktails and alfresco suppers. One big draw is The Sanctuary spa, for Wildmith treatments and a thermal circuit, but there’s also plenty to do nearby, including visiting the coastal town of Whitby, salty sea dips and bracing hikes on the North York moors. Doubles from £350.
Address: Sandsend Road, Whitby YO21 3ST
