12 great UK ideas for where to spend Christmas this year

Let’s face it, Christmas is wonderful, but it’s also a huge amount of work. So why not let someone else do the hard part this year and check into a well appointed hotel, set in a location that’s perfect for you, for a festive break instead?

With twinkling trees in the lobby, polished glasses on the table and cosy corners made for collapsing into after a three-course Christmas lunch with all the trimmings, a hotel stay makes the season feel even more magical.

Best of all, with no need to vanish into the kitchen, you’re free to head out for a winter walk or a bit of festive shopping, or simply flop in front of a film while someone else waits on you for a change.

Originally built for Victorians taking the spa waters, the DoubleTree by Hilton Harrogate Majestic Hotel & Spa in Yorkshire pairs its heritage with a contemporary spa, where you can unwind with an ESPA treatment or lounge in the sauna, steam room and pool.

Don’t miss: The eight murals of English spa towns amid the grandeur of Frederick’s Lounge Bar.

The surroundings: Betty’s Café tea rooms are just half a mile away for a Christmas Eve treat, while the 200 acres of parkland at next door’s The Stray are ideal for a seasonal stroll.

The excursion: Settle into a Victorian or Edwardian carriage on the Embsay and Bolton Abbey vintage steam locomotive as it puffs along the four-mile route.

Set in an 18th-century manor, The Doubletree by Hilton Hotel & Spa Chester in Cheshire has modern interiors, with 219 rooms, a slick spa and large indoor lap pool.

Don’t miss: The 12-acre landscaped grounds complete with pagoda, pond and fountain.

The surroundings: Chester’s historic centre is minutes away, with its medieval double-tiered Rows, Tudor buildings and two-mile walkway atop the most complete city walls in Britain, first built by the Romans (a Boxing Day race takes place around the walls).

The excursion: A two-hour cruise through rural Cheshire takes in the Eaton Estate (the ancestral home of the Duke of Westminster), as well as Aldford Iron Bridge.

With direct access to Ullswater, the MacDonald Leeming House Hotel is a Georgian mansion with lake views from some of its 40 classically designed rooms and plenty of landscaped gardens and woodland.

Don’t miss: Refuelling with afternoon tea in one of the cosy lounges.

The surroundings: The best of the Lake District is all around you, starting with England’s second-largest lake. Follow some or all of the 20-mile Ullswater Trail, perhaps taking in the pretty village of Pooley Bridge, or walk to the spectacular Aira Force waterfall.

The excursion: Board a heritage Ullswater Steamer and take in the panoramic vistas of mountain fells from the water.

A listed Art Deco building in grounds overlooking the Moray Firth, the 44-room Macdonald Drumossie Hotel near Inverness is full of stately grandeur.

Don’t miss: A nightcap from the hotel’s extensive range of single malts, which include a selection from nearby Tomatin.

The surroundings: Amid the Highlands’ mountains and lochs, nearby Inverness is home to a Victorian market, the recently reimagined Inverness Castle, and a stately cathedral.

The excursion: Take a scenic coach touch along the shores of bonny Loch Ness, with photo stops when you can keep an eye out for the monster, and a visit to the tearoom.

Stirling Highland Hotel

Less than half a mile from Stirling Castle, the Stirling Highland Hotel has 96 modern rooms in a former Victorian high school with ancient observatory (currently closed) and a spa.

Don’t miss: A game of squash on the hotel’s own court or laps in the 17-metre indoor pool to work off the Christmas fare.

The surroundings: You’re well placed to explore Stirling’s beautifully preserved old town with its cobbled streets, 17th-century townhouses, Bannockburn Heritage Centre at the site of the famous battle, and the National Wallace monument.

The excursion: Visit Stirling Castle, childhood home of Mary Queen of Scots, a favoured residence of Stewart monarchs and one of the country’s most architecturally important stone castles.

Backed by the Glentress Forest and with 200 acres on the banks of the River Tweed, the Macdonald Cardrona Hotel near Peebles is set in some of the Scottish Borders’ most peaceful countryside. It has a spa with indoor pool and 99 rooms done out in modern tartan.

Don’t miss: A game on the 18-hole championship golf course designed by Dave Thomas.

The surroundings: Among the walks from the door of this Borders hotel is the four-mile pathway to Peebles, where the streets will be dressed in their Christmas best.

The excursion: Head to the King’s official residence in Edinburgh, the Palace of Holyroodhouse and discover some of its chequered history involving Mary Queen of Scots and Bonnie Prince Charlie.

New Forest ponies

The Georgian bones of the 35-room Forest Lodge Hotel on the outskirts of Lyndhurst in the New Forest are complemented by contemporary features plus a large indoor pool and a casual restaurant.

Don’t miss: The New Forest breakfast, with all the works plus a Red Tractor sausage and rosti potato cake.

The surroundings: Both town and forest beckon, with Lyndhurst’s tea rooms, pubs and independent shops a short walk away, and trails from the door into the New Forest with its free-roaming iconic ponies, along with donkeys, pigs and cattle.

The excursion: Explore the history of motoring through the 285 vehicles on display at the National Motor Museum Beaulieu, as well as the Montagu family’s home and the remains of Beaulieu Abbey.

Overlooking St Helier’s Liberation Square, The Pomme d’Or Hotel has a balcony where the union rack was mounted to mark the liberation of Jersey from German forces. Although it’s been welcoming guests for 180 years (including Victor Hugo in 1852), the 143-room hotel is bang up to date.

Don’t miss: The hotel’s eclectic cocktail bar, The Porters Store, with its lost and found curiosities as well as imaginative cocktails ranging from Upgraded to Locked Out and Naked.

The surroundings: Dressed in their Christmas best, St Helier’s shops, pubs and cafes are just steps away, as is the yacht marina and seafront promenade.

The excursion: A mystery tour of Jersey will reveal some of the sights on an island that’s just nine miles long by five miles wide.

The coastal views are delightful from The Grand Hotel in Torquay, Devon, above Corbyn beach, with the sea on show from some of the 132 rooms. The white Victorian building lives up to its name, with pops of colour within.

Don’t miss: Drink in that sea view from the Compass Lounge – perhaps accompanied by a cream tea.

The surroundings: The hotel is right on the Agatha Christie mile of landmarks associated with the author (who honeymooned at The Grand). Follow the Bay of Lights Christmas illumination trail from Torre Abbey to Torquay Harbour, just over a mile away, or head off for a longer hike on the coastal path.

The excursion: Trace seven centuries of history at Powderham Castle, the historic home of the Earls of Devon, with its, American Garden, Belvedere Tower and deer park.

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Close to Bournemouth’s seven miles of sand, The Hermitage Hotel in Dorset might have a Victorian exterior, but inside, its 76 rooms – some with sea views – are bright and modern after a recent refurbishment.

Don’t miss: The single rooms which solo travellers can book at no extra cost.

The surroundings: Bournemouth goes all out at Christmas, with a festive market, Christmas Tree Wonderland with light displays and Christmas Tree Maze and open-air ice rink. The beach is the perfect place for a winter walk (plus a Boxing Day dip if you dare).

The excursion: Take in the pre-Raphaelite paintings and Japanese artefacts at the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum, a listed Victorian villa on the cliffs.

With not one but two professionally designed golf clubs, the Macdonald Hill Valley Hotel lies in the Shropshire countryside just outside Whitchurch. It features a spa with 20-metre pool and gym, plus 81 modern rooms.

Don’t miss: A Rasul room mud treatment for two in the spa.

The surroundings: There are plenty of pretty country walks in scenic Shropshire. Just a short stroll away, the historic market town of Whitchurch is filled with medieval timber-framed houses and Georgian architecture.

The excursion: Tour medieval Chirk Castle, which was built under Edward I to subdue the Welsh, with later additions including lavish state rooms draped with tapestries as well as manicured gardens.

In 140 acres of parkland including an 18-hole golf course, the Hilton Puckrup Hall Hotel is just three miles from historic Tewksbury in Gloucestershire. With 112 rooms, it blends Georgian exteriors with modern facilities.

Don’t miss: A glass of wine in Coopers Bar as the sun sets over the golf course.

The surroundings: Just a short taxi drive away, Tewksbury evokes the joys of Christmas past with its half-timbered buildings, quaint shops, cobbled alleyways leading to illuminated river banks, 12th-century abbey and Severn Way riverside walks.

The excursion: Take a guided tour of Gloucester Cathedral and appreciate the famed fan vaulting of its cloisters and the 14th-century Great East Window, which is the size of a tennis court.

Explore our range of Christmas holidays