The Good Hotel Guide 2019 announces This Year’s Discoveries

The Good Hotel Guide 2019: Great Britain and Ireland (www.goodhotelguide.com) is the leading independent UK hotel guide. Co-edited by Adam Raphael and Ian Belcher, the 2019 Guide’s entries – selected purely on merit – are based on visits by a team of experienced inspectors and reports from trusted readers.

Its Editor’s Choice awards highlight the top ten hotels in 20 designated categories. This year’s 2019 Guide features 16 Editor’s Choice categories in print (with an additional four categories online*), 424 main entries plus 436 hotels in the Shortlist section.

The Guide’s Editor’s Choice section highlights the top ten hotels in 16 designated categories – This Year’s Discoveries (see below for more details), Romantic, Spas, Seaside, Restaurants-with-rooms, Dog-friendly, Country House, Gardens, Rooms with a View, B&Bs, Value, Pubs-with-rooms, Family, Walking, Quirky and Weddings. The four online-only* Editor’s Choice hotel categories are Fishing, Golf, Eco-friendly and Historic.

Each of This Year’s Discoveries offers something unique, from interesting design and quirky décor to excellent service and attention to detail. The Guide’s editors have scoured the country for hidden jewels and the following ten properties have been selected as their favourite finds:

The Elms, Abberley, Worcestershire
Surrounded by spacious grounds, this Queen Anne mansion is impactful from the moment guests step into the impressive hall, with a large case clock, warming fire and grand staircase. A resident cat named George wanders the halls, providing a warm welcome to visitors.

Brooks Country House, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire
An enjoyable fusion of fun and grandeur characterises this Georgian country house, which overlooks beautiful National Trust parkland. The interior is filled with antiques and there is a photo booth complete with theatre costumes for dressing-up fun.

Bayard’s Cove Inn, Dartmouth, Devon
Views to the River Dart, Bayard’s Cove and Dartmouth Castle can be seen from this medieval merchant’s house in a 17th-century shell. A winding staircase leads to charmingly-decorated rooms with uneven walls and floors and, in the restaurant, a locally-sourced menu includes delicious seafood and sizzling steaks.

The Punch Bowl Inn, Crosthwaite, Cumbria
This 300-year-old pub-with-rooms is located in one of the prettiest villages in south Lakeland. The comfortable bedrooms are named after past vicars of St Mary’s Church next door and guests can expect dishes such as Cumbrian lobster tortellini and Roast Cumbrian lamb loin on the À La Carte menu.

The Gunton Arms, Thorpe Market, Norfolk
The fossilised skull of the largest deer ever discovered is one of the quirky items that decorate this converted country house. Intriguing furniture, rugs and vintage artefacts fill the lounges, snooker room, bar and restaurant, where well-presented, tasty dishes are served beneath an arched wooden ceiling.

The Raeburn, Edinburgh
This family run hotel, just a 15-minute stroll from the city centre, combines late-Georgian elegance with 21st-century boutique chic. The brasserie-style restaurant serves classic British fare, while the buzzy bar and outdoor terrace host casual dining.

Twy y Felin, St David’s, Pembrokeshire
Wales’ first contemporary art hotel features over 100 pieces of specially-commissioned art. The hotel is entirely hypoallergenic and is built around a working windmill, with panoramic views of the St. David’s peninsula.

Summer Lodge, Evershot, Dorset
Fresh flowers, fruit and shortbread await guests in the beautifully-furnished rooms at this former dower house, which features an extension designed by Thomas Hardy. A roaring log fire burns in the cosy lounge and there is a wealth of amenities to explore including a spa, pool and formal garden.

Blue Hayes, St Ives, Cornwall
Overlooking Porthminster Beach, this tastefully converted 1920s eyrie boasts impressive coastal views. The calm, clotted-cream colour scheme creates a relaxed atmosphere and the popular restaurant serves dishes which embrace the West Country’s natural bounty.

The Wellington Arms, Baughurst, Hampshire
This former hunting lodge is now a comfy country pub, where beamed bedrooms are decorated with bespoke oak furniture and goose-down bedding. The hotel’s own honey bees, laying hens and home-grown produce feature on the unfussy menu and guests can treat themselves to a souvenir teapot complete with a tea-cosy, handknitted by the owner’s mother.

Each year ten César awards are presented to hotels which have demonstrated excellence in their field. Named after César Ritz, these are known as the Oscars of the hotel industry. 

The Good Hotel Guide 2019: Great Britain & Ireland, published on 8 October 2018, is priced at £16 (including p&p within the UK) from The Good Hotel Guide, 50 Addison Avenue, London W11 4QP (Tel: 020 7602 4182; www.goodhotelguide.com), ‎or priced at £20 from all good bookshops. 

Discount vouchers worth a total of £150 are included in each copy of the Guide. They enable a 25% saving off one night’s normal B&B price at participating hotels. Good Hotel Guide gift vouchers are also available, in denominations from £50 to £500.

* Hotels are asked to make a modest payment for a website listing.

Press: For further information and photography, to receive a copy of the Guide for review or to interview the editors, Adam Raphael and Ian Belcher, please call Julia Farish, George Curtis or Sue Ockwell at Travel PR on 020 8891 4440 or email j.farish@travelpr.co.uk, g.curtis@travelpr.co.uk or s.ockwell@travelpr.co.uk.