The Best Hotels For A Last-Minute New Year’s Eve Staycation
Amberley Castle, West Sussex
Nestled in the Sussex countryside, Amberley Castle is home to a selection of beautiful rooms set inside 900-year-old medieval walls. For a luxurious break over the New Year period, guests can indulge in a lavish two-night stay. From 30th December, the festivities begin with a glass of champagne on arrival and a three-course à la carte dinner. On New Year’s Eve, you can enjoy a glass of champagne and a seven-course tasting dinner with matching wine flight, before ringing in 2021 at Amberley’s disco. Following a hearty bloody Mary or Buck’s Fizz brunch on New Year’s Day, guests can explore the twelve acres of grounds on the estate and enjoy another three-course à la carte dinner. Amberley Castle is one of the most romantic properties in the UK, so book this special package for a couple’s trip.
Rooms from £787 per night.
Visit AmberleryCastle.co.uk
Rothay Manor, Lake District
Rothay Manor is a lovely country house hotel in Ambleside, one of the prettiest towns in the Lake District. Having just reopened at the beginning of December after an extensive renovation, the grade II listed property has 19 stylish bedrooms and an award-winning fine dining restaurant – ideal for a special New Year celebration. For a two-night stay, check into the hotel on 31st December where you’ll be welcomed with mulled wine and mince pies on arrival. In the evening, there’s a champagne reception with live music, followed by an indulgent tasting menu and a firework display on the property’s impressive lawn. On New Year’s Day, guests will be treated to a leisurely brunch before enjoying a classic film in the on-site cinema with popcorn and ice-cream, while in the evening, there’s a special dinner from the hotel’s resident chef. For outdoor activities, Rothay Manor is short walk away from Lake Windemere and a range of scenic mountain walking routes – both of which are worth exploring.
Rooms from £970 for two nights.
Visit RothayManor.co.uk
The Rectory, Cotswolds
The Rectory is a contemporary hotel in the Wiltshire district of the Cotswolds. With 18 beautifully furnished bedrooms – 15 in the main house and three in a separate cottage – each have a modern en-suite bathroom with Bramley Products and Victorian roll top baths. The hotel bar has a wonderfully cosy ambience, while the property’s sister pub, The Potting Shed, serves delicious pub classics. This year, the hotel has a fantastic seven-course tasting menu for lunch or dinner on New Year’s Eve, which includes champagne and canapés, oysters, truffle linguine, herb crust turbot, roast pear and vanilla mille-feuille, and a cheese selection. After the main meal, celebrate the countdown to midnight with a glass of something special in your room, or out in the gardens.
Rooms from £130 and £95 for dinner.
Visit TheRectoryHotel.com
The Gallivant, Rye
The Gallivant is a stunning property on the Sussex coast in Rye. For an exclusive coastal staycation, the hotel has a special three-day package where guests can make the most of the facilities and unwind with a relaxing retreat. On 30th December, you’ll be welcomed with a glass of champagne, followed by a yoga class, a meditative beach walk and dinner in The Dining Room. New Year’s Eve begins with more yoga and a stroll along the beach, before a delicious champagne brunch. The hotel will also host a black-tie dinner in the evening, as well as a champagne reception just before midnight, where you can watch a firework display over the sand dunes. On New Year’s Day, expect yoga, a boozy brunch, a drinks party, and an evening of stargazing on the beach. Finish the weekend with a farewell breakfast and a final yoga class before heading home.
From £1,917 for two people.
Visit TheGallivant.co.uk
Hambleton Hall, East Midlands
Situated in Rutland in the East Midlands, Hambleton Hall makes for a great country escape. The property has a Michelin star restaurant, 15 rooms, and 17 acres of stunning grounds surrounded by Rutland Water. Guests can cosy up by the roaring fires in the lounge, take a walk or bike ride around the estate, and explore the market towns and stately homes nearby – fans of The Crown should head to Burghley House where parts of series four were filmed. Hambleton Hall’s ‘New Year Escape’ package includes an overnight stay, a three-course meal at the hotel’s award-winning restaurant, and a Hambleton breakfast with the morning papers on New Year’s Day. Be sure to check out the on-site bar – the perfect spot for a glass of champagne or English sparkling wine, recommended by the resident sommelier.
Rooms from £455 per couple.
Visit HambletonHall.com
The Bath Priory, Bath
Located just a short walk away from the beautiful Royal Victoria Park, The Bath Priory is a lovely hotel with a distinctive country-house feel. Set in four acres of award-winning gardens, there’s plenty to explore during a festive trip. This year, the hotel is offering a three-night package from 30th December which begins with a glass of champagne on arrival and a three-course à la carte dinner. On New Year’s Eve, guests can indulge in a full English breakfast, a cream tea, a champagne reception, and a five-course dinner, before watching a firework display at midnight. On New Year’s Day, there’s a special breakfast with Buck’s Fizz, followed by a guided walking tour of Bath, and a wine tasting masterclass, and a three-course dinner. After a weekend of celebrations, you’ll leave with one final farewell breakfast.
Rooms from £787 per night.
Visit TheBathPriory.co.uk
Gravetye Manor, West Sussex
Gravetye is a beautiful manor hotel that dates back to the 16th century. Located in East Grinstead in West Sussex, the property is surrounded by 35 acres of gardens, and has 17 beautiful rooms and one luxury suite – ideal for an extra special stay. For a New Year’s Eve staycation, book the Exclusive Deluxe Room, complete with a four-poster bed, and original property features, including oak panelled walls. On the day itself, book a table at the Michelin-star Dining Room restaurant for a four-course dinner which includes veal tartare, langoustine and scallop bisque, south coast Dover sole and an apple soufflé with stem ginger ice-cream. New Year’s Day is best spent exploring the grounds or visiting the gardens at one of the many National Trust properties nearby – Sheffield Park looks particularly beautiful during the winter.
Rooms from £276 per night.
Visit GravetyeManor.co.uk
Artist Residence, London
For something a little more relaxed, book a stay at Artist Residence London, a quirky boutique hotel in the heart of Pimlico. With eclectic style throughout, there are ten bedrooms to choose from, but if you want to go all out for New Year’s Eve, book one of the beautiful suites (The Loft is an SL favourite). Guests can dine at the on-site restaurant, The Clubhouse, for a relaxed dinner with cocktails, before settling in at the bar for a midnight toast with a glass of champagne. Be sure to make the most of your room during the trip – each bedroom comes with a glorious bathtub – before exploring some of the capital’s sights nearby.
Rooms from £230 per night.
Visit ArtistResidence.co.uk/London
Lympstone Manor, Devon
Head to the Devonshire coast in Exmouth for a truly special celebration at Lympstone Manor. The five-star hotel, which is a stone’s throw away from The Exe Estuary and the Jurassic Coast, has a range of stunning bedrooms and suites to choose from – for a romantic staycation, choose a cosy shepherd hut or a luxury suite which comes with a private terrace and an outdoor firepit. On 30th December, guests will be welcomed with a champagne reception with canapés, before sitting down to a relaxed à la carte dinner in the dining room. On New Year’s Eve, there’s an eight-course tasting menu with live music, a firework display over the estate’s vineyard, and a champagne toast at midnight. On New Year’s Day, guests can stroll through the hotel grounds or take a guided walk over the stunning coastline, before enjoying one final dinner.
Rooms from £999 per night.
Visit LympstoneManor.co.uk
Grantley Hall, Yorkshire
For a rural country escape a little further afield, head to the beautiful Grantley Hall in the Yorkshire Dales. The hotel has 47 lavish bedrooms, four restaurants, three bars and a state-of-the-art Three Graces Spa on site. The Executive Rooms are a great choice for festive celebrations thanks to their grand interiors, which include marble fireplaces, cosy window seats, and generous four-piece bathroom suites. On New Year’s Eve, dine at Shaun Rankin, the hotel’s fine dining restaurant, for a sumptuous 12-course tasting menu featuring lobster ravioli, beef wellington and Yorkshire rhubarb. Grantley Hall will also put on a firework display at midnight, where guests can celebrate the New Year, before continuing the party at Valeria's Champagne & Cocktail Bar.
Rooms from £385 per night.
Visit GrantleyHall.co.uk
INSPIRATION CREDITS: The Rectory; The Bath Priory; Lympstone Manor
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