15 Best Hotels in Stratford-upon-Avon and the Heart of England, England

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Stratford and Warwick have accommodations to fit every wallet. Because Stratford is so popular with theatergoers, book well ahead. Most hotels offer discounted two- and three-day packages. Near Stratford, a number of top-notch country hotels guarantee discreet but attentive service—at fancy prices. Birmingham's hotels, geared to the convention crowd and often booked well in advance, are mostly bland and impersonal, but a few are sophisticated; look for weekend discounts. In the countryside, many ancient inns and venerable Regency-style houses have been converted into hotels.

Arden Hotel

$$ | Waterside, Stratford-upon-Avon, CV37 6BA, England Fodor's Choice

Bedrooms are spacious and discreet with splashes of green, violet, and dark crimson in this redbrick boutique hotel across the road from the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. Choose a room at the front for a view of the river and theater. The beds are all king-size, and marble bathrooms have huge mirrors and walk-in showers. Guests can take advantage of the Champagne bar during theater intermissions, take afternoon tea in the Lounge, or pop into the stylish Club Bar for something a little stronger.

Pros

  • Convenient for theatergoers
  • Crisp and modern style
  • Gorgeous guest areas

Cons

  • Gets booked up quickly
  • May be too noisy for some
  • Can be popular with business travelers
Waterside, Stratford-upon-Avon, CV37 6BA, England
01789-298--682
hotel Details
45 rooms
Rate Includes: Free Breakfast

Quick Facts

  • $$

Castle House

$$ | Castle St., Hereford, HR1 2NW, England Fodor's Choice

These conjoined Georgian villas next to the moat (all that remains of Hereford Castle) offer luxurious lodgings, a warm welcome, and good food. Delicate plasterwork graces the public areas. Spacious guest rooms vary in style, with light hues and floral wallpaper; each bedroom contains a decanter of sherry and other local snacks as a welcome gift and L'Occitane toiletries in the bathroom. The restaurant uses lots of regional produce—much of which comes from the owner's farm—such as Hereford beef and Gloucester Old Spot pork along with fresh fruit and vegetables from the kitchen garden. Though the hotel has been a fixture in the city for many years, it's the light-filled restaurant, using local stone and wood in its design, that's a game-changer.

Pros

  • Close to cathedral
  • Beautiful bedrooms
  • Fantastic restaurant

Cons

  • Can get busy with weddings
  • On the expensive side
  • Some rooms are away from the main house
Castle St., Hereford, HR1 2NW, England
01432-356321
hotel Details
24 rooms
Rate Includes: Free Breakfast

Quick Facts

  • $$

Chester Grosvenor Hotel

$$$ | Eastgate, Chester, CH1 1LT, England Fodor's Choice

Handmade Italian furniture and swaths of French silk fill this luxury downtown hotel in a Tudor-style building, which was established in 1865. Marble bathrooms, high-definition TVs, and a first-class spa are among the luxurious amenities. There are two restaurants: the fine dining Arkle restaurant and the more relaxed La Brasserie, with an indoor barbecue. The intimate library is a perfect spot for afternoon tea.

Pros

  • Pampered luxury
  • Superb food
  • Excellent service and facilities

Cons

  • No private parking
  • Spa is small
  • Extra for cooked breakfast
Eastgate, Chester, CH1 1LT, England
01244-324024
hotel Details
80 rooms
Rate Includes: No Meals

Quick Facts

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Ettington Park Hotel

$$ | Off A3400, Alderminster, CV37 8BU, England Fodor's Choice

This Victorian Gothic mansion, featuring arched windows and romantic turrets, is approached along a private avenue and is a soothing retreat for theatergoers who want to escape Stratford’s crowds. If you like four-poster beds and antiques, book a room in the main house, while the modern wing is perfect for those who prefer more contemporary elegance. The oak-paneled restaurant offers great modern British cuisine, or you can take afternoon tea in the beautiful Great Drawing Room. There's also a spa with a swimming pool, sauna, steam room, and spa pool. In summer, borrow a picnic blanket and take your tea outside to the 40-acre grounds, which contain the ruins of a 12th-century church. The hotel is six miles south of Stratford-upon-Avon.

Pros

  • Gorgeous building
  • Spacious rooms
  • Relaxing lounge

Cons

  • A bit too formal for some
  • Well outside Stratford
  • A lot of wedding guests on weekends
Off A3400, Alderminster, CV37 8BU, England
01789-450123
hotel Details
50 rooms
Rate Includes: Free Breakfast

Quick Facts

  • $$

Feathers Hotel

$$ | 25 High St., Ledbury, HR8 1DS, England Fodor's Choice

You can’t miss the striking black-and-white facade of this centrally located Tudor hotel, which dates from the 16th century. Its interior has a satisfyingly antique flavor, with wooden beams, creaking staircases, and ancient floorboards, and some rooms have four-poster beds; they all have a teddy propped up on the pillow to welcome you in. There is a bright and welcoming coffee shop downstairs, or book a table in the colorful main restaurant for seasonal mains, such as grilled fillet of hake or slow-braised Herefordshire ox cheek.

Pros

  • Rooms retain period feel
  • Great restaurant
  • Afternoon tea available

Cons

  • Some rooms on the small side
  • Steps to climb
  • May be a bit creaky for some
25 High St., Ledbury, HR8 1DS, England
01531-635266
hotel Details
20 rooms
Rate Includes: Free Breakfast

Quick Facts

  • $$

Fishmore Hall

$$ | Fishmore Rd., Ludlow, SY8 3DP, England Fodor's Choice

Saved from dereliction in the late 2000s, Fishmore Hall has been beautifully converted from a crumbling old mansion into a relaxing, contemporary lodge. Good-sized guest rooms are decorated in soothing color schemes, with heavy wood furniture and silk drapes. Overlooking the serene Ludlow countryside, Forelles Fine Dining serves well-regarded Modern British cuisine; Sunday lunch is particularly good. There's also a gorgeous spa with an outdoor cedar hot tub.

Pros

  • Lovely location
  • Well-designed rooms
  • Serene, luxurious spa

Cons

  • Restaurant is pricey
  • A little out of town
  • Outdoor hot tub is not to everyone’s liking
Fishmore Rd., Ludlow, SY8 3DP, England
01584-875148
hotel Details
15 rooms
Rate Includes: Free Breakfast

Quick Facts

  • $$

Hampton Manor

$$$$ | Shadowbrook La., Birmingham, B92 0EN, England Fodor's Choice

Just a five-minute walk from the village of Hampton-in-Arden, this hotel (and its restaurant's accompanying Michelin star) is proof that Birmingham lodging isn’t all about business travel. Here, the focus is very much on relaxing, and everything has been thought through carefully to ensure you feel at home. There are fresh coffee beans to grind, huge beds to dive into, and some rooms even have record players. The house was built in 1855 and was once home to British prime minister Robert Peel, and has since been renovated to become a rural restaurant with rooms. Paying homage to the house’s Arts and Crafts past, the rooms are individually designed and feature hand-printed wallpaper and luxurious fabrics; rooms in the manor house are offered as part of a two-night foodie experience starting from £450 per person.

Pros

  • Amazing restaurant
  • Free parking
  • Country-retreat feel

Cons

  • A bit out of town
  • Popular with weddings
  • Pricey for the area
Shadowbrook La., Birmingham, B92 0EN, England
01675-446080
hotel Details
24 rooms
Rate Includes: Free Breakfast

Quick Facts

Hotel Indigo Stratford-upon-Avon

$$ | Chapel St., Stratford-upon-Avon, CV37 6HA, England Fodor's Choice

This hotel in a black-and-white timber-frame building in the center of town has a great location just opposite Shakespeare’s New Place and a gorgeous, stripped-back feel that works well within the confines of a historic building. Each of the rooms comes with Hypnos beds dressed in Egyptian cotton, beautiful tiled en suite bathrooms, and charming splashes of color. Opt for one of the rooms in the 16th-century part of the building for a truly memorable stay and make sure you have dinner in the lovely Woodsman pub downstairs at least one night, where local deer, wild boar, and lamb are cooked in front of diners on a wood-fired oven and charcoal grill (chefs adhere to a nose-to-tail style of cooking).

Pros

  • Great location
  • Excellent restaurant
  • Plenty of character that combines old and new

Cons

  • Part of a chain
  • Neighborhood can be a little busy
  • Some rooms on the small side
Chapel St., Stratford-upon-Avon, CV37 6HA, England
0330-102–7244
hotel Details
93 rooms
Rate Includes: Free Breakfast

Quick Facts

  • $$

Library House

$ | 11 Severn Bank, Telford, TF8 7AN, England Fodor's Choice

Built in 1740 and at one time the village’s library, this small guesthouse sits on the hillside near the Ironbridge museums and just a few steps from the bridge. The house has been beautifully restored, with plenty of original and Victorian features brought to the fore (in a nice nod to its former life, its old library shelves still line the guest room walls). Rooms are furnished with elegance—the Chaucer Room even has its own private terrace—and service is warm without being obtrusive; they’ll even furnish you with a hot water bottle on cool nights.

Pros

  • Welcoming hosts
  • Good location
  • Elegant bedrooms

Cons

  • No restaurant
  • Books up quickly
  • Might be too personable for some
11 Severn Bank, Telford, TF8 7AN, England
01952-432299
hotel Details
3 rooms
Rate Includes: Free Breakfast

Quick Facts

  • $

Lion & Pheasant

$$ | 49–50 Wyle Cop, Shrewsbury, SY1 1XJ, England Fodor's Choice
This elegant townhouse in the popular Wyle Cop area of Shrewsbury has an excellent restaurant, unique and blissful rooms, and lots of character. You can easily walk to the town’s main attractions too, but you might find it hard to leave your room at all. Beds with bare oak beams, wrought-iron bedsteads, and pocket-sprung mattresses are the perfect marriage of old and new.

Pros

  • Reputable restaurant
  • Original features
  • Luxury linens

Cons

  • Some may find the decor too vanilla
  • Can be on the busy side
  • No elevator
49–50 Wyle Cop, Shrewsbury, SY1 1XJ, England
01743-770345
hotel Details
22 rooms
Rate Includes: Free Breakfast

Quick Facts

  • $$

Mallory Court Country House Hotel and Spa

$$ | Harbury La., Bishops Tachbrook, CV33 9QB, England Fodor's Choice

This elegant country-house hotel three miles southeast of Warwick makes for a quiet, luxurious getaway; it has 43 rooms but still manages to make you feel like you're visiting friends (albeit very wealthy ones). The comfortably designed bedrooms (set across the main manor house, in two separate buildings) are country chic, with clever touches of pattern and texture. One of the biggest attractions is the oak-paneled dining room, acclaimed for its sophisticated cuisine; the more casual art deco brasserie is also good. You can treat yourself to a massage in the Elan Spa, hidden among the trees in the lovely grounds, or just kick back in the outdoor vitality pool and take in the view.

Pros

  • Good for pampering
  • Excellent restaurant
  • Real English country-house experience

Cons

  • Outside town
  • Lots of weekend weddings
  • Some traffic noise
Harbury La., Bishops Tachbrook, CV33 9QB, England
01926-330214
hotel Details
43 rooms
Rate Includes: Free Breakfast

Quick Facts

  • $$

New Hall Hotel & Spa

$$$ | Walmley Rd., Birmingham, B76 1QX, England Fodor's Choice

A tree-lined drive leads through 26 acres of gardens and open fields to this moated, 12th-century manor house, where public rooms reflect the hotel’s long history with touches such as 16th-century oak paneling and Flemish glass, 18th-century chandeliers, and a 17th-century stone fireplace. Guest rooms, most in a more modern section, are done in contemporary English country style with plain and print fabrics and marble-tile baths. Sophisticated British cuisine is served in the very grand Bridge restaurant, while coffees and digestifs can be taken in the Terrace Lounge and Bar. The hotel is seven miles northeast of the city center.

Pros

  • Historic building
  • Beautiful grounds
  • Excellent spa

Cons

  • A little difficult to locate
  • Far from city center
  • Might be a bit staid for some
Walmley Rd., Birmingham, B76 1QX, England
0121-3782442
hotel Details
60 rooms
Rate Includes: Free Breakfast

Quick Facts

Staying Cool at the Rotunda

$$ | 150 New St., Birmingham, B2 4PA, England Fodor's Choice

The top five floors of the Rotunda, an iconic, cylindrical office building from 1965, now contain spacious studio, one-, and two-bedroom apartments, designed to the hilt in sleek mid-century style. Each room features unique furnishings, designer kitchens (including espresso machines and juicers), and all the latest gadgetry, but the real stars of the show are the floor-to-ceiling windows that showcase every detail of the city’s skyline. Kitchens are well stocked with goodies so you can enjoy a good breakfast and there’s a genuine commitment to sustainability.

Pros

  • Well-stocked kitchens
  • Dreamy beds
  • Awesome views

Cons

  • No designated parking
  • Can feel a little impersonal
  • No actual restaurant on-site
150 New St., Birmingham, B2 4PA, England
0121-285–1250
hotel Details
35 apartments
Rate Includes: No Meals

Quick Facts

  • $$

Three Choirs Vineyard

$$ | Newent, Ledbury, GL18 1LS., England Fodor's Choice

This beautiful vineyard is just a 15-minute drive from Ledbury, and comes with a choice of rooms or lodges, either looking over the vines or set within them. Rooms are spacious and comfy, but not overly fussy. The Three Choirs Vineyard (named after a famous choral festival between Herford, Worcester, and Gloucester) kickstarted the whole English wine industry way back in the 1970s and has never looked back. There are no tours, but guests can enjoy tapas-style dishes in the restaurant or charcuterie boards alongside a self-guided wine tasting.

Pros

  • Spectacular setting
  • Great on-site restaurant
  • Excellent wine at one of the first vineyards in England

Cons

  • Not for those who don't like wine
  • Tasting room a bit of a walk from the lodges
  • Restaurant and wine can be pricey
Newent, Ledbury, GL18 1LS., England
01531-890223
hotel Details
8 rooms, 3 lodges
Rate Includes: No Meals

Quick Facts

  • $$

Timberstone

$$ | B4363, Cleestanton, SY8 3EL, England Fodor's Choice

The Read family has turned a rambling stone cottage in the Clee Hills into a welcoming haven with rooms furnished in neutral tones in a soothing, contemporary style. The Clay Room has its own balcony and a double-ended slipper bath in the room, and the Slate Room has wooden beams and views to Titterstone Clee Hill. Meanwhile, the Retreat, a wooden cabin at the end of the garden, offers total seclusion. Books and games abound, and reflexology treatment, a sauna, and evening meals are options if you wish to stay put. The whole detached cottage can also be hired out on a self-catering basis.

Pros

  • Relaxing and hospitable
  • Geared to families
  • Great food

Cons

  • Far from the center of Ludlow
  • Rustic living may not appeal to everyone
  • Dinner menu is limited
B4363, Cleestanton, SY8 3EL, England
01584-823519
hotel Details
6 rooms
Rate Includes: Free Breakfast

Quick Facts

  • $$