Right on the River Wye, and very close to the Welsh border and the Forest of Dean, Ross-on-Wye is a charming little market town. It is also credited with being the birthplace of British tourism, apparently kick-started in 1745, when the rector of Ross began taking his friends on boat trips down the river, to see the impressive cliffs and gorges, and the valleys dotted with old castles and delicately crumbling abbeys. He was clearly on to something! These days there’s a broad range of accommodation on offer. The best places to stay in Ross-on-Wye include country house hotels, inns and restaurants with rooms on the Wye, and converted manors and townhouses.

Some of the main sights include the ruins of 12th century Wilton Castle, which is just to the west of town, Ross’ great parish church, with its spire and alabaster tombs and the market square with markets happening on Thursdays and Saturdays. The town is also a great base for walkers — the Wye Valley boasts trails galore, and the equally lovely Forest of Dean is close by too.

As with many charming towns, the best places to stay in Ross-on-Wye will be extremely busy during the peak summer months. To guarantee your room, get organised and book well ahead.

The Best Places to Stay in Ross-on-Wye

For a Country House Hotel

• Glewstone Court is a stately home turned country house hotel, surrounded by pretty gardens and with lovely views. Inside are nine guest rooms, plus a number of elegant communal spaces — a lounge and a parlour, both with open fireplaces — and an award-winning restaurant, worth a visit even if you're not staying over. Expect the decor to look the part too, with plenty of antiques and terracotta shades.

For a riverside spot

• The Bridge House is a simply and elegantly designed, Georgian era house on the Wye, decorated with a beautiful collection of antiques. It offers nine individually decorated rooms, which benefit from plenty of natural light, and well placed artworks. In addition there's a conservatory breakfast room overlooking the three acre garden, and an inviting sitting room with an honesty bar.

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

• Bristol Airport is the closest international airport to Ross-on-Wye as the crow flies — it’s about an hour away by car or taxi, or about three and a half hours by public transport (mostly buses). Cardiff Airport is about the same distance, with similar travel times by car or public transport. Heathrow is about two hours away by car or taxi, or four hours if you take a series of buses. And if you’re coming from central London, there are trains between Paddington and Gloucester, and then it’s a bus journey from there. Expect a journey time of about three and a half hours.
• If you want to hire a car we recommend you visit our online partner, Rentalcars.
• If you’re hoping for nice weather the best time of year to visit Ross-on-Wye is summer, when it’s sunny, dry and temperatures get into the low 20°Cs. Though there’s a chance of rain whenever you travel. Ross-on-Wye is close enough to Hay-on-Wye to be busy during the annual literary festival, held from the end of May until the beginning of June. And there are regular market days in Ross-on-Wye, Hereford and surrounding towns. If you’re planning to visit in winter, do bear in mind that it can be very cold!

Still not sure where to stay?

• Expand your search to include all the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Forest of Dean or even all the best places to stay in Herefordshire
• Consider some of Ross-on-Wye’s neighbours like the best places to stay in Hereford
• Refine your search by the kind of holiday you’re planning and consider our Gurus’ recommendations for the best pubs with rooms in Herefordshire
• Or you could contact one of our friendly Gurus for personalised advice.