Five great hotels for Christmas

Whether you want to spend Christmas Day in the lap of luxury, grab a pre-Christmas break or turn your Christmas shopping into something to look forward to, these five hotels chosen by The Good Hotel Guide have got Christmas sorted.

For a seasonal spectacle: The Five Arrows, Waddeson, Buckinghamshire


The Five Arrows - Credit, Rebecca Gavin
Built in 1877 to house the architects and craftsmen working on nearby Waddeson Manor (Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild’s new party palace), this half-timbered, ornately patterned Grade II-listed hotel comes into its own at Christmas.

There’s an extensive Rothschild wine selection, and the recently refurbished rooms are spacious and welcoming. Book a Christmas package for dinner in the hotel’s acclaimed restaurant and tickets to see Waddeson Manor’s Imaginarium, a new light and sound show projected onto the French chateau-style house (11 November 2017 - 2 January 2018).

Good Hotel Guide tip: Ask for a room away from the busy road if you’re a light sleeper.

For festive luxury: Chewton Glen, New Milton, Hampshire


Chewton Glen Treehouse
This privately owned country house spa hotel on the edge of the New Forest is an impeccable choice for Christmas. It’s unstintingly luxurious, family friendly and innovative. If money’s no object, book a tree-house suite, built on stilts in a secluded forest setting.

Each suite has floor-to-ceiling windows, a wood-burning stove, a whirlpool tub, a kitchenette, and a breakfast hamper delivered to the door. That in itself is celebratory enough, but throw in a festive afternoon tea, a sophisticated five-course Christmas dinner, and wintry walks through the beautiful grounds and along the beach, and the Christmas cheer-o-metre goes through the roof!

Good Hotel Guide tip: Even the cheapest rooms are large, lavishly furnished and very comfy.

For a traditional Christmas: Park House, Midhurst, Sussex


Park House
You won’t find a more perfectly traditional way to spend Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day than at this relaxed country house hotel and spa beneath the South Downs. Park House’s Christmas package promises a ‘home-from-home’ atmosphere – if your home happens to have waiters, a golf course and spa that is…

‘Proper’ Boxing Day activities on offer include a bracing walk on Witterings beach or in the hotel’s beautiful grounds, shopping the Boxing Day sales in Chichester, or watching the hunt depart in Petworth Park. The main event involves cocktails, Champagne, optional Midnight Mass, and a four-course lunch followed by a buffet dinner.

Good Hotel Guide tip: Save room for the excellent full English breakfast!

For Christmas shopping: The Old Vine, Winchester


The Old Vine
The espresso machines and designer fabric and wallpapers sit decidedly well in this Grade II-listed 18th-century inn with oak beams and a roaring log fire. And its location opposite the cathedral green mean it’s perfectly placed for shopping in the self-proclaimed ‘England’s Christmas capital’.

There’s a popular Christmas Market with an ice rink and performances by local choirs on the cathedral’s beautiful close (20 November – 22 December), and more seasonal events than you can shake a cinnamon stick at, such as walking tours of the city’s festive highlights and The Ginchester Christmas Market (2 December).

Good Hotel Guide tip: For extra-special Christmas vibes, book the top-floor suite with views of the cathedral.

For a pre-Christmas breather: The Feathered Nest, Nether Westcote, Oxfordshire


The Feathered Nest
The Feathered Nest has all the ingredients of a winning Christmas break: great food, a crackling fire and country walks. Set in a 300-year-old malthouse in the heart of the Cotswolds AONB, this gastropub has Raymond Blanc protégé Kuba Winkowski at its helm.

Book a pre-Christmas break away from the throngs of Christmas shoppers, breathe the fresh air, and sample some fabulous food – and wine. If you like what you sip, you can probably stock up on it for Christmas and New Year at The Pantry, which is run by The Feathered Nest; they’re the UK representatives of Rainbow's End, the Malan family’s wine estate near Stellenbosch. And if you really need to go Christmas shopping, Bicester Village is close too.

Good Hotel Guide tip: The Cuckoo’s Den bedroom is spacious and comfortable with a roll-top bath and views over the rolling countryside.

Find more great hotels for Christmas.

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