32 Best Hotels in The West Country, England

Originally a 16th-century coaching inn, but given a Victorian makeover, this gray, rather austere, turreted pile close to Boscastle's harbor makes a welcome place to return to after an energetic ramble along the coast. The turret rooms are good choices if they are available, but most of the guest rooms are spacious with plenty of quirky historic character. The traditional restaurant and bar serve tasty pub food and Cornish ales, and there are lovely gardens to the rear. Three cozy self-catering apartments are also available.

Guests have been welcomed to this inn since the 15th century (it's even said that Oliver Cromwell stabled his horses here), and the main building retains all the period trappings—cobbled entrance, beams, stone walls, courtyard—while the bedrooms, both in the main building and in a separate wing, are relatively modern. The hotel has a casual but atmospheric bar-restaurant where you can order such dishes as steak-and-ale pie, curries, and burgers; guests who book accommodation direct receive a 20% discount on the restaurant bill.