The new edition of The Good Hotel Guide, the oldest and most trusted Guide to UK hotels, inns and B&Bs, is live now online and free to visit.
And, as we start a new year and look forward to planning breaks away and fun days out, here are four of the editors’ favourite places for a Hertfordshire getaway.
From a stylish B&B to a swish luxury hotel and spa, the county has some gems to discover.
BEST FOR FARM-TO-FORK FATE
The Farmhouse at Redcoats, Redcoats Green, Hitchin.
In what feels like deepest countryside, just minutes’ drive from Stevenage and Hitchin, this family-friendly hotel centres on an atmospheric, beamed Tudor-cum-Victorian Grade II* farmhouse. Bedrooms in the main house, stables and converted barn are a blend of smart contemporary, traditional and rustic style, some contrasting exposed timbers and brickwork with designer wallpaper. In the Orangery, chef Sherwin Jacobs works with produce from local farmers, game from local shoots, seafood from North Norfolk, and organic vegetables from the no-dig garden, to compose seasonal menus of such modern British dishes as treacle-brined pork ribeye, roast shoulder cannelloni, farmhouse pear, and Pommery mustard sauce. Vegans and kids have their own menus, so everyone is happy. Well-mannered dogs are allowed in some bedrooms by arrangement (charges apply).
B&B doubles from £135, à la carte £45.
farmhouseatredcoats.co.uk
BEST FOR WALKING THE GREENWAY
The Fox at Willian, Willian.
In a pretty village adjoining Letchworth Garden City, beside the church and with views over a willow-draped pond, this dining pub with rooms is a sister to the Farmhouse at Redcoats. Both are part of the Nye family’s Anglian Country Inns, happy places run with flair, with customer comfort at heart. The individually designed bedrooms have air conditioning, high-spec TV and a walk-in shower. Four in a garden annexe are dog friendly (£10, by arrangement), with direct outdoor access and a patio. Throughout, the look is stripped-down smart contemporary. Seasonal menus are responsibly sourced, young chef Piran Dewey’s cooking imaginative and modern – fish pie with saffron sauce and parmesan mash, say, or risotto verde with grilled artichokes and Binham Blue cheese. When the sun shines, eat alfresco under parasols on a terrace. Strap your boots on to walk the Garden City Greenway.
B&B doubles from £125, à la carte £40.
foxatwillian.co.uk
BEST FOR THE PERSONAL TOUCH
Number One Port Hill, Hertford.
Welcoming hostess Annie Rowley has an eye for the theatrical. Pass through the wrought-iron gate of her late-Georgian townhouse B&B, and head for the front door, between rows of brimming planters, to find interiors cascading with ornaments, gilded mirrors, glassware, crystal chandeliers and larky touches (Young and Batallia’s irreverent pencil-under-the-nose portraits catch the eye). Each bedroom is unique. Room one has a king-size French gilt bed, a seating area and Italian bathroom with a raised boat bath and walk-in power shower. Snug, dual-aspect room three, in deep blue, has an ensuite Italian shower. All are supplied with snacks for the midnight munchies. At breakfast, choose a full English with organic sausages, a vegetarian or lighter Continental option, or, on request, Spanish with pan con tomate, jamon and Manchego cheese. The town centre is a short stroll away.
B&B doubles from £150, minimum stay two nights.
numberoneporthill.co.uk
BEST FOR LAID-BACK LUXURY
Sopwell House Hotel and Spa, St Albans.
Five minutes from St Albans, this largely Georgian mansion, former seat of the Earls of Verulam, in 12-acres of manicured grounds, was once home to Lord Louis Mountbatten. Today it positively shouts ‘luxury’, with contemporary designer interiors, a gorgeous spa, cocktail lounge, restaurants and 128 bedrooms. Sixteen suites in a gated mews, each with sunken spa bath, sit in a botanical garden with hydrotherapy infinity pool. The hotel is a popular haunt of top football internationals, yet prices are not astronomical. An eclectic brasserie menu offers vegan dishes alongside such perennial favourites as fishcakes, bouillabaisse, slow-cooked beef cheeks, and a spin on chicken curry. Or go for sharing plates at pan-Asian Omboo. Bedrooms feature slate, wood and leather statement furniture, and are supplied with Elemis toiletries should soccer stars want to take an early bath.
B&B doubles from £259, à la carte £45 (brasserie), sharing plates £8-£48 (Omboo).
sopwellhouse.co.uk
goodhotelguide.com/hotels-in-hertfordshire
