The best small hotel in England has been crowned for 2026

Every year VisitEngland’s Awards for Excellence recognise the English businesses that go above and beyond for their visitors. It covers everything that makes England’s tourist industry great, from pubs to campsites, B&Bs to attractions and, of course, hotels. 

This year, VisitEngland’s award for small hotel of the year went to The Tempus in Northumberland. It got gold for offering a ‘fantastic welcome, memorable guest experiences and the highest standards in everything they do’. 

The Tempus opened in May 2023 as a sister venue to Charlton Hall and channels that same whimsical, slightly bonkers energy. There are 41 rooms and suites, each with its own distinct design loosely inspired by Alice in Wonderland – some done out in loud clashing prints, others decorated in more pared back earthy tones, others with beautiful bird motifs on the walls. There are also eight lakeside lodges with jacuzzi baths if you want a little more privacy. 

At its restaurant, The Orangery, guests can dig into afternoon tea, Sunday dinner or an à la carte menu that changes every month. A swift stroll from the main building is the Tipi, which provides flowing drinks, wood-fired pizza and live music. 

If you stay at the Tempus, you’ve got some of the UK’s most beautiful coastal views on your doorstep. A short car journey away is the pretty market town of Alnwick and one of Time Out’s favourite seaside towns and beaches, Alnmouth, and in the other direction there’s Bamburgh, which was recently crowned the UK’s best seaside town by consumer guide Which?.  

Silver medal in VisitEngland’s small hotel category went to Peak Edge Hotel in Derbyshire and bronze was awarded to Farlam Hall Hotel and Restaurant in Cumbria. Find out more about the Tempus on Booking.com here.

ICYMI: A luxury cabin resort is opening in the grounds of a 17th century castle. 

Plus: The ‘worst’ seaside town in Britain (and why you should visit). 

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