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

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.

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.

Amid shady grounds, this family-run hotel sits high up the side of the Malvern Hills, with splendid views of the landscape. The bright and contemporary rooms come with snowy-white bedspreads and tasteful pops of color; rooms with a view are equipped with binoculars. The 1919 restaurant has the best panorama, with views over the Cotswolds and the Severn Valley; it serves excellent modern British fare influenced by the forest and the sea.

This spick-and-span, good-value hotel’s selling points are its excellent location near the center of the historic district and views across the river. Run by IHG, it also has plenty of modern amenities. Rooms are large and full of light, but the bathrooms are a bit of a squeeze. Staff are friendly, and children are welcomed enthusiastically. Ask for rooms away from the elevators, as they can be a bit noisy. It’s often full of businesspeople and conferences but there are some nice touches, such as the Terrace Bar, where you can enjoy drinks or dinner, and the bright Riverside Restaurant.

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.

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.

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.

An excellent central location near the waterside nightlife scene is just one perk to staying at this smoothly run hotel. The crisp, modern bedrooms and bathrooms, though on the small side, are beautifully equipped and furnished in calm, neutral tones. Downstairs, the trendy bar and neighboring Recess restaurant have a very Mad Men feel. Cooked-to-order breakfasts are included in the good weekend deals.

A Victorian hospital in the city center got a makeover from this superhip chain, but it retains such original details as the ironwork double stairway and marble columns. Beyond the imposing redbrick exterior is an inner courtyard with a retractable roof, which is a great summertime outdoor space and a lovely location for afternoon tea year-round. Bedrooms are sleek and contemporary, with leather-encased sleigh beds, slippers and robes, and a choice of drinking glasses to accompany the minibar. The bistro is redolent of fin-de-siècle Paris, and in the Bubble Lounge you can sample a wide variety of champagne.

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).

The low beams, stained glass, wood paneling, and patchwork cushions that greet you as you enter this Georgian inn set the tone for the whimsical guest rooms, fancifully named after herbs and flowers (the latter, of course, being the most colorful). Feel thoroughly cocooned by the antique beds, floral quilts, and lavender-scented sheets, and take a lulling sway on a velvet swing (many rooms have one). The excellent restaurant uses herbs and vegetables from the well-tended gardens. It’s three miles from both Ironbridge and Bridgnorth.

Housed in one of the city’s grand Victorian buildings, this traditional hotel is a surprisingly good value option in the center of Birmingham. Guest rooms are decorated either with conservative dark woods and print fabrics or, for a slightly higher rate, in a modern, minimalist style using warm, muted colors. The Berlioz restaurant has a contemporary Scottish menu, or you can take afternoon tea in the Berlioz Bar.

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.

Retail therapy is on your doorstep at this chic hotel in the Mailbox shopping center, where large windows make the guest rooms light and airy by day, and there’s subtle lighting by night. Furnishings are bright and funky, and bathrooms indulge you with tailor-made toiletries. There's also a spa and gym on-site.

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.

Located in the center of Great Malvern, the Abbey enjoys beautiful views over the Malvern Hills and the Vale of Evesham. Rooms are smart and clean, if not overly exciting, and there is a decent restaurant onsite.

Just a few miles south of Stratford, this pub with rooms oozes imagination and individuality. Rooms remain true to the 18th-century building’s heritage, while retaining some of the quirky contemporary style for which the pub is known. Foodies beat a regular path to the door of the pub, where the chef is mindful of the seasons and locality—expect to see the likes of seasonal vegetables or Warwickshire lamb on the menu.

Even if you’re not staying here, take time to admire the extravagant half-timber facade of this hotel, built in the early 17th century and described by many as one of the most beautiful inns in the world. The interior is equally impressive, dripping with ornate plaster ceilings, carved oak, paneling, beams, and creaking floors. Some guest rooms are done in modern style, but others preserve the antique look.

Although this modern hotel may lack the period charm of older hotels, its up-to-date facilities, spacious rooms, and ample grounds make it a good option if Tudor beamed ceilings aren't a must. Rooms, all with well-designed furniture and tasteful color schemes, come in several shapes; some even have four-poster beds. There is also a mini-gym on-site, and you can use the indoor pool at the sister hotel, the Stratford Manor, three miles away.

Now part of the Best Western Premier Collection, this hotel in an 1886 neo-Jacobean-style building evokes the luxury of bygone days with its mullioned bay windows, gables, and tall chimneys. Relax on the Italianate terrace overlooking the 157 acres of landscaped grounds or take afternoon tea, which is available every day. The hotel boasts its own 18-hole golf course as well as a leisure club and spa. Public rooms such as the Great Hall, with wood paneling and a marble fireplace, complement the main house guest rooms, which have faux-antique furnishings. For the best views, ask for a room overlooking the gardens. The fancy Trevelyan Restaurant relies on a French foundation to present British cuisine. The hotel is about a five-minute drive from Stratford.

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.

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.