Bristol is one of the most vibrant UK cities to visit. Its festival calendar is packed, there’s a healthy spill-over of partying and music making all year round, and the streets are loaded with cutting-edge restaurants, bars, cafes, stills, microbreweries and more. All this, against a backdrop of impressive Victorian and Georgian architecture, including one particularly famous contribution by Brunel: the Clifton Suspension Bridge. But Bristol wears its industrial and maritime history proudly too, in a collection of world-class museums centred around the rejuvenated docks and harbour-side. Some of the best places to stay in Bristol now occupy old warehouses and docklands buildings; our recommendations also include a converted bank, several converted townhouses, a converted paint-making factory, converted manor houses, and even some purpose built hotels — and many are family friendly too.

Some of our Bristol collections:

• Best Luxury Hotels in Bristol

When the shipbuilding, railways and manufacturing industries moved out, the docks had a used-up atmosphere, but over the last few decades they’ve been injected with appeal. They’ve got the SS Great Britain in dry dock (Brunel's great vessel); there’s a beautifully designed Maritime Heritage Centre; the M Shed Museum, which is a social history museum of Bristol; plus a huge range of places to eat and drink. Many of the best places to stay in Bristol are within a short walk of this part of town, and it’s a great place to start your Bristol exploration.

Bristol is big. And as befits a city this size, it has a zoo, an aquarium, an observatory, and an excellent art gallery. Banksy resides here, so Bristol also has a reputation for street art. We think the best places to stay in Bristol are those that reflect a little of the city’s ‘meaty’ cultural life, so expect art collections, curated decor and design, and fantastic food.

The Best Places to Stay in Bristol

For Bristol Harbour

• The Bristol Harbour Hotel offers the ideal combination of lavish style and contemporary comforts in the centre of town. Converted from a graceful, Georgian era bank, its bar and restaurant have made excellent use of the gorgeous floors, pillars, and grand open spaces on the ground floor, and there are 42 guest rooms higher up in the hotel. The award-winning restaurant is known for its seafood, and there’s now a cavernous spa in the bank’s former underground vaults. Service with charm. Ideal for sightseeing, or a luxury interlude.
• The Bristol is a large, contemporary hotel right on the water in Bristol’s Harbour Quarter. Aside from the incredible location, the hotel offers 187 rooms and suites, with a configuration to suit almost any traveller, large waterfront restaurant, a cafe and a bar, plus a gym and onsite parking. The decor is neutral and the service is very good.

For a City Break

• The Hotel du Vin, Bristol has been imaginatively, and stylishly, converted from a warehouse in the heart of Bristol’s historic centre. With only 40 rooms and suites it’s a smaller incarnation than some of the Hotel du Vins, but it still has the assets the brand is known for: the fantastic wine list, and French bistro. The decor is fairly simple, with emphasis on large beds and bathrooms. The loft suites are large and airy, and there are some rooms that would suit families.

For Cool Design

• The Artist Residence Bristol is a small, arty offering in St. Paul’s, an up-and-coming Bristol neighbourhood. There are 23 rooms and suites, in a range of sizes — which also correspond to the room rate, but the idea is there’s something for everyone who appreciates cool design — expect upcycled and design finds, and retro and vintage furniture, plus contemporary art and big windows. Our Gurus liked the cocktail bar with its extended menu, and even though it may not seem the most family-friendly of options, there are some interconnecting room configurations.
• The Hotel du Vin brand has a second hotel in Bristol, this one the Avon Gorge by Hotel du Vin, which is in Clifton, with fantastic views overlooking the Clifton Suspension Bridge — visit the popular steak restaurant for the views even if you opt not to stay in the hotel! This is a larger hotel, with 78 rooms and suites. The decor is bolder, and more colourful than the Hotel du Vin, Bristol — there’s more art, more moody hues, and sexier bathrooms. Our Gurus would opt for the garden rooms, or the balcony rooms.

For Romantics

• No 38 Clifton is a stylishly converted townhouse in Clifton, overlooking the Green. The owner has created No. 38 as a boutique B&B, so there’s all the design details of a boutique hotel, but without a restaurant. Interiors feature stylishly coloured wood panels, an impressive art collection, and luxurious bathrooms. We love the arty courtyard and charming communal areas.
• Berwick Lodge is a magnificent manor house, set in leafy grounds just to the west of Bristol. Now converted to a 14 room hotel, the property still has many of its luxurious original features: mosaic tile-work, marble fireplaces, grand doorways, and rooms in generous proportions. The decor also includes some lovely antiques, and artworks in keeping with the house’s heritage. The 2 AA Rosette awarded restaurant is known for its seasonal, British cuisine.

For Families

• Beech House is a collection of self-catering apartments in leafy Clifton. There 16 apartments, in a range of shapes and sizes — but all with well-equipped kitchens, washing machines, living space and simple, contemporary decor. The smallest are set up like studios, and the largest have two separate bedrooms.

For a Pub-with-Rooms

• The George, Bristol is a charming inn in Backwell, a little village on the outskirts of Bristol. As well as offering hearty British fare in the historic dining room and welcoming pub, The George has seven individually styled and decorated guest rooms. The decor is unfussy, and the bathrooms very contemporary. Great value and a warm welcome.

For Great Value

• Brooks Guesthouse is a 27 room guesthouse in a super convenient spot, in the heart of Bristol’s Old Town. It’s been converted from an elegant townhouse, but the designers have taken steps beyond just reconfiguring and redesigning the interiors, they’ve added a roof terrace with an Air Stream caravan you can stay in! Decor in the other rooms is milder, with a fresh feel and pale green walls and wallpaper. The breakfasts are excellent, and the hotel has all the bells and whistles when it comes to in-room music. Family-friendly too.

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 has its own airport, Bristol Airport, which is connected to a wide range of international destinations, plus other major UK airports. The airport is about 15 minutes from the centre of town by taxi or car, or about 25 minutes on the bus. If you’re coming via one of the London airports, or railway stations, Bristol is about an hour and a half away from London Paddington.
• If you want to hire a car we recommend you visit our online partner, Rentalcars.
• While Bristol is pretty close to the Severn Estuary and the Bristol Channel, it’s a city break destination rather than a summer holiday pick. Saying that, Bristol gets plenty of sunshine during the summer, so it is a nice time to visit. Whatever time of year you opt for, the key thing to remember is that the UK’s climate is changeable, and while Bristol is somewhat sheltered by the Mendip Hills, it’s exposed to the Atlantic Ocean on the other side. So there’s rain all year. Winter and spring are usually slightly rainier than summer and autumn. If you’re considering what time of year to visit based on Bristol’s Festival Calendar you have a lot to look through! The Hot Air Balloon Fiesta in the summer draws an international crowd, the Harbourside Festival celebrates everything marine, and there’s a huge urban art festival. Bristol also hosts regular foodie festivals, a carnival, Pride, a craft-beer and cider festival, a poetry festival, a folk music festival, a collection of music festivals in fact, and several literary festivals.

Still not sure?

• Expand your search to include all of the best places to stay in Somerset, which begins to the south of Bristol, or the best places to stay in Gloucestershire, which is to the north.
• Consider the best places to stay in Bath, a very charming, and very close neighbour
• Or you could contact one of our friendly Gurus for personalised advice.