The best hotels in Windsor

If there’s just one thing in common across MGallery’s collection of hotels, it’s affordable luxury. If you're in Windsor to enjoy the sights of the royal castle but don’t have the kind of lineage required to stay there, the Castle Hotel ­– a two-minute walk from the main attraction itself – might be the next best thing. Especially considering the hotel has eight royal warrants.

Respected by locals for the quality of its food, and with a handful of homely rooms to boot, The Eton Mess is the perfect home-away-from-home for foodie travellers – the nearby village of Bray (home to Blumenthal and Roux restaurants) notwithstanding. As the name suggests, British cuisine – such as smoked salmon scotch eggs and new season lamb – is to the fore here.

There’s plenty of charm about this early-eighteenth-century coaching inn in the middle of Eton – as there is about the high street it’s located on too, which is peppered with antique shops, hanging baskets and bijou art galleries. Eton and its surroundings are notably quieter than the streets of Windsor, and the famous castle is an easy ten-minute walk away across Eton Bridge.

Situated on the main drag, and almost within touching distance of Windsor Castle, Macdonald Windsor Hotel is in a good spot for shopping and sightseeing – with the added bonus of being able to watch the Changing of the Guards while you take your elevenses. The hotel shares the same Georgian townhouse charm as that of its neighbours, with spacious rooms and oak-beamed interiors. 

Given its gargoyle-inhabited rooftop and stately appearance on the River Thames, The Oakley Court is your average tourist’s dream. It’s a well kitted out place, too – visitors can make full use of the hotel’s 33-acre country surroundings thanks to The Oakley Court’s expansive inventory of croquet sets, hireable mountain bikes, boat cruises and nine-hole golf course. 

Right next to Eton Bridge, this four-star hotel is blessed with one of the best outlooks in town. No surprise then that alfresco dining is one of the hotel’s biggest assets – guests happily gorge on venison and truffle pie and aubergine ratatouille while taking in glorious views of the Thames, with ample opportunity for burning it all off in the spa afterwards.

After a full day at Legoland, it’s unlikely you’ll want to be on your feet for much longer. A good thing then that Park Farm is a mere five-minute walk away. Because of its proximity to Legoland’s main entrance, and its child-friendliness (kids love the bunk beds, and the owners are known to lend out toys), the B&B is popular among visiting families.

Need it be said Legoland’s own hotel is among the best in the area for families? The resort pulls out all the stops to provide the ‘ultimate sleepover’ for kids: pirate splash pools, treasure hunts, and of course copious Lego blocks to provide limitless building material. While it would be difficult to rank the dining options among Windsor’s best, the buffet-style menu means even the fussiest kids are well-catered for.