
From the chintzy to mid-century modern, there’s something for everyone.
11 Beautiful British Hotels to Inspire Your Decor Mood Board
From the chintzy to mid-century modern, there’s something for everyone.
When it comes to seeking design inspiration for your slumber chamber, take a leaf out of the experts’ book. Hotels are curated spaces with teams of interior designers agonising over every detail, from the colour scheme to the height of the bed (FYI - the higher, the more fairytale the feel). If it works for them - chances are it’ll work for you.
This list is by no means exhaustive, but it’s a good place to start. Perhaps it’ll sell you on the merits of a scene-stealing headboard, cork flooring (surprisingly cosy) and why - if you have the plumbing and the funds - a bathtub is always a good idea. From the boutique to the budget-busting, here are some of our favourites.
1. Babington House, Somerset
We’ll happily replicate any of the desirable rooms by the Soho House group. But this one’s cosy low ceiling and crystal ceiling light have us dreaming of a wet afternoon curled up with a book on that delectable bed.
2. Haymarket Hotel, London
Proving that the ceiling is the only limit when it comes to a headboard and that yes - you can do printed wallpaper simultaneously, the Firmdale group’s residences are a masterclass in clashing prints and colour thanks to designer Kit Kemp. If your scheme ever gets a little too ‘busy’, just ask yourself: ‘What would Kit do?’ - and add another pattern to the mix.
3. Angela’s Rooms, Margate
This revered seafood eatery has branched out into equally desirable rooms above its restaurant, which look out onto Margate’s harbour. Our favourite is the one wallpapered in mesmerising hand-marbled panels by local maker Nat Maks. With a strong focus on sustainability, the furniture is mostly second-hand and the table and bedside shelves look like marble but are cleverly made from melted-down plastics.
4. Heckfield Place, Hampshire
The rooms in this grand countryside escape are rich in texture. Note the mismatched rugs, woven headboard and clash of wooden furnishings. We also love the jaunty addition of the plug-in reading lights, which peek elegantly over the top of the bed frame.
5. Port, Eastbourne
If your MO is ‘contemporary and calming’, then this is the one to bookmark: a sleep at this seaside retreat will have you making over your home with a plaster-pink palette, cork floors and terrazzo tiles for your wet room.
6. Glebe House, Devon
Patterned wallpapers, bold headboards and frilly lampshades are go in this countryside bolthole. Colour sings from every corner, whether it’s an egg yolk-yellow rolltop bath or a postbox-red bobbin lamp. And the shared areas are just as inspiring: the dining room is decked out in green and white striped wallpaper.
7. Fort Road Hotel, Margate
Another reason to visit this rapidly gentrifying seaside town, any hotel which comes with a ‘snug’ decked out in shades of green gets a firm seal of approval. The rooms themselves are pared-back to frame the sea views and furnished with mid-century modern-era lighting and furniture you’ll want to try to smuggle home.
8. Artist Residence, Bristol
It’s hard to nail that eclectic mish-mash of eras and styles, but this boutique chain of hotels always does it so effortlessly. Making a case for turmeric-hued curtains and free-standing bathroom mirrors, that vintage bath has our name all over it…
9. The Rose, Deal
This highly Instagrammable former pub was given a makeover by top interior designer Nicola Harding - and it shows. The contrasting colour combinations and pastel-hued sinks provide plenty of material to replicate in even the tiniest of bedrooms.
10. Reading Rooms, Margate
Thought you’d moved on from shabby chic? This beautiful Georgian townhouse will have you thinking again. Of course, its good bones help, but white-washed antique French furniture and a ‘wow’ chandelier will add a sense of grandeur to any room.
11. The Newt, Somerset
This country retreat is doing nothing to dampen our desires for a four-poster bed. And with a plush sofa and side table that’s just calling for cocktails, the good news is we’d never have to leave.
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