No two Christmases are the same
For some, the festive season is a whirlwind of shopping, parties and get-togethers, while others prefer long cosy nights in front of the log fire with their nearest and dearest (and maybe a mince pie or two).
Whatever your perfect Christmas,
we have a brilliantly different hotel to suit your festive stay – from cosy manor houses with wintery walking routes, to chic city-centre boutique hotels close to the best shops and restaurants.
Why not embrace the Christmas spirit and book your festive break today?
The best spots to find the perfect stocking fillers
Shopping for someone hard to buy for? Newcastle is a treasure trove of independent boutiques, high street shops and designer stores. With the Sure Hotel by Best Western Newcastle in town, you can really make the most of your festive shopping trip. Heading to Scotland? There’s nowhere quite like Edinburgh at Christmas – and its Christmas market is a must visit for countless quirky gifts. Stay at the Best Western Kings Manor Hotel – perfectly placed in a quiet spot just outside the city.
The largest German Christmas Market in the UK
Birmingham will be transformed into a traditional German city this December, with Bratwurst, gluhwein, a traditional carousel and plenty of stalls selling great festive gifts. Make the most of your visit with a stay at the Best Western Plus Birmingham NEC Meriden Manor Hotel, just a short drive from the festivities.
Enjoy a Winter Wonderland with a difference
Head for Nottingham’s amazing ice festival and enjoy a stay at the Best Western Plus Nottingham City Centre Hotel. The largest Winter Wonderland event in the East Midlands will host more than 70 traditional-style Bavarian stalls filled with Christmas wares and food. Or visiting the capital? Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland opens until 3 January 2022. Make the most of your trip with a stay at the stylish Best Western Plus Delmere Hotel.
Tuck into a mince pie with a twist
You haven’t tried a mince pie until you’ve sampled one of Chorlton-based Barbakan Delicatessen’s Viennese versions. Around 15,000 were baked there last Christmas so expect more of the same in 2021. If you book a stay at the Best Western Manchester Altrincham Cresta Court Hotel, or the Best Western Plus Manchester Airport Wilmslow Pinewood Hotel, you’ll be just a short drive away from this and so much more.
Experience a Victorian Christmas, Dickens style
Don’t just read ‘A Christmas Carol’ or watch the film, experience the classic festive tale on a whole new level at its author’s one-time home, the Charles Dickens Museum in London. Make the most of your visit to the capital and stay at the Best Western Corona or Best Western Plus Delmere Hotel both within a short distance of all the action.
Savour the atmosphere in Glasgow
To kick things off, hit Glasgow’s Style Mile with its hundreds of independent boutiques and specialist stores. Then to refuel, delve into the bustling German Market in St Enoch Square and indulge in a Gluhwein and a hot dog. Finally, head to George Square and its ice rink for a sparkling end to the day.
Pirouette over to Cardiff for ballet season
St David’s Hall in Cardiff is putting on a sensational lineup of shows for Christmas 2021 – Romeo & Juliet, The Nutcracker and Swan Lake – starring The Russian State Ballet & Orchestra of Siberia. Tickets are available now for various dates from 18 December to 2 January 2022.
Savour the atmosphere in Manchester
After a day hunting down gifts galore at the festively decked-out Trafford Centre, head to Albert Square and lose yourself in the city’s legendary German Markets. Gluhwein, hot dogs and unusual European trinkets await. Keep an eye out for famous footballers, the cast of Corrie and BBC presenters.
Stay at: The Ainscow Hotel Manchester, BW Premier Collection
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Glide ever so graciously round Bath
Set in the beautiful surroundings of Royal Victoria Park and close to Bath’s famous Royal Crescent, ice skating makes for a great day out for families, friends and couples alike. Make a day or evening of it, maybe with a mug of festive mulled wine, from 7 November to 10 January 2022.
Bournemouth: Be enlightened
For a Yuletide by the seaside why not head to Bournemouth? The focal point of the town’s Christmas Tree Wonderland is a 60-foot giant in the beautiful Victorian Lower Gardens. Pick up some festive treats and prepare to be dazzled, almost literally, by its 30,000 individually programmed bright lights.
Stay at: Best Western Plus, The Connaught Hotel & Spa, Bournemouth
Tread an enchanted Christmas trail
Westonbirt Arboretum is just a short trip from Bristol and promises a magical family day out with an all-new immersive light display. Hit the trail to help Father Christmas find his lost reindeer and take in the sparkling surroundings in the process.
Stay at: Best Western Bristol North The Gables Hotel, Falfield
Get into the spirit at Biddenden Vineyard
How about a little local provenance for those hard-to-buy fors? Kent’s oldest commercial vineyard in Biddenden is a great place for Christmas shopping with personalised hampers and a selection of local jams, chutneys, beers, honey, cheeses, liqueurs, wines to choose from. From 7 November to 24 December (closes at noon).
Stay at: Best Western Manor Hotel & Suites, Gravesend
The official start of the Christmas season
Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park is an annual favourite filled with big crowds. This year you’ll have to book your ticket in advance. Once inside you’ll be greeted with fairground rides, a child-friendly Santa Land and Santa's grotto and Christmas markets for you to enjoy.
Have a blazing time in Brighton
Stand back and watch as hundreds of beautiful lanterns made from paper and willow are produced by Brighton and Hove folk in preparation for the annual ‘Burning of the Clocks’ celebration on 21 December, the shortest day of the year.
Stay More You at: Best Western Princes Marine Hotel, Hove
Visit Champagne Island
Bolesworth Estate is a beautiful country manor home in the Cheshire countryside and this year the magical grounds are home to a fully-fledged Christmas experience. Explore Santa’s Grotto, a market filled with traditional wares and the slightly less traditional (but equally as fun Champagne Island). You can even finish the day with a spectacular light and laser show.
Stay at: Best Western Frodsham Forest Hills Hotel
Enjoy a Festive Tipple
Why not indulge in a stay at Best Western Leigh Park Country House Hotel and Vineyard, Bradford-on-Avon to get into the festive spirit? Begin with a stroll around the hotel's walled garden where they grow grapes and make their own label house wine. Then take a short drive to Mumford's Vineyard and enjoy a free tour and wine tasting! Next, make a small detour to Neston Park Farm Shop with its range of tempting treats, and finish off the day with a dinner at the hotel made with Neston Park’s own produce.
An enchanting ice skate
The enchanting Natural History Museum Ice Rink is back again. Skate around against an iconic backdrop of one of London's most beautiful buildings, before exploring the street food offerings and cosying up with a hot drink.
Feel perfectly pampered
Once a historic watermill, Quy Mill Hotel & Spa is a secluded haven for escaping the hustle and bustle at this time of year. Enjoy some dedicated relaxation time and a winter spa treatment, or work off those mince pies in the Health Club. Either way, enjoy a much-needed break from the hectic Christmas calendar.
Stay at: Quy Mill Hotel & Spa, Cambridge, BW Premier Collection
Escape from the hectic high street
Prefer cosying up by the fire to shuffling through the hustle and bustle of the high street? We don’t blame you. Relax in the beautifully tranquil setting of a rural retreat. The Beamish Hall Hotel, BW Premier Collection, Beamish is a perfect choice – explore the microbrewery and sample the locally-made beer. Or why not treat yourself to a spa break? The Best Western Heronston Hotel & Spa, Bridgend is a great pick.
Swap carols for an operas chorus
Fancy doing something different this Christmas? Why not stay in the magnificent former country residence of Sir William Gilbert? Set in over 40 acres of beautiful gardens and woodlands, you could join a Gilbert & Sullivan dinner performance, or simply hum along that you are ‘the very model of a modern major general’ in this most authentic backdrop.
Stay at: Best Western Plus Grim’s Dyke Hotel in Harrow Weald, Middlesex
Potter around the Potteries
Stoke on Trent has been shaped by its production of pottery for centuries, building a city with a globally renowned reputation and history of innovation, science, art, culture, and entrepreneurialism and today the city remains a must-visit destination for lovers of pottery!
Try your hand at throwing a pot or treat someone to a lovely teapot for Christmas during a chilled out trip to the Potteries.
Swap carols for peace and quiet in Pembroke
If your taste is more genteel than glitz, why not enjoy a hideaway Best Western Lamphey Court Hotel and Spa in Pembroke? Switch off. Get away from it all. Start the day with a bracing walk along the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path then thaw out cold noses inside the hotel’s spa. The herbal sauna and aromatic steam room will soon have you warmed up again. Complete a few lengths of the pool and indulge in a spa treatment to rejuvenate tired legs and leave the hubbub behind