The Web’s Premiere Guide to Historic Hotels and Accommodation in the UK, France, Italy and Western Europe
~ UK Hotels and Inns ~
London
Bedfordshire
Berkshire
Buckinghamshire Cambridgeshire
Cheshire
Cornwall & Isles of Scilly
Cumbria and Lake District
Derbyshire
Devon
Dorset
County Durham
Essex
Gloucestershire
Hampshire & Isle of Wight
Herefordshire
Hertfordshire
Kent
Lancashire
Leicestershire
Lincolnshire
Norfolk
Northamptonshire
Nottinghamshire
Northumberland
Oxfordshire
Rutland
Shropshire
Somerset and Avon
Staffordshire
Suffolk
Surrey
Sussex (East)
Sussex (West)
Warwickshire
Wiltshire
Worcestershire
Yorkshire
Highlands of Scotland
Edinburgh & Mid Scotland
Southern Scotland
North Wales
Mid Wales
South Wales
Northern Ireland
The Channel Islands
~ France Historic Hotels ~
France Index
Paris & Ile de France
Alsace & Lorraine
Aquitaine
Auvergne
Brittany
Burgundy
Centre Region
Champagne Ardennes
Corsica
Languedoc Roussillon
Midi Pyrenees
Normandy
Pays de la Loire
Picardy & Calais
Poitou & Limousin
Provence & Riviera
Rhone Alpes
~ Italy Historic Hotels ~
Rome & Lazio
Venice and Veneto
Florence
Tuscany
Umbria
Southern Italy
Piemonte & Liguria
Lombardy & Trentino
Emilia-
Eastern Italy
Sicily and Sardinia
~ Spain Historic Hotels ~
Northern Spain
Madrid, Rioja & Cast. Leon
Central Spain
Barcelona & Eastern Spain
Southern Spain
Balearic Islands
~ More Europe ~
~ Rest of the World ~
~ Special Sections ~
The Dolphin. Southampton
Welcoming the great & good for over five centuries, The Dolphin’s historical guest list is one of the most impressive to be found anywhere in the world.
An Inn since 1506, The Dolphin had been first built over one hundred years before in 1390 -
During the 1800‘s, though, the hotel had come to play host to many of the time’s notable figures. On The 13th January 1801 -
It is known that King George III had his own private suite, and it is also believed that William IV stayed on at least one occasion. Indeed, from 1898, Queen Victoria regularly used the hotel while awaiting carriage to The Isle of Wight.
Strong literary connections also to be found: William Makepeace Thakeray wrote Pendennis during his time as a guest, and during the winter assembly of 1808, a young Jane Austen danced at a ball on her eighteenth birthday.
During the 20th Century, The Dolphin benefited greatly from the departure and arrival of transatlantic liners (it was from Southampton that RMS Titanic set sail) with stars such as Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor and Orson Wells all adding their names to the guest book. Booking.com |
Rhinefield House. Brockenhurst
Bounded by the New Forest and with a history inextricably linked to it, Rhinefield is every inch the English country house. Although the present house was constructed around 1880, numerous dwellings have been built on the site since the time of William the Conqueror.
However, it is the estate’s connection to one of romantic poetry’s greatest figures which many will find of most interest: “Rhinefield…..Where some antique oak, itself a grove, spreads its soft umbrage o’er the sunny glade”, wrote William Wordsworth in 1793. TripAdvisor | LateRooms | Lastminute.com
The Swan. Alton
Many of those visiting the attractive market town of Alton do so in order to visit the nearby cottage, now a museum, which once belonged to Jane Austen – the author wrote such novels as Sense & Sensibility there.
However, situated in the Main Street, The Swan can arguably claim to possess even more historic merit than Miss Austen’s former home. Dating back to at least 1377 (when it is first mentioned in Charter) the hotel has accommodated an impressive list of famous guests: Queen Elizabeth I, Lord Nelson, Sir Francis Drake, Judge Jeffries and Field Marshall Montgomery are among those to have rested within its great old walls throughout the centuries. The Swan of Alton
Oakley Hall, near Basingstoke
Dating back to 1795, Oakley Hall was once owned by close friends of Jane Austen. Indeed, the writer made mention of the place in private letters, and some say that she based the character of Lady Bertram on Mrs Bramston who lived there at that time.
The novelist Henry Fielding also stayed at Oakley Hall on several occasions.
The novelist Henry Fielding also stayed at Oakley Hall on several occasions.
A mix of classic and contemporary, the hotel possesses a total of 19 guest rooms and has been the recipient of some very favourable feedback.
Check availability for Oakley Hall through Booking.com
More Period Accommodation in Hampshire and The Isle of Wight...
Andover
The White Hart. Located in the centre of Andover, the White Hart dates back to 1617 and is reputed to have once provided accommodation for King Charles I. LateRooms
Beaulieu
Master Builder’s House Hotel. Situated on the Beaulieu Estate, this early 18th century hotel is just a stone’s throw from the river. Former tenants include Henry Adams, a man famed for his shipbuilding, and the creator of several of Lord Nelson’s most famous vessels. Booking.com
Brockenhurst
New Park Manor. Offering 24 guest rooms (including three four-posters), New Park is said to have once been a favoured hunting lodge of Charles II. LateRooms | Lastminute.com
Burley
Burley Manor. Although the building itself isn’t of great age in comparison to the bast majority of places featured on Nights In The Past, the present building (built in 1852) is part of an estate whose origins almost certainly pre-date the Domesday Book. Moreover, the house was used by Field Marshall Montgomery as a military headquarters during World War II. Booking.com
Fareham
Hartley Wintney
The Elvetham Hotel. This striking Victorian country house near Basingstoke is certainly impressive, but its predecessor was by far the more historic. Once the property of the Seymour family, it became home to Edward – brother of Jane Seymour, third wife of Henry VIII – who acted as Lord Protector to the young Edward VI. Elizabeth I is known to have visited the original manor which, sadly, was razed to the ground after a fire in 1840. However, the very oak tree she planted during her stay in 1591 is still to be found here. Booking.com
Lymington
The Angel Inn. An ancient hostelry said to date back, in parts, to the 13th century. LateRooms
Passford House. A quintessentially English country house, this 16th century building was once the home of Lord Arthur Cecil, Queen Victoria’s private secretary. LateRooms
Elmers Court. A very attractive late-Georgian New Forest hotel dating from 1820. Elmers Court | Lastminute.com
Passford House. A quintessentially English country house, this 16th century building was once the home of Lord Arthur Cecil, Queen Victoria’s private secretary. LateRooms
Elmers Court. A very attractive late-
Lyndhurst
Best Western Crown Hotel. Enlarged during the reign of Queen Victoria, this New Forest hotel has its roots in the early 17th century. LateRooms | Lastminute.com
Marchwood
The Pilgrim Inn. England’s countryside would be all the poorer without fine thatched buildings such as The Pilgrim Inn. Close to Southampton, the inn has been recently restored and offers 14 guest rooms. LateRooms
New Milton
Petersfield
Langrish House. Dating back to the 17th century, though greatly enlarged during the mid-1800’s, it is said that following defeat at the nearby Civil War Battle of Cheriton, Royalist prisoners were held here and made to dig out the vaults of the building. Booking.com
Ringwood
The Original White Hart. A 16th century inn situated in one of Hampshire’s most historic market towns. The inn is said to have connections to Henry VII who gave the hostelry its name. LateRooms
Romsey
Silks Hotels – The White Horse. Grade-II listed, this former coaching inn might well look Georgian (its façade is 17 th century), but much of the building behind dates from the 1500’s. Booking.com
Cross Oaks Farmhouse. Six centuries old, this lovely-looking old house offers 4 guest rooms. Booking.com
Cross Oaks Farmhouse. Six centuries old, this lovely-
Southampton
De Vere Venues New Place. Within 32 acres of its own parkland, this impressive house is grade-I listed. Designed by Edwin Luytens, New Place is located just outside Southampton and is also conveniently situated for those wishing to visit Portsmouth. LateRooms | Lastminute.com
Winchester
Also see our special section devoted to places to stay in the Historic City of Winchester
Lainston House. An elegant seventeenth century property much favoured by the rich and famous. Expedia | LateRooms | Lastminute.com
Hotel du Vin. A pleasing early-
For more period accommodation try our sections on Historic Holiday Cottages and Beautiful English Villages
We like to feature those places to stay with a historical ‘wow factor’. And given that Winchester was once capital of England, we’re sure that we must have overlooked a gem of Hampshire heritage somewhere along the line. It might be an unassuming country inn with an extraordinary story to tell, or a boutique hotel whose former guests were the glitterati of yesteryear. Tudor, Jacobean, William & Mary, Georgian, Regency or early Victorian, it matters not just so long as they offer great hospitality and a connection with centuries gone by.
Copyright. Nights In The Past 2007 -
Historic Hotels in Hampshire and The Isle of Wight
If you can’t find it below, see all Hampshire hotels at LateRooms, Booking.com, Lastminute.com, Hotels.com
The Pilgrim Inn
Lainston House
Elmers Court