Please note our writer visited Norfolk prior to the coronavirus pandemic
Norfolk’s spectacular sandy coast and peaceful, rural heartlands provide a scenic backdrop for some of the country’s best boutique accommodation. Nestled in tiny, flint-built villages, bustling Georgian market towns, lively bucket-and-spade resorts and elegant 18th-century parklands, these inviting retreats have sassy rooms furnished with contemporary fabrics, striking artworks and top-notch bathrooms. With their fire-warmed inglenooks and dining rooms, they also score highly on comfort and ambience, offering enticing menus drawing on local produce including seafood, cheeses and game. Here’s our pick of the best boutique hotels in Norfolk, in locations including Burnham Market, King’s Lynn, Holkham and Norwich.
The Gunton Arms
Norfolk, England
The Gunton Arms sits just inside a vast, flat park. A charming porch leads into a series of rooms (including private sitting rooms for residents) that really do feel cosy and traditional but also – and this gives the place its unique quality – stylish, creative and full of surprises. Most have long views over unspoilt rural parkland. But what’s really astonishing is the collection of modern art on the walls. Where else would you find a Damien Hirst spot painting in the ladies’ loo or a Magritte above the residents’ lounge fireplace?
From
£
95
per night
• The best hotels in Norfolk
Congham Hall
Norfolk, England
A gravel drive leads to this large, whitewashed building in north east Norfolk, within easy reach of the Queen’s estate at Sandringham and the seaside resort at Hunstanton. Elegant public rooms (sitting room, library and writing room) have plenty of convivially grouped sofas and armchairs. Bedrooms come with luxurious, silky wallpapers, state-of-the-art bathrooms and sumptuous fabrics. Dandelion, the best suite, has a small sun terrace, comfortable sitting room and a stand-alone bath in its sultry bedroom.
From
£
195
per night
Rates provided by
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The Assembly House
Norwich, Norfolk, England
An elegant, Grade-I listed mansion in the centre of Norwich, The Assembly House offers a comfortable and convenient base from which to explore Norfolk’s lively capital. Its 11 guest rooms have been decorated with huge flair and skill: stylish patterned fabrics, strong Farrow & Ball wall paints and striking contemporary artwork are a real feast for the eye. Modern touches (feature mirrors, Anglepoise desk lights, VI spring beds) are skillfully combined with antiques (porcelain dogs or Spode teapots).
From
£
170
per night
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The Hoste
Burnham Market, Norfolk, England
For hundreds of years The Hoste has been accommodating visitors to the pretty village of Burnham Market, close to the North Norfolk coast. Once a simple village inn, the 62-room hotel is now spread across three sites: the original 16th-century inn, the Georgian-era Vine House, and Railway House, a former train station. For a special treat, pick top price Divine Rooms in Vine House where Zoffany wallpaper, gilt mirrors and ornate chandeliers combine with free-standing baths and roomy walk-in showers to create a pampering atmosphere. There’s also a small spa, fitness room and, in the basement, a 20-seat cinema.
From
£
145
per night
Rates provided by
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• The best hotels in Norwich
Strattons Hotel
Swaffham, Norfolk, England
Expect a cheerful welcome at this unexpectedly quirky and ecologically minded establishment in bustling Swaffham. The eccentric furnishings live up to the imposing Palladian-esque villa that houses the hotel: original features, panelling, ceiling moldings, fireplaces and window shutters are a backdrop to the owners’ artistically creative additions. Of the 14 individually and theatrically furnished rooms, eight are in the main house and six in outbuildings grouped around the wide gravel driveway. Food in the restaurant is exceptionally tasty; be sure not to skip on one of the lavish desserts.
From
£
103
per night
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The Victoria Inn
Holkham, Norfolk, England
This 19th-century inn, affectionately known as The Vic, lies equidistant between a vast, sandy beach and the parkland surrounding Holkham Hall. Smart rooms and food which relies on estate produce, plus the distinctly Downton atmosphere, makes this an excellent base for exploring North Norfolk. Owned and managed by the Holkham Estate, the atmosphere is appropriately hunting, shooting and fishing. Staff are fitted out in tweed waistcoats, there are antler displays on the wall and pictures depict wild fowling and hunting scenes.
From
£
150
per night
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Titchwell Manor Hotel
Titchwell, Norfolk, England
This once-dated hotel, set in a Victorian farmhouse overlooking Titchwell Marsh, has been lovingly converted into to a stylish and award-winning establishment with bold and contemporary furnishings. Eighteen bedrooms are in outbuildings at the back of the hotel; another eight rooms are in the main house, including Marsh Harrier (room two), which has views over the marshes – and so-named for the views of these birds feeding their young. Each room is individually decorated, some with painted wood or limestone flooring.
From
£
113
per night
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The Georgian Townhouse
Norwich, Norfolk, England
An informal, sassy hotel with a lively bar and restaurant, slightly removed from the city centre but within walking distance of sights and shops. The vibe is young, retro and upbeat with hip rooms and relaxed, friendly staff. The part-painted brick facade, period sash windows and porticoed door give a promising impression and the interiors, painted in strong colours with quirky decorations and stripped-wood floors, pack a punch. A total of 22 bedrooms include 20 standard and two deluxe. Think Roberts radios, Smeg mini-fridges, iron rack shelving, vintage-style phones and contemporary lighting.
From
£
96
per night
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Morston Hall
Norfolk, England
A flint- and brick-built Jacobean country-house hotel, with large conservatory extensions that provide extra dining space. Inside, you’ll find open fires, squashy sofas and cosy corners in a hushed, fairly formal atmosphere. It lies a five-minute walk from the quayside at Morston, the starting point for seal trips, and two miles from Blakeney. The restaurant is the main reason to come to Morston Hall, the only restaurant with a Michelin star on this stretch of coast. Four courses usually include two meat dishes (perhaps confit of duck or beef fillet) and a fish course.
From
£
340
per night
Bank House
Kings Lynn, Norfolk, England
A Grade II-listed Georgian townhouse, situated in what is surely the best location in King’s Lynn. Really a restaurant with rooms, with a popular (and beautifully decorated) bistro on the ground floor, its 11 bedrooms are nevertheless stylish and comfortable, and feature period wood panelling and marble fireplaces. The popular brasserie-style restaurant serves a nicely balanced menu which includes classic fish and chips or burgers, combined with pricier choices of pan-fried salmon with sautéed potatoes and walnut pesto, or roast guinea fowl with chorizo lentil casserole.
From
£
115
per night
This article was originally published by Telegraph.co.uk. Read the original article here.