Best boutique hotels in Norfolk 2023

Norfolk may not seem the most obvious place to look for a boutique place to stay, but the fact is the county can lay claim to some of the best small boutique hotels in the country, especially in the chi-chi reaches of its fabled North Coast. As a county patchworked by country estates – most of them with fancy mansions built by local bigwigs – Norfolk scores particularly well on small and elegant country house hotels that have been gussied up with style and flair for the 21st century. It’s also a county of brilliant pubs, and there are any number of revamped inns that have added cosy rooms and a special food offering. Indeed, Norfolk tends to be a region of small independent businesses rather than mega-chains, and there are one or two small pub groups that place a strong emphasis on high-quality accommodation and food of local provenance.

To help you choose where to rest your head, we’ve put together a list of the best boutique places to stay in the county.

Location: Aylsham

Located in a historic Elizabethan house right at the heart of the small Norfolk town of Aylsham, The Ironmongers is a perfect spot for a couple’s tryst: totally private, with no reception, just a code to gain entrance, and eight beautifully designed guest rooms inspired by the town’s historic trades – as well as ironmongery, the building has hosted a wine merchant, tailors shop and all sorts of  different businesses over the years. The large Haberdashery room has a four-poster and lots of fancy silks and satins, but all of the rooms are spacious and welcoming, with solid oak floors, smart TVs, good wifi, tea and coffee-making facilities and en-suite bathrooms with good-sized showers, fluffy towels and toiletries. Heat and hot water are provided by air-source heat pumps, and dogs are welcome in two of the rooms. It’s a B&B without the breakfast, but don’t let that worry you: Norfolk folk swear by the local Bread Source bakery chain and there’s a branch right downstairs, serving delectable croissants and other pastries, sweet and savoury. If that doesn’t take your fancy, the Black Boys pub across the road does an excellent full English breakfast.