1. Stargazer lodges at Blaithwaite Country House Estate
Blaithwaite Country House Estate has added two stargazer lodges to its accommodation offering. Located between the Solway Coast and the Lake District, each British-built lodge has a mezzanine level with a panorama stargazing roof window, giving guests an uninterrupted view of the starscape above. Located in the estate’s Ellrigg Field, the lodges - Galaxy (sleeps four) and Comet (sleeps six) - come complete with modern amenities, an outdoor living area and access to the grounds of the 250-acre estate. Each lodge also has a double bedroom on the bottom floor, a bathroom with a power shower, a fully-equipped modern kitchen and a bright, spacious living space area that leads out onto a patio. The Comet lodge has an extra pull-out king size bed to accommodate two extra guests. Prices start from £450 per week.
2. Hyatt Centric Cambridge
The UK’s first Hyatt Centric property has officially opened its doors in Cambridge. Located in the heart of the new sustainable neighbourhood of Eddington - developed by the University of Cambridge - the Hyatt Centric Cambridge features 150 guestrooms, various social spaces and four dining options. KOTA’s coffee shop offers artisan baked goods, KOTA restaurant focuses on the Finnish concept of charcoal cooking and community dining, Dutch offers classic cocktails with a twist, and the seasonal roof terrace is the perfect spot for a refreshing craft beer from a local brewery, as well as nibbles and small bites. Room rates start from £120 per night.
3. Orchard Hideaways
What better way to celebrate the change in season than to stay in an ancient apple orchard, complete with tasty apples that guests are free to take home with them. Nestled within a tranquil ancient apple orchard, on the edge of the Lake District, sits Orchard Hideaways - a small, family-friendly glamping pod site with 16 pods of varying size, accommodating up to four people. The handbuilt pods are sat within the apple trees with varieties including russets, codlins and pippins. Guests are actively encouraged to enjoy the apples and either take them home to enjoy later or eat them as a tasty snack on their walks. Fully insulated, the pods are cosy and perfect for relaxing after a day on the fells. Complete with mini kitchenettes and basic cooking equipment, all you need to bring is a sleeping bag and a sense of adventure. Four-legged friends are also welcome on-site as all the pods are pet-friendly. Prices start from £66 per night, based on two sharing.
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4. Rick Stein’s shepherd’s huts at The Cornish Arms
Rick Stein Restaurants has unveiled five cosy shepherd’s huts at The Cornish Arms in St Merryn, a short drive from Padstow. The huts - designed by Jill, Ed and Kate Stein - join the family-run business’ existing hotel rooms and self-catered accommodation on the coast. Each hut is home to a bright living and dining area, an en suite shower bathroom and kitchenette. Completed with boutique fixtures and fittings, the huts feature a double size bed and are designed to comfortably accommodate two adults. Cabins start at £220 per night, minimum two-night stay.
5. Leven Manchester
A new art and design-led hotel will be coming soon to Manchester’s vibrant Village neighbourhood. Housed in an early 20th century warehouse on the corner of Chorlton Street and Canal Street, Leven Manchester is open for its soft launch in October.
Previously used as a cotton warehouse and more recently a brewery and comedy club, the 33,000 sq ft property has had an extensive interior and exterior reimagining. The hotel will have 42 rooms and phase two of its launch will include a cocktail bar and restaurant space. Nightly rates will start from £89 in a “Life Size” room, and from £299 in a “Living The Dream” two-bedroom duplex Penthouse suite.
6. The Westminster London
Following a multi-million pound renovation The Westminster London is now open and operating as an independent hotel under Hilton’s Curio Collection portfolio. As well as the 464 rooms and suites, the hotel also features a 24-hour gym on the 13th floor and a number of event spaces. Food and beverage options include the vibrant STK Steakhouse restaurant and Bao Yum, a new dining concept offering a selection of “bao-centric” items. Nightly room rates at The Westminster London start from £165 room-only and are based on two sharing.
7. Fairmont Windsor Park
Located adjacent to Windsor Great Park and Savill Gardens, the new Fairmont Windsor Park will open this autumn. With a big focus on health and wellness, the hotel features a 2,500 sqm spa with indoor and outdoor pools, vitality pools, a cryotherapy chamber, Himalayan salt room, Hamman and Japanese foot spa. Set in beautifully landscaped gardens, the new property resembles an English countryside sanctuary, carefully blending modern elegance with mindful design. Each of the 200 guest rooms and suites will be spacious, comfortable and classic in design, furnished to a combination of natural stone and soft textures, with many offering sweeping views of the surrounding gardens. Rates start from £425 inclusive of VAT for a Fairmont King room on a fully flexible basis.
8. Beaverbrook Town House
In partnership with Cadogan Estates, the Beaverbrook brand’s debut London property will open its doors to guests in September. Located on Sloane Street in the heart of Chelsea, this luxury hotel will occupy two revamped Georgian townhouses and include just 14 bedrooms and suites, which are each styled and named after celebrated London theatres. In addition to the theatrical suites, the 15,000 sq ft boutique property will also be home to the Fuji Grill, a 60-cover contemporary Japanese restaurant and bar. Rates start from £400 on a room-only basis.
9. The Endeavour at Glenapp Castle
There was a double celebration on 17 May at the five-star Glenapp Castle in Ayrshire, Scotland. Not only did the 17-bedroom Relais & Chateaux hotel reopen for business but its new penthouse apartment - The Endeavour - also officially launched. A conversion of the castle’s entire top floor, the penthouse provides more than 4,500 sq ft of luxurious accommodation and features four bedrooms and four bathrooms. Other facilities include a lounge with dining room for up to 16 guests, a media room with seating for 12, sauna, library, a games room, a private lift, and a personal treatment room for massages and beauty treatments. It also has its own kitchen dining room and is able to be offered on an exclusive and private basis with a full butler service and private chef. Guests can book the whole floor of The Endeavour from £2,750 in the winter months (November to March) and £3,950 in the summer months (April to October) per night on a B&B basis.
10. Qbic Manchester
Located on the lively Deansgate strip in the centre of the city, the Qbic Manchester recently opened its doors and is home to 261 rooms as well as Motley, a vibrant, all-day hangout serving food and drink. The rooms feature the innovative “Qbi” design concept and include comfortable king-sized beds, high-speed Wi-Fi, pet-friendly options, water-efficient power showers, sustainable toiletries and complimentary tea and coffee. Rates start from £58 per night for a small double.
11. The Farmyard at The Newt in Somerset
Opening this summer, The Farmyard will complement existing accommodation at The Newt in Somerset, offering a laid back, private slice of country life – available by room or for exclusive hire. Hidden in a secluded corner of the estate and accessed through traditional cyder orchards, its 17 bedrooms and suites are housed within historic buildings such as a Farm House, Cyder Mill, Apple Loft and Cheese Barns. The Farmyard includes an indoor swimming pool, bar and games room and an authentic farm-to-table culinary experience – alongside full access to the wider estate.
12. Longleat’s new luxury self-catering cottages
Longleat safari park has launched a range of new exclusive rural retreats on its estate in Wiltshire. Visitors will be able to choose from six individually designed country getaways, each with its own stunning setting. Prices start from £375 per night for East Lodge, Gardener’s Cottage (including a private tour of Longleat’s grounds and gardens with the head gardener) and Prairie Cottage; £500 for Deer Keeper’s House and Keeper’s Cottage; and £750 for Keeper’s House (including an exclusive 4x4 tour of the Safari Park). All accommodation options include Longleat park tickets for the duration of the guests’ stay.
13. North Lodge at Coworth Park
A new private, standalone cottage has been unveiled at Coworth Park - the Dorchester Collection’s Michelin-starred country house hotel and spa in Ascot, Berkshire. Located on the outskirts of the 240-acre grounds, the North Lodge offers three bedrooms, a lobby, dining room and kitchen. Guests can make use of their own private garden with an outdoor dining area and also have full access to the spa, equestrian centre and various dining facilities on the estate. Ideal for a summer staycation, the lodge is available to book for up to six guests. Rates start from £3,500 per night for a minimum five-night stay.
14. Hideaway Huts at The Fish
The Fish, a part boutique hotel, part adventure hideout located on the 400-acre Farncombe Estate near Broadway in the Cotswolds, will introduce five new “Hideaway Huts” this summer. Scattered around the rural grounds of the hotel in secluded locations, each hut will feature a bedroom with a double bed and roll top bath, as well as a separate en suite bathroom with shower. There will also be a cosy lounge area with a sofa and a wood burner and a private hot-tub on the outside decking. The first of the new huts will be available for guests to stay in from July and all five will be installed by September. Nightly rates start from £285, based on two sharing on a B&B basis.
15. Newhall Mains
Located in the heart of the Scottish Highlands, Newhall Mains is a luxury holiday accommodation and boutique wedding venue. Five cottages and four suites have been newly converted from a once derelict quadrangle of 200-year-old agricultural buildings. Newhall Mains is the only luxury holiday rental property in the UK to have its own light aircraft landing strip and the nearby Cromarty Firth is one of the best places in Britain to see bottlenose dolphins. A low-season stay costs from £95 per night in a double suite, rising to £250 per night in the three-bedroom cottage. Cottage guests all receive a welcome hamper.
16. Bodmin Jail Hotel
In the heart of Cornwall you’ll find a unique hotel that “intertwines the history of an 18th century prison with creative, contemporary design”. Bodmin Jail was once used to house the Crown Jewels during the First World War, but when it reopens as a luxury hotel in 2021 you’ll find elegant bedrooms as well as dining options such as The Chapel Restaurant & Bar and The Jolly Hangman Tavern.
17. The Dilly
“The Dilly” is the new name above the door of the former Le Méridien Piccadilly hotel in central London. Dating back to 1908, the property has been transformed into the capital’s newest independent five-star hotel. Its exterior has a new design and the lobby has undergone an extensive refurbishment. The redesign of the 255 bedrooms and 28 suites will be ongoing, although 39 have been completed on opening. As part of the new Health Club at The Dilly, it will also have one of London’s largest indoor luxury pools. Rates start from £219.
18. Wakeling Island 10 at Silverlake
This stunning five-bedroom lakeside property at Silverlake in Dorset is an ideal place for a relaxing countryside break and combines modern architecture with nature. The accommodation provides spacious open-plan living on the ground level complete with a log fire; and the five bedrooms and four bathrooms across other levels means there’s plenty of space for all the family. It has a 20m outdoor pool that is heated year-round, and indoors guests will find a sauna, Technogym and treatment rooms. Habitat Escapes offers two nights at Wakeling Island 10 at Silverlake from £640. The property sleeps up to ten people.
19. The Apartments by 11 Cadogan Gardens
After reopening on 12 April, 11 Cadogan Gardens in London marked the date with the official launch of The Apartments - the first apartment suites by Iconic Luxury Hotels. Set behind a red brick Victorian façade, the newly-renovated six-storey townhouse offers a new style of accommodation to 11 Cadogan Gardens’ existing 56 hotel rooms and suites. Each of the six floors is home to a one-, two- or three-bedroom residence (six apartments in total) which make them ideal for families. They are also a perfect choice for a laid-back luxurious extended stay in a desirable London neighbourhood. Prices start from £350 per night for a minimum three-night stay.
20. The Londoner
After delays due to the pandemic, the official opening of London’s first super-boutique hotel will take place this summer. The Londoner, from Edwardian Hotels London, will have 350 rooms, 35 suites and is dubbed the UK’s “deepest” hotel, with the lowest floor some 30m below ground, says Business Traveller. As well as five concept restaurants and lounges and a rooftop bar, the hotel will also include a ballroom for up to 1,000 guests, two new Odeon Luxe cinemas and a unique subterranean spa.
21. Henry’s Townhouse
Located minutes from Hyde Park in Marylebone, Henry’s Townhouse had its soft opening in December and fully reopened on 12 April. The private townhouse at the Grade II-listed No.24 Upper Berkeley Street was once owned by Jane Austen’s brother Henry. The building itself comprises seven elaborately designed bedrooms, each with its own unique narrative to tell. Common areas include a bespoke pantry kitchen with sharing table for breakfast, private dining and parties. This space converts into a fully equipped meeting room. Henry’s also boasts a small yet lavish carriage like cocktail “snug”, outside terrace for evening aperitifs and Jane Austen’s Reading Room, which is perfect for afternoon drinks or some quiet relaxation.
22. The Albion
This 23 en-suite room hotel overlooking the river Teifi in Wales is the newest project from “cult campsite” Fforest, Conde Nast Traveller reports. Housed in two historic warehouses, the hotel will be designed to celebrate the town’s maritime heritage and is located between two of Fforest’s existing campsites. The Albion will be “perfect for those who aren’t so into glamping but still want to enjoy all Fforest has to offer”, says Boutique Handbook.
23. The Westin London City
Marking the debut of Westin Hotels & Resorts in the UK, The Westin London City is set to open on 1 November. The 222-room wellness hotel will boast a prime riverfront location in the heart of London, benefiting from panoramic views over the River Thames and an 8,000 sq ft Heavenly Spa by Westin. Led by British architects Dexter Moren Associates, the hotel’s design aims to “increase connectivity to the natural environment”. Food and drink options at the new property include riverside wine bar Hithe + Seek and all day dining destination Mosaic.
24. Inhabit Hotels
Inhabit Hotels is set to open a second property in London this autumn. Building on the success of the Inhabit Southwick Street, which opened in the capital in 2019, the new Inhabit property will be located a stone’s throw from its sister hotel, within a series of Georgian townhouses on a leafy corner of Paddington. The new urban wellness hotel will offer considered spaces, nourishing food and beverage options, and hosts that share a passion for maintaining a healthy mind and body.
NoMad London “is possibly the most exciting hotel opening in London since The Ned”, says Fiona Kerr for Condé Nast Traveller. The original NoMad, in New York, is “one of the city’s moodiest, slickest stays”. Here, in London, its “cultivated cool” is transplanted to the former Bow Street magistrates’ court and police station in Covent Garden. The design brief required exploring “the artistic and cultural synergy between London and New York, with more than 1,600 works of art on show”. The “pub-like” Side Hustle restaurant will serve Mexican sharing plates and mezcal, “in place of the usual pork-scratchings and pints, while Common Decency serves serious cocktails. After our long enforced hibernation, this is the hottest ticket in town”. Room rates start from around £455.
26. BrewDog DogHouse hotels in Edinburgh and Manchester
(Image credit: BrewDog)
Scottish craft beer company BrewDog has announced plans to open a beer-themed hotel in Edinburgh’s Old Town. Launching in Q3 this year the “DogHouse” boutique hotel and bar will have “beer on tap in all the rooms, mini-bars filled with the best beers in the planet and fridges in the shower for shower beers”, co-founder James Watt said on Twitter. This summer BrewDog will also be opening a DogHouse in Manchester. The 18-room sustainable hotel will have a ground-flour taproom and a rooftop bar featuring an urban forest.
27. The Guardsman
Westminster has a new five-star boutique hotel, The Guardsman, which is part of the Preferred Hotels & Resorts LVX portfolio. Located just a few minutes walk from Buckingham Palace, The Guardsman has “all the smart sophistication, intimacy and personal service of an exclusive members-only club”, said Nicole Trilivas of Forbes. As well as 53 elegant bedrooms, the hotel also features six plush residences which take up the top three floors. It is “undeniably looking to be a home from home”, said Andy Mossack of Trip Reporter, “and in my view succeeds with honours”. Room rates start from £250 per night.
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