The best UK hotels offering self-contained accommodation 2023

It’s that age-old dilemma – weighing up the pros and cons of staying in a hotel versus getting your own self-contained property. With a hotel, you (often) get a load of extras – from a cooked breakfast and room service to stylish bars, top-class restaurants, swimming pools and a swanky spa.

But then you don’t always want to eat out, especially if you’ve kids in tow, and sometimes a night in on the sofa after a day’s sightseeing is all you’re after.

And that’s when your own place starts to look very appealing – offering a home from home feel, with space to spread out (and escape your fellow guests), and where you can knock up some pasta in your PJs at 1am, if the fancy takes you. It’s likely a whole lot cheaper than dining out every night, too.

However, dilemma be gone, because the beauty of choosing a hotel offering self-catering accommodation is that you get more freedom, more choice, more space and more beds for the price of an all-inclusive holiday. No matter which part of the UK you choose for your staycation – from the capital’s chic city pads and Wiltshire’s country boltholes to coastal escapes in West Sussex and forest adventures in Hampshire – our fair island has something for everyone.

From cute cottages set in sprawling country estates to shepherd’s hut lodges and swanky townhouse residences, here are eight of the best self-contained accommodations for a hotel fix with a twist…

Location: Chelsea, London

These six luxe apartment suites in a Chelsea townhouse with Cadogan Gardens’ views are the first self-catering residences from Iconic Luxury Hotels, behind Cliveden and The Mayfair Townhouse.

The one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments have fully fitted Bosch kitchens, contemporary-cool interiors by Atellior – with botanical flourishes that pay homage to the Chelsea Flower Show – and Taschen books to thumb through after shopping on the King’s Road and Sloane Street. Bathrooms are stocked with Noble Isle toiletries, and fridges are filled with breakfast goodies, including Bread Ahead Chelsea Buns, eggs and juices.

Sitting just across the way from 11 Cadogan Gardens hotel, apartment guests get access to leafy, private Cadogan Gardens and priority booking for outdoor dining at Hans’ Bar and Grill.