The best hotels In Nottingham

Situated just off Maid Marian Way (okay, so maybe they are fairly big on their Robin Hood in Nottingham), Hart’s sits out of the way of the noise and clamour of the city without ever sacrificing convenience. On top of that, the rooms are comfortable, the staff are superb and the restaurant has won more awards than you can shake a bow and arrow at. What more could you want?

Set inside a lavish Georgian townhouse, the Lace Market Hotel’s rooms – none of which are quite alike – are colourful, light and offer great views over some of the city’s best sights. As the name suggests, you’ll find it in the Lace Market itself, meaning you’ll have access to some of Nottingham’s trendiest bars and restaurants.

For unrivalled, Downton-style extravagance (or even if you just want some greenery without having to leave the city) you can’t do much better than Colwick Hall. The Grade II-listed building is nothing short of magnificent, and the huge, lavish rooms inside aren’t to be scoffed at either. Just don’t expect them to come cheap.

The St James Hotel is unarguably one of Nottingham’s most peculiarly decorated hotels. Inside, you’ll come across a strange yet enthralling and stylistic mishmash of classic luxury and contemporary, arty weirdness. It’s a decent choice for history buffs too, being located literally right over the road from Nottingham Castle, and the nearby Ye Olde Trip To Jerusalem stakes a claim to be England’s oldest pub.

Much of the interior of the Walton Hotel – in particular, the lobby and bar – is opulent to the point of genuine audaciousness. Once a hunting lodge for Nottingham’s deer park, it now contains a wide range of unique rooms in a highly decorative setting, while nonetheless enjoying an entirely laid-back atmosphere. It’s certainly not boring, that’s for sure.

At the Mercure, a nineteenth-century building hides a hotel that is anything but. The rooms range from relatively simple (if colourful and more than spacious) to grandiose and luxurious to contemporary, quirky stylishness. If you get the chance, check out the bar downstairs to find the sort of eccentric drinking den that you’d normally have trouble finding outside of hipster East London.

Far from the neon-bright, noisy chaos of Nottingham’s inner city hotels, the Country Cottage Hotel offers the simple pleasures of a countryside hotel – cosy, warmly lit rooms, superb service and an easy-going atmosphere – set among its own gardens in a quiet location just south of the city. Guests can also make use of the nearby leisure centre at Roko for no extra charge.

It may look like a university library (especially considering it’s actually right next to the Nottingham Uni) but the De Vere Orchard Hotel, with its many conference rooms, huge lecture theatre and impressively low prices, is also one of the city’s finest business hotels. The rooftop terrace and brasserie restaurant give you somewhere to kick back and relax after a hard day’s work, too.

Sure, it’s a little out of the way – Ruddington is located a short drive outside Nottingham – but when you’re getting comfort like this, who cares? The Lodge’s warm atmosphere, hands-on staff and relative intimacy makes it feel more like an Airbnb than an actual hotel. Just what you need if you happen to be after a personal touch to your stay.

You can’t beat the Bentinck for its convenience and location – it’s situated so close to Nottingham’s rail station that it might as well be on the tracks themselves. Its rooms are simply decorated yet undeniably bright and pretty, and you’ll never be at risk of breaking the bank, since rooms start from as little as £65 per night.