UK & Ireland

8 of the best pubs with rooms in the UK

There is no shortage of pubs in the UK, but many of the pubs with rooms can easily compete with the finest hotels and B&Bs across the country

British pub culture is famous around the world, with cask ales poured with a foamy head and a packet of pork scratchings served alongside witty banter and competitive pub games. But the typical British pub has come a long way in recent years. Many pubs across the UK now offer rooms for those who would prefer to stay somewhere other than typical chain hotels.

Some of the best pubs with rooms in the UK boast accommodations that could easily compete with some of the best hotels and B&Bs. Many have retained original features in the rooms, and they offer fine furnishings and enviable locations in bustling cities and quaint villages. Here are our favorites:

Wake up to uninterrupted sea views on the Welsh coast

Sea lovers will enjoy waking up and seeing the crashing waves of the Irish Sea from their windows in The Glengower, located in the traditional Welsh seaside town of Aberystwyth. This affordable pub with rooms is located on the Victorian promenade, just a short stroll from the beach and endless cliffs and a historic funicular railway.

The accommodation is divided between two impressive Victorian villas, and many of the historic features have been retained. Each room boasts uninterrupted views of Cardigan Bay, a coffee machine, comfortable beds and fine furnishings. The Glengower pub is a special feature at this property, with many of the beers available winning prestigious CAMRA awards. The pub includes historic documents and photos on the walls, a crackling open fireplace and a large bay windows offering sweeping views of the sea.

During term time, many students from the nearby university spend time in the pub, taking part in pub games and sharing stories about life in this quaint seaside town.

The Glengower

Top rated
Aberystwyth
8.8 Excellent (1009 reviews)

Enjoy this historic pub with rooms at the heart of St Andrews

The historic Greyfriars Inn is located right at the heart of the Ancient Scottish city of St. Andrews. This pub with rooms offers all that would be expected from a pub in one of the oldest cities in the UK–draught beers on tap, local Scottish whiskies and gins, and tasty pub food. The rooms are decorated well, with comfortable beds and neutral tones.

The pub on the ground floor has been furnished with dark oak tables and chairs. Paying homage to the world’s oldest golf course that is located just a few minutes away, golf clubs and photos line the whitewashed walls. Large plasma TVs show live sports and a jukebox plays music to add atmosphere to the room.

Greyfriars Inn

Top rated
St. Andrews
8.9 Excellent (950 reviews)

Enjoy a traditional English pub with rooms in central London

Few accommodation options can offer a reasonably priced traditional English pub experience just a few minutes walk from the most famous sights of London.The Grange Pub is located in Southwark, less than 10 minutes from Tower Bridge, the Tower of London, the London Eye and the Palace of Westminster.

There are four guest rooms in this pub, each promising comfortable beds and views of the London skyline. The pub is the main feature of this property, offering a friendly London welcome, traditional pub food and lively entertainment on the weekends.

The Grange Pub

London
8.6 Excellent (109 reviews)

Escape to a 400-year old Welsh coaching inn

Housed in a 400-year old coaching inn on the picturesque coast on the island of Anglesey, in north Wales, Ye Olde Bulls Head Inn combines its history with five-star rooms, award-winning local food and a snug bar with a lively atmosphere. The ethos at this pub with rooms is to bring together characterful features with contemporary furnishings.

In each room, whether in the pub building or the neighboring townhouse, you will find comfortable Hypnos beds, fluffy pillows and bedding, fine Egyptian cotton linens and a Nespresso coffee machine. Exposed wooden beams line the ceilings alongside sympathetic decor.

Make sure you spare some time to enjoy a refreshing beer in the pub, just as author Charles Dickens did when researching his stories, admiring the historic swords and paintings on the walls, or Welsh delicacies in the on-site restaurant–Coach.

The Bull Beaumaris

Top rated
Beaumaris
8.9 Excellent (305 reviews)

Experience Medieval history in the Northumbrian countryside

The Lord Crewe Arms is one of the finest historic pubs with rooms in the UK. The building has hosted guests since 1165 when it was built as a guest house for Blanchland Abbey. In 1539, when all Abbeys were dissolved, the property passed from family to family as a pub with accommodation. The pub is nestled amidst endless rolling hills in the northeast of England.

The rooms in the property could easily compete with any luxury hotel, with soft knitted tartan throws covering fine bedding, antique mirrors and radios, rolltop baths and winding metal staircases leading to a duplex floor in some suites. Each rooms boasts views across fields, hills and the horizon beyond.

The Crypt Bar, located in the basement, is a pub unlike anywhere else. Northumbrian ales are served from a dark oak bar under a vaulted stone ceiling decorated with shields and chandeliers. There are a number of restaurants in the pub–the Bishop’s Dining Room serves upmarket local dishes, the Hillyard offers a more intimate setting and The Derwent is ideal for afternoon tea.

Lord Crewe Arms

Top rated
Consett
9.5 Excellent (174 reviews)

Play, sleep and drink in Beatrix Potter country

The Royal Oak Inn could not have a more spectacular location, sitting on the edge of Lake Windermere in the Lake District national park. Author Beatrix Potter wrote her novels–including the famous T”ale of Peter Rabbit”–in the location of this pub with rooms.

Each of the rooms in this property, set across a pair of 17th century cottages, includes either views over the expanse of water that is Lake Windermere, complete with Victorian steamer boats and an abundance of wildlife, or rolling countryside.

The pub on the ground floor serves local cask ales and wines along with steaks and home cooked dishes using local ingredients. There is a games room with a pool table and darts board and even a private boat slipway beside the lakeside beer garden for guests to use.

The Royal Oak Inn

Bowness-on-Windermere
9.2 Excellent (140 reviews)

Experience rural life and good drinks in North Yorkshire

Set in the rural North Yorkshire village of Snape, The Castle Arms Inn dates back to the 17th century and is a traditional Yorkshire pub with rooms. The wisteria-clad property is located at the end of a tree-lined drive, just steps from the historic Snape Castle that has links to the infamous King Henry VIII and his former wife Catherine Parr.

Each of the nine en-suite rooms has been decorated in neutral tones and fine linens, retaining character features such as the dark oak roof beams and large windows. In the pub, traditional English pub dishes–including steak and ale pie and fish and chips–are served alongside locally brewed beers and spirits. In the pub itself, a crackling fire warms the room, flickering candlelight and cosy armchairs and antiques add to the atmosphere of this country pub.

The Castle Arms Inn

Bedale
8.2 Very good (85 reviews)

Relax in Tudor splendor in central Chester

Located in the historic walled city of Chester, in the northwest of England, Ye Olde Kings Head pub with rooms dates back to 1622, built on the foundations of an early 13th century public house. The traditional black and white wattle and daub building is said to be haunted by the ghosts of those who once lived in the building, with apparitions of a man in black and a child regularly reported.

Each of the rooms has retained original features, such as exposed wooden beams, high ceilings and small cell windows. The furniture, including four poster beds, further aligns with the history of the building. In the ground floor pub, locals flock to enjoy a large selection of beers, wines and spirits in the atmospheric surroundings of the lounge. Pub food showcasing the best local ingredients is served throughout the day.

Ye Olde Kings Head

Chester
7.2(205 reviews)