The Most Historic Places to Stay in the UK

What is �Historic�?

There�s no precise science or equation which decides whether or not a building is of historic merit - the answer wholly depends upon your point of view.

And this list of the UK�s 10 Most Historic Places to Stay is very much our opinion. If you disagree with our selection, or feel we�ve overlooked a hidden gem, then have your say. Or browse through Nights In The Past to find what you�re looking for, in the place you�re looking for.

But whatever your view, there can be no doubting that these are very special places indeed.

Unique.

The list features all types of accommodation, from small bed & breakfasts to luxury five-star hotels. But all have very different stories to tell.

Some of our top ten owe their historic significance to the last 150 years, others to more than half a millennium ago. Some have borne witness to pivotal moments in Britain�s national story, some owe their place on the list to a more intimate kind of history.

But all are undeniably part of the heritage of the UK - and we think they ought to be celebrated.

Remember, the hotels and inns are listed in no particular order - except for that we consider the most historic place to stay in the UK.

Notable by their absence.

Narrowing down the sheer number of remarkable hotels and inns to ten has been a tough task. As such, it�s only fair that we make mention of those places which could so easily have been included in the final list.

Burford Bridge Hotel in Surrey is one of those hotels that many will argue should have been included; it was, after all, where Lord Nelson spent his last night ashore before leaving for the Battle of Trafalgar (and where Keats wrote Endymion). Similarly, The Bear in Hungerford has a special place in Britain�s history given that it was there that the future William III met the commissioners of James II.

And then there�s Culloden House near Inverness - a building inextricably linked to Scottish history and culture; The Dolphin in Southampton where Jane Austen danced on her 18th birthday; or The Cadogan in London where Oscar Wilde was staying at the time of his arrest.

Indeed, if anything The UK�s Ten Most Historic Places To Stay merely highlights the extraordinary wealth of historic buildings offering accommodation throughout England, Scotland and Wales.

The Most Historic Places to Stay in Europe...

We would very much like the input and thoughts of those visiting Nights In The Past as to the most historic accommodation in Europe.

Possible entries on the list can include any form of hotel, inn or bed & breakfast, and can be taken from any country on the continent.

If you have any suggestions for this - or for Nights In The Past in general - please don�t hesitate to get in touch with us via email in the first instance. We really do appreciate feedback from those using the site and are always interested in improving the service.

Also on Nights In The Past...

If you�re simply after a truly �old� place to stay then you might be interested in our our ever-expanding database of the oldest hotels and inns in the UK and Europe. We�ll soon be adding those in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland to the site, but we already have a details for the UK, France, Italy and Spain & Portugal.

Please can anyone with any further information on the listed properties (or notable omissions) get in touch via email.