The Good Hotel Guide has revealed its annual list of César winners. The 20 Césars (named after famous Swiss hotelier César Ritz) are given to the hotels, inns and B&Bs considered outstanding in their particular category. The latest version of The Good Hotel Guide: Great Britain & Ireland is now live online, featuring more than 700 hotels, including 76 new entries.
Hotels leading the way for Wales are Ty Mawr, Carmarthenshire, Best Country House Hotel, Bodysgallen Hall, Conwy, Best for Gardens and Penally Abbey, Pembrokeshire, Best Hotel in Wales.
Just over the border, The Castle, Shropshire, has been awarded Best Hotel for Walkers, whilst two other hotels in Wales and Shropshire to break through and make their debut on the Editors Choice shortlist includes: The Manor Town House, Pembrokeshire, for Best B&B and The Old Downton Lodge, Shropshire, for Best Restaurant with Rooms.
Other award winners that won their respective categories in Great Britain & Ireland include the former home of Georgiana, Duchess of Bedford, a quaint seaside B&B with a staggering 900-bottle wine cellar; a former Sisters of Mercy Convent, restored and luxuriously converted to a boutique style hotel; a hotel that has maintained its two Michelin star rating for the last 40 years; and, a dining pub with the addition of its own gourmet fish and chip shop, post office and corner shop.
Best Country House Hotel
Tŷ Mawr, Carmarthenshire
Located in the charming village of Brechfa, just outside Carmarthenshire, Tŷ Mawr Country Hotel’s fast growing reputation for fabulous food stretches far and wide. Voted second year running for the Editor’s Choice Award for the Best Country House Hotel, it’s not hard to work out why.
Best for Gardens
Bodysgallen Hall, Conwy
Set in over 200 acres of majestic parkland, with stunning views of Snowdonia and Conwy Castle, The 17th century Bodysgallen Hall, owned by the National Trust, provides beautiful gardens including a walled rose garden and several follies.
Best Hotel in Wales
Penally Abbey, Tenby, Pembrokeshire
Owner and interior designer Melanie Boissevain has created stylish, relaxing rooms filled with antiques, French market finds, blowsy wallpapers and Persian rugs in this Strawberry Hill Gothic house on the coast just a five-minute drive from Tenby.
Best for Walkers
The Castle, Shropshire
Set in one of most unspoilt market towns in England, The Castle, Shropshire, is surrounded by the beautiful South Shropshire Hills – renowned as the best walking countryside in England. It’s the perfect place to return to for excellent food and a comfy room, following a strenuous hike.
Best in Cities/Towns
The Cookie Jar, Northumberland
The Cookie Jar, a cosy retreat in the heart of Alnwick, Northumberland, is the brainchild of husband and wife team Debbie and Robert Cook, former chief executive of Malmaison and Hotel du Vin. The historical building once home to the Sisters of Mercy has been elegantly renovated into 11 luxurious rooms and suites.
Best B&B
The Terrace, Isle of Wight
Six beautiful boutique rooms all with sea-views are the end result of Ashley and Tom’s labour of love project, which commenced in 2021 when they bought a little guesthouse on the edge of Ventnor. Complemented by a small wine shop, all stays include a wine tasting, with access to their incredible 900-bottle wine cellar.
Best Restaurant with Rooms
Mingary Castle, Highlands
The beautiful Ardnamurchan Estate, on the west coast of the Scottish Highlands is the setting for the 13th Century Mingary Castle. Opulent rooms and fine dining with daily changing menus, showcases Chef patron, Colin Nicholson’s talent of working with local produce, bringing out the best the Highlands has to offer.
Best Hotel in Scotland
Prestonfield, Edinburgh
With the feeling of a secluded country retreat, Prestonfield is in fact just minutes from Edinburgh’s historic city, yet is surrounded by 20 acres of gardens and parkland. Rhubarb, Prestonfield’s restaurant, offers inspiring dining from daylight to twilight and is renowned as Edinburgh’s most luxurious fine-dining restaurant.
Best Pub
The Howard Arms, Warwickshire
A good old traditional Cotswold pub with eight cosy bedrooms lies in the heart of the village of Ilmington. Sympathetic to its proud heritage, it features a welcoming log fire and the lure of a proper pint along with a menu of top-quality pub favourites including irresistible puddings.
Best Foodie
The Collective at Woolsery, North Devon
Where to start with The Collective at Woolsery, Devon. Located in the pretty village of Woolsery, The Collective Farmers Arms – a dining pub, a gourmet fish & chip shop, and a 150-acre farm providing some of the produce for the above. And, if that wasn’t enough, a corner shop and post office with a contemporary twist concludes the mix.
Best Romantic Hotel
Hotel Endsleigh, Devon
Originally created by Georgiana, Duchess of Bedford, as a summer home, Endsleigh with its sumptuous rooms, located in the Tamar Valley is surrounded by vast swathes of forestry, caves and waterfalls exuding the charm and romance of a Scottish baronial home not out of place in the Highlands.
Best for Dogs
Mill End Hotel, Devon
This Dartmoor hotel prides itself on welcoming guests’ four-legged friends. Not only does the hotel have fabulous walks from the door, but also boasts a selection of dog-friendly rooms and dining areas, together with a special treat box and personalised Mill End collar tag is presented to each four-legged guest upon arrival.
Best Spa
Lime Wood, Hampshire
Located in the heart of the New Forest, Lime Wood’s Herb House Spa, inspired by its forest surroundings, provides a sense of calm and well-being – the perfect relaxing space to escape and re-energise the mind and body.
Best Seaside
The Seaside Boarding House, Burton Bradstock, Dorset
With fresh seafood from the adjacent coast at its toes and great produce from the surrounding countryside, the celebrated hotel and restaurant packs a real punch at the dinner table. Overlooking the sweep of Lyme Bay and complemented by stunning views, The Seaside Boarding House enjoys everything Burton Bradstock has to offer and more.
Best Hotel in the South
Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons, Oxfordshire
Created by celebrated chef Raymond Blanc, Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons has stood the test of time. Upon opening in 1984, it was awarded two Michelin stars and has managed to hold on to them ever since, remaining at the cutting edge of hotel excellence.
Best Hotel in South West and Channel Islands
The Blonde Hedgehog
A restored former public house and now a small luxury hotel, The Blonde Hedgehog is situated within the cobblestone streets of Saint Anne, on the remote island of Alderney, Channel Islands. Steeped in fascinating history, the well-kept secret stay has deluxe suites and a family-friendly cottage.
Best Hotel in East Anglia
The White Horse, Norfolk
Birdwatchers love The White Horse, Norfolk, with its 15 spacious bedrooms and dramatic views. A friendly and relaxed atmosphere with excellent dining, Fran Hartshorne, executive chef, is passionate about seasonality, working in a kitchen that faces out across the stunning tidal marsh.
Best Hotel in the Midlands
Hambleton Hall, Rutland
Hambleton Hall Hotel and Restaurant continues to go from strength-to-strength thanks to over four decades of ownership and dedication by Tim and Stefa Hart. Elegant-designed rooms, the Michelin-starred cuisine and its location, set on the peninsula above Rutland Water are reason enough to visit this majestic hotel.
Best Hotel in the North
The Traddock, Yorkshire
Surrounded by breathtaking scenery, The Traddock, located in the Yorkshire Dales National Park is a small family-run country house hotel, offering quiet rooms, top-quality Yorkshire food and excellent value for money. The hotel is ideally located for walks; the Three Peaks or the Wainwright walk from Austwick to Crummackdale can be started right from the hotel’s front door!
Best Hotel in Ireland
Rathmullan House, Co Donegal
A warm Irish welcome awaits at Rathmullan House. The Georgian family-run country house set on the shores of Lough Swilly and just a short distance from the long sandy beach, is a beautiful location to unwind and relax. Seven acres of wooded gardens including a walled garden supplies the kitchen with seasonal produce, along with fresh fish and seafood caught on the hotel’s doorstep.
Editor’s Choice
The Good Hotel Guide (GHG) also awards Editor’s Choice certificates to properties, selected by the GHG editorial team based on reports from readers, in the following categories: Restaurants with Rooms, Foodie, Romantic, Walking, Spa, Seaside, Country House, Dog-friendly, Cities & Towns, Gardens, Pubs with Rooms and B&Bs.
Established in 1978, the Good Hotel Guide features more than 700 hotels, inns, B&Bs and guesthouses, with 76 new entries this year. The editorial team is headed up by Jane Knight, former travel editor of The Times. The Good Hotel Guide remains the only truly independent UK hotel guide, where readers play a crucial role by reporting on existing entries as well as recommending new discoveries, which is complemented by GHG inspections. Now in its 48th year, The Good Hotel Guide does not accept payment for inclusion or free hospitality in return for coverage.
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