2 Best Hotels in Birmingham, Stratford-upon-Avon and the Heart of England

Just a five-minute walk from the village of Hampton-in-Arden, this hotel (and its Michelin-star restaurant, Grace & Saviour’s) is proof that Birmingham lodging isn’t all about business travel. Here, the focus is very much on relaxing, and everything has been thought through carefully to ensure you feel at home. There are fresh coffee beans to grind and huge beds to dive into; some rooms even have record players. The house was built in 1855 by Frederick Peel on land purchased by his father, British prime minister Robert Peel. Paying homage to the house’s Arts and Crafts past, the rooms are individually designed and feature hand-printed wallpaper and luxurious fabrics.

A tree-lined drive leads through 26 acres of gardens and open fields to this moated manor house dating to the 13th century, where public rooms reflect the hotel’s long history with period touches such as 16th-century oak paneling and Flemish glass, 18th-century chandeliers, and a 17th-century stone fireplace. Guest rooms include elements of classic character as well as modern bathrooms; some have four-poster beds, and most preserve original features such as cornices and fireplaces. Sophisticated British cuisine is served in the very grand Bridge Restaurant, while coffee and digestifs can be taken in the Terrace Lounge and Bar. There is also a decent spa and pretty grounds to wander. The hotel is 7 miles northeast of the city center.