Dorchester is Dorset’s county town, historic and elegantly beautiful, surrounded by lush, green countryside, and birthplace of author Thomas Hardy. It has been a centre since the Romans moved in in AD 70, but much of its current architecture dates from the Regency era — expect quaintly thatched and whitewashed cottages on the outskirts, elegant Georgian townhouses closer to the centre, and pretty churches dotted throughout. The best places to stay in Dorchester can be found not only in the middle of town, but also just outside. We've tracked down a country house B&B, and a couple of cracking coaching inns.

As well as Roman relics, Dorchester has a Saxon fort and an Iron Age castle, Maiden Castle, on the outskirts. You’ll find Thomas Hardy’s cottage, now a museum, also just outside town. This is where he was born, but during his life he built a grander house in the centre, called Max Gate, which is owned by the National Trust and also a museum. There’s a farmer’s market on the fourth Saturday of every month on Dorchester’s South Street, and on the first Saturday of the month in Poundbury, which is an experimental town lead by the Duchy of Cornwall aiming to reduce car use and build community. And definitely worth visiting! There’s also a military museum, a courthouse museum, and a dinosaur museum and teddy bear museum, plus lots of lovely little shops and galleries, and restaurants and pubs.

The surrounding area is an inspiring place to explore on foot or on two wheels. The landscape to the south and west of the town are part of the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and our recommendations for the best places to stay in Dorchester include several properties which are ideal for walkers and cyclists.

The Best Places to Stay in Dorchester

Dorchester Mini-Break

• The King's Arms is an historic inn, refurbished into a much more glamorous one. Old enough, and famous enough, to have featured in Thomas Hardy’s work, and host a myriad of historic figures, today The King’s Arms is a chic, 20 room hotel, with a very good restaurant that stretches beyond modern British fare into European, the Middle East and North Africa.

For Couples

• Poundbury’s Duchess of Cornwall Inn is an elegant Georgian building, tall and pillared, with huge windows and elegant decor — this is a choice to impress. The 18th century skeleton has had all its highlights retained, and some new ones added, then decorated in muted duck egg, with antiques and well chosen artwork. The bar and restaurant serve simple British fare, and they do it very well.

For a Countryside Escape

• Little Court is a pretty Edwardian country house, turned eight room B&B, in the countryside just north of Dorchester. The guest rooms are traditionally furnished, with antiques, sumptuous fabrics, oil paintings and some with huge four poster beds. The gardens are expansive, with a tennis court and outdoor swimming pool, as well as pretty places to sit and enjoy the peace.
• Yalbury Cottage is in a charming spot, overlooking Dorset’s green fields. It has eight rooms, all simply and traditionally decorated to make the most of the lovely old farm cottage the hotel has been converted from — expect exposed beams and stonework, and downstairs, cosy lounges warmed by open fires. The owner is a chef with an interest in local produce, so the meals are created with love and care. Close to Thomas Hardy’s cottage, and perfect for walkers.

Prefer a Private Apartment or Cottage?

• If you'd prefer the privacy of a self-catering option then browse through the wide variety available online with our partner, Booking.com.

Travel Information

• Dorchester’s closest airport is Bristol Airport, which is about an hour and a half away by road, or three and a half hours away by direct train from central Bristol. London’s airports are next closest, with Heathrow about two hours drive away, or just under four hours by public transport. If you are travelling via London, or one of its airports, you can catch a direct train from Waterloo, arriving in Dorchester two and a half hours later.
• If you want to hire a car we recommend you visit our online partner, Rentalcars.
• As Dorset’s county town, Dorchester has a lively events calendar, but the most popular events are the Dorset County Show, an annual two day agricultural show held at the beginning of September; the Dorset Literary Festival in autumn; the Cider Festival in September; the biennial Dorchester Festival, which is a huge cultural event with all sorts of entertainment; and Lambing Weekend at Kingston Maurward in February. Beyond the events calendar, Dorchester has enough indoor attractions to make it a year round destination, but if you’re looking for a pretty time to visit, Dorset is lovely in the spring, when all the museums and attractions are just gearing themselves up, and there are plenty of sunny days. Spring is also a great time of year for walkers and hikers. Summer is most popular in the coastal towns and villages, and there are lots of events on in Dorchester. Whenever you choose to visit it’s worth remembering that Dorset’s weather can be unpredictable, so bring layers and wet weather gear.

Still not sure where to stay?

• Expand your search to include all the best places to stay in Dorset
• Consider Dorchester’s neighbours, the best places to stay in nearby Poole, Salisbury or Yeovil, for example
• Expand your search by the type of accommodation you’re looking for: the best family hotels in Dorset, the best pubs-with-rooms in Dorset or Dorset’s best country house hotels
• Or you could contact one of our friendly Gurus for personalised advice.