London
Bold and bright Nhow in Shoreditch, east London, doesn’t shy away from a photo opp with multiple murals, neon script signs, Beetlejuice-esque furniture and a Big Ben rocket statue taking off in reception. The family-friendly hotel’s Frills Without Bills package (doubles from £99 B&B) includes free room upgrades where available, breakfast, late check out and free cancellation up to 48 hours before arrival (until 10 October).
Edinburgh
Late summer lingers amid the pastel decor, wicker furniture and leafy light-filled rooms of Eden Locke aparthotel (doubles from £79 room-only). It’s one of several recently opened UK properties from design-led Locke Living. The Georgian terrace restoration project, in Edinburgh’s New Town, is close to the castle and the historic quarter. There are 72 en suite studios with kitchenettes, a ground floor cafe-bar and free yoga sessions for guests.
Liverpool
Right in the centre of Liverpool, between Lime Street station and Royal Albert Dock, Lock & Key is a small boutique hotel with quirky interiors mixing geometric and floral prints, black panelling and scallop-shaped velvet chairs. The listed Georgian townhouse, in the vibrant Ropewalks district, has 14 rooms (doubles from £72 room-only) and a cosy cocktail bar and restaurant serving brunches and pizza.
Belfast
Minimalist modern furniture, industrial decor and original parquet floors make The Flint a stylish stay in the centre of Belfast. Suites (doubles from £48 room-only) come with king-sized beds and kitchenettes, and although it doesn’t have a restaurant there are lots of options nearby, including sister cafe Town Square, which serves brunches and burgers.
Brighton
Cool, compact and a couple of streets from Brighton’s seafront and pier, One Broad Street was inspired by Tokyo-style micro living. The smallest en suite rooms (doubles from £80 room-only) have Ottoman beds, small kitchenettes, exposed brickwork and filament lighting. There are 12 rooms in total, some of which are slightly larger and sleep four. There is no reception, with entry via a code.
Manchester
Housed in a former textile mill in Manchester’s Northern Quarter, the Cow Hollow hotel is an independent hotel with edgy decor – stone walls, solid wood floors, palms and gold accents – in its 16 bedrooms (doubles from £79 B&B) and ground floor cocktail lounge. Rooms come with a simple breakfast, and also complimentary prosecco and antipasti on arrival.
Cardiff
Hotel Indigo Cardiff has 122 rooms (from £69 room-only, breakfast included in some deals) with design that highlights Welsh industries, art and music – from vintage photography to heritage-style tiling and Melin Tregwynt weave fabrics. Alongside the onsite bar and restaurant, there’s also a small gym and the rooftop is home to Marco Pierre White’s Steakhouse Bar & Grill, with views of the city
Birmingham
The High Field Town House is a restored, listed building with 12 individually decorated bedrooms (from £82 room-only) – just a few steps from a popular gastropub run by the same team. Close to Edgbaston and the Botanical Gardens, it’s within easy reach of the centre of the city and its 35-mile network of canals and their towpaths.
Leeds
In the former Leeds City Tramways office block in the town centre, Malmaison – a chain with a boutique feel – mixes Victorian glamour and sweeping staircases, with urban loft-style design in the 100 bedrooms. There is a restaurant and bar, and it’s close to nightlife and shopping. Currently, the Stay Longer, Save More deal includes three nights for the price of two (doubles from £79 room-only).
Bath
From snug to spacious, there are 11 rooms at Broad Street Townhouse (doubles from £85 room-only), each in heritage tones of blush, moss and teal. Some of the larger doubles also include a sofa bed, for an extra two guests. This grade-II listed building, little more than 100 metres from Bath’s lovely Pulteney Bridge, has a small cafe downstairs for breakfast and nightcaps, and sister venue The Pig & Fiddle is just next door, serving pub classics.
Prices are for rooms in September and October
