27 January 2026
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The first few months of the year may be cold and sometimes dreary, but they provide the perfect excuse for cosy retreats. There’s something magical about starting the year slowly: venturing out on frosty countryside walks, indulging in restorative spa days or losing yourself in a great book by a crackling fire. Our ten handpicked hotels combine cosy indulgence with true luxury, helping you recharge and reset before spring arrives.
Gilpin Hotel & Lakehouse
Windermere, Cumbria, EnglandAward: Two MICHELIN Keys
Perfect For: An intimate couples’ spa experience
Cosy Credentials: Private hot tubs, in-suite fireplaces, cinematic mountain views
Book one of the spa suites at Gilpin Hotel & Lakehouse, and awaken in a luxurious bedroom that ‘floats’ over a pond and boasts floor-to-ceiling mountain views. In the decked garden, your waterside hot tub bubbles away. There’s also a private sauna, steam room, infrared lounge bed, massage chair and stone bath. And after a refreshing ramble around Lake Windermere, you can retreat fireside with a bottle selected from your in-suite wine fridge. Gilpin’s range of spa lodges and garden rooms are housed in contemporary constructions around the grounds, while the hotel offers Georgian country house luxury. Elsewhere, the Lake House is set on its own 100-acre estate.
Spa days are extra special here: the Gilpin team craft bespoke itineraries that allow you to luxuriate without crossing paths with any other guests. When it comes to food, the flagship One-MICHELIN-Starred SOURCE at Gilpin Hotel is helmed by Ollie Bridgwater (formerly of Heston Blumenthal’s Three-MICHELIN-Starred ‘Fat Duck’) and serves up two evening tasting menus showcasing modern, seasonal cuisine. Or, grab a seat on one of the kitchen counter couches at Gilpin Spice for a more relaxed dining experience.
Glenmorangie House
Tain, Ross, Scotland (Scottish Highlands)Award: One MICHELIN Key
Perfect For: Warming up with a dram or two
Cosy Credentials: Roaring fires, warming whiskies, plush rooms, Highland scenery
Whisky devotees have long been making the pilgrimage to Glenmorangie to sample the world-famous single malt in its home burgh. The Highlands Distillery, which dates back to 1843, runs ‘Meet the Makers’ tours and tastings, as well as ‘Old and Rare’ events showcasing four highly-limited whiskies. Afterwards, retire to nearby Glenmorangie House, a sumptuously restored country house hotel, bottle in hand, for a sublimely cosy evening bundled up against the Highland winds.
Picture the cosiest setting possible and you might come up with something close to the theatrical, maximalist rooms of Glenmorangie House. Designed by Russell Sage, each of the hotel’s six rooms and three cottages is drenched in attention-grabbing colours and whimsical patterns, and stuffed with drapes, cushions, blankets and lamps. After dinner, which is served at a communal, candle lit table, enjoy a warming dram or two in front of the crackling hearth.
Grove of Narberth
Narberth, Pembrokeshire, WalesAward: One MICHELIN Key
Perfect For: Active days, cosy nights
Cosy Credentials: Snug cottages, cast iron baths, in-room spa treatments
Surrounded by gardens, meadows and glorious Pembrokeshire countryside, the Grove of Narberth is neat as a pin. Inside, the elegant, whitewashed exterior of the 17th-century house gives way to soothing interiors that marry original features with luxurious modern touches. Stay in one of the house’s 13 rooms, choose a suite in the 15th-century Longhouse (complete with a private glass garden lounge) or dial up the cosy factor by opting for a cottage. Wherever you stay, the palette is calm and considered: whites, creams and soft beiges are offset by exposed beams, wood panelling and the odd nature-inspired pattern.
The team here also curates some fantastic local experiences. There are foraging expeditions and vineyard tours for the gourmands, surf lessons and in-room spa treatments for the wellness crowd and island wildlife encounters and whale watching tours for nature lovers. At dinner time, head for the Fernery – the hotel’s proudly Welsh restaurant – for a tasting menu made up of highly-detailed dishes that showcase the best of local produce (including ingredients from the hotel garden).
Padstow Townhouse
Padstow, Cornwall, EnglandAward: One MICHELIN Key
Perfect For: A high-end foodie seaside escape
Cosy Credentials: Board games, windswept beach strolls, indulgent breakfast hampers
Chef Paul Ainsworth runs this luxurious bolthole in the charming fishing town of Padstow in addition to his two local restaurants (One-MICHELIN-Starred No.6 and the harbourside Caffè Rojano). As you’d imagine, food is something of a focus inside the 18th century townhouse hotel, from the extravagant breakfast hampers left outside bedroom doors and in-suite mini bars with chef-prepared treats, to an honesty pantry stocked with sweet treats from No6. Speaking of sweet treats, the hotel’s six opulent suites are named after them, from the black and gold 'Honeycomb' to the cutesy pink and gold 'Bon Bon'.
There are plenty of thoughtful touches included, from a BMW chauffeur service to Hunter wellies for bracing beach walks and board games perfect for holing up on rainy afternoons. Dinner in trendy Padstow is a real treat; the Cornish town is known for its food scene thanks to local chefs Rick Stein and Paul Ainsworth. There’s The Seafood Restaurant, which Stein launched back in 1975, and Bib Gourmand Rick Stein’s Café, where Cornish seafood and Asian cuisine collide. And, of course, you must book a table at No.6 or Caffè Rojano.
Check our our Complete London Hotel Guide.
Whether you’re flying solo, sightseeing or just passing through, there's something for you!
Retreat East
Ipswich, Suffolk, EnglandPerfect For: A luxurious, self-sufficient retreat
Cosy Credentials: Wood-burning stoves, outdoor baths, four-poster beds, plenty of privacy
Retreat East is a collection of 27 houses, barns and huts scattered in the peaceful Suffolk countryside. These rustic outbuildings – both antique and modern – lend themselves to serious cosiness. In The Drey (a luxury field barn), for example, guests can sink into their outdoor bath on their private deck, before drying off in front of a wood-burning fire and clambering into their grand four-poster bed. Elsewhere, the two-bedroom Cow House is home to a sculptural bathtub, underfloor heated pebbles in the shower, a wood-burning stove and a comfy patio area.
The accommodation at Retreat East feels nicely self-sufficient, with many of the buildings incorporating kitchens, but there’s a restaurant and a spa (steam room, sauna, ice bucket experience and treatments) on site should you wish to indulge. A 25-minute drive will get you to the 14th-century Peacock Inn, which offers both an à la carte and a tasting menu, and holds a Bib Gourmand for its great value.
The Fife Arms
Braemar, Aberdeenshire, ScotlandAward: Two MICHELIN Keys
Perfect For: A lavish Highland getaway
Cosy Credentials: Sumptuous furnishings, roaring fires, a low-lit, well-stocked whisky bar
Deep in the Scottish Highlands, lavish, fairytale décor meets irresistible cosiness at The Fife Arms. Think four-poster beds; heavy, sweeping curtains; a low-lit whisky bar furnished with plush, velvet chairs; crackling open fires; dark wooden floors blanketed with rugs; and a courtyard strung with fairy lights. The walls are heavy with impressive artwork (the hotel is a passion project of Swiss gallerists Manuela and Iwan Wirth). Here to relax after a hike in the Highlands? Head for the hotel’s treatment rooms, where you’ll find collagen therapies, detoxifying seaweed rituals and restorative massages.
The Clunie Dining Room is a highlight of the hotel’s many dining options. The classical dinner menu here, based on prime Scottish ingredients, includes dishes such as 35-day dry-aged club steak and Invercauld Estate venison, served with mulled beetroot, pine, sloe berry and hazelnut. Round your night off with a dram at Bertie’s Whisky Bar, where guests are encouraged to browse the backlit selection of bottles in the same way they would peruse books in a library.
The Old Inn
Bangor, Co. Down, Northern IrelandPerfect For: A spa with a view
Cosy Credentials: Richly-decorated rooms, private hot tubs, rolling countryside views
With roaring fires, exposed timber beams and irresistible sofas, The Old Inn has been perfecting the art of cosiness since 1614. Set in the village of Crawfordsburn, this historic hotel pairs its characterful interiors with the restorative calm of the Treetop Spa. Bedrooms are Victorian in spirit, dressed in dark woods and rich fabrics, with select rooms offering freestanding copper baths or private outdoor hot tubs for an added layer of indulgence.
The spa is a highlight, centred around an outdoor pool and hot tub alongside a sauna and steam room. Inside the conservatory, guests can recline on heated marble loungers, fire flickering close by. Treatments are bespoke, depending on your needs. A 10-minute drive away in Holywood, Bib Gourmand Noble plates up excellent value dishes, including the day’s game and fish of the day, both sold at market price.
THE PIG in the Wall
Southampton, Hampshire, EnglandPerfect For: A soft landing on a historic city break
Cosy Credentials: Squashy beds, roll-top baths and low sofas in the glow of log burners
Set within Southampton’s medieval city walls, THE PIG in the Wall occupies a storied building that once housed the city’s first pub. Appropriately, it leans hard into cosiness, with low-slung sofas, a crackling log burner and no shortage of inviting corners in which to tuck yourself away with a book. The décor is playful, plush and lived-in. Each of the hotel’s 12 bedrooms is one-of-a-kind, but you can generally expect marshmallow-soft beds, roll-top baths and eye-catching vintage finds.
As the sun goes down, hop in the car and make the half-hour drive to The Elderflower, which serves a modern, multi-course tasting menu in a Grade II-listed building by Lymington Quay.
The Rookery
Clerkenwell, Islington, London, EnglandPerfect For: An atmospheric night in vintage London
Cosy Credentials: Period charm, four-poster beds, breakfast in bed
London might not strike you as the cosiest destination, but a night at The Rookery could change your mind. Located just outside the capital’s old city limits, where 18th-century scoundrels once congregated, the hotel nods to the area’s disorderly past with rooms named for historic characters. The interiors are period too, but – with flagstone floors, roaring fires and antique furnishings – the vibe is more cosy than criminal. The rooms are theatrical and plush, with four-poster beds, dark wood panelling, jewel-tone linens and gilded mirrors. In the morning, breakfast in bed is a welcome touch.
There’s no shortage of excellent restaurants in Clerkenwell. Head to the One-MICHELIN-Starred Luca for modern Italian fare featuring quality ingredients like Hereford beef, Scottish halibut and Orkney scallops. Or, for seasonal British cuisine, make a reservation at One-Starred St. JOHN, which specialises in nose-to-tail cooking (try the bone marrow or ox liver).
Thyme
Lechlade, Gloucestershire, England (The Cotswolds)Award: Two MICHELIN Keys
Perfect For: An indulgent rural retreat
Cosy Credentials: Sumptuous barn conversions, plenty of privacy, on-site pub and spa
A historic English country estate, Thyme describes itself as “a village within a village”. Across 150 acres, meandering gravel paths connect restored 17th-century houses and barns. Rooms vary significantly – in some you’ll find chandeliers and colour pops, in others ornate wallpaper and roll-top baths – but they are all undeniably stylish. After a cosy morning spent relaxing in your room, head out to the estate for a game of tennis or some lengths in the outdoor spring-fed pool, before enjoying a tipple at the village pub or bar. Or, slide deeper into relaxation with a massage or facial at the Meadow Spa.
When it’s time for dinner, The Ox Barn restaurant serves modern, Mediterranean-inspired fare in a beautiful barn conversion surrounded by Provençal-style gardens Here, chefs and gardeners collaborate to select and produce the ingredients required to put together flavour-packed dishes like pheasant saltimboca and polenta or ox cheek, mash and salsa verde.
Whether you treat yourself to a restorative spa break, refreshing countryside retreat or culture-rich city break, these cosy hotels are ideal for recharging after a long winter. With unique, cosy interiors, serene surroundings and indulgent extras, they make winter’s chill a little more bearable – enjoyable, even.
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Hero Image: One of the Gilpin Hotel's Spa Lodges, complete with a private sauna, steam room and hot tub, making it one of the UK and Ireland's cosiest hotels (© The Gilpin Hotel & Lakehouse).
