![Cley Windmill](https://www.thehotelguru.com/_images/59/37/5937c835ac977b8d91cb75371cf69f41/600x422.jpg)
Staying in one of our Guru’s top unusual UK hotels will take your break from memorable to unforgettable. We love a fun and fantastic conversion, and have discovered a breathtaking windmill by the sea, a charming hotel in an old newspaper office and even a converted prison! Or, for an unusual luxury hotel try staying in your own castle, tower or folly. Our list of the most unusual hotels in the UK are dotted around the country, but we have got a couple of great options by the coast, some remote rural escapes and one of the most unusual hotels in London on the list too. This is really just the tip of the unusual iceberg though, and there are plenty more where these come from if you’re looking for something special…
The Hotel Maketh the Holiday
- Are you perchance interested in the work of Agatha Christie? Or in Art Deco design? Or the golden age of glamour? If you’re even remotely interested in any of these topics then Burgh Island off Bigbruy-on-Sea in Devon will Blow Your Mind. Time has stood still since the 1930s on this small tidal island, and guests are expected to dress for dinner and enjoy pre-war cocktails as an aperitif. You reach the island via amphibious vehicle and once the tide is in you’re on the island to stay.
- Fingal is another one of those destination hotels. Once a retired lighthouse tender, now turned luxury hotel, and anchored in the hip area of Leith (Edinburgh). Expect luxurious design, a glamorous ballroom (ideal for a party), and there's a fabulous little restaurant too.
Unusual UK Escapes
![Bar Convent Guesthouse](https://www.thehotelguru.com/_images/d2/56/d256e2ae60cfa58e972863f74ce16a01/600x422.jpg)
- What could be more of an escape than staying in a working convent? Which is exactly what you can do if you’re in York. The Bar Convent Guesthouse is certainly a memorable UK hotel: an 18 room guesthouse converted from part of an elegant, living convent, originally founded in 1686. A baroque chapel, Victorian garden and glass roofed entrance hall make this an impressive building, the cafe serves meals until high tea, and best of all is staying amongst the sisters of the convent.
For couples
![Duck Lodge](https://www.thehotelguru.com/_images/53/80/53809604c6d2b2c41a90b29ed5fd05b1/600x422.jpg)
- Duck Lodge B&B is a single luxury log cabin located in the South Downs National Park. Interiors have a Scandi-chic feel with pale wood and simple modern furniture. Complete with a hot tub and indulgent breakfasts provided, this is a charming choice for a couples' weekend hideaway.
For Families
![Port Lympne Hotel](https://www.thehotelguru.com/_images/3b/fa/3bfa6ab2c42e57adc211bfb78eb74701/600x422.jpg)
- Fancy waking up with only a pane of glass between your family and a family of tigers, wolves, rhinos or giraffes? Well that’s a possibility at the Port Lympne Hotel, part of the Port Lympne reserve in Kent. Around 700 rare and endangered animals live here, but it’s not a zoo, it’s a breeding facility. As well as staying in rooms close to the animal enclosures, you can also stay in the main house, which is a very stylish country manor house hotel, or you can glamp. Amazing, whatever your choice.
- Bodmin Jail Hotel is another fun choice for families. This boutique stay is set within the historic Bodmin Jail. Interiors are sleek and contemporary but with plenty of period features. With spacious family rooms, casual dining the kids will love, and the general novelty of the setting — this is a great option for a family getaway.
By the Coast
![Cley Windmill](https://www.thehotelguru.com/_images/4a/d1/4ad159a9f5229045b7336f3ff678ba71/600x422.jpg)
- Our first choice for unusual UK hotels by the seaside would have to be Cley Windmill in Norfolk: a romantically restored 18th Century windmill with beautiful views, which is now an upmarket B&B with access to an excellent chef. Rooms in the windmill are sheer 'Swallows and Amazons' fun and adventure, and there are panoramic views from the look-out. Though you can also stay in their converted stables or boathouse, where you can choose to self-cater.
- Or for a proper island break getaway, try the Star Castle Hotel, converted from a star-shaped castle on St. Marys, in the Isles of Scilly. There are 38 newly refurbished rooms, which are quaint but extremely comfortable, and there are two excellent restaurants. Owner Robert Francis has two passions: lobster fishing and wine and you will enjoy the fruits of both.
- Hotel Portmeirion and Castell Deudraeth were originally created to show how an area could be developed, but without ruining the surrounding countryside. Both properties boast unique design and offer a charming stay overlooking Snowdonia's Dwyryd Estuary.
Unusual Castle Hotels
- Many an unusual UK hotel has converted, and resurrected, a beautifully dilapidated old castle, but two of the best are Augill Castle, near Kirby Stephen in Cumbria, between the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales. Stuffed with antiques, this eccentric mid-Victorian-folly-castle has 14 rooms, with four-poster beds and roll top baths. Dinner (on request) is communal, around a huge oak table and breakfast is a leisurely affair. Dogs and children welcomed.
- And Swinton Park in Yorkshire, which is a more traditional, luxurious affair, set in 250 acres complete with battlements, towers and turrets, plus lakes, walled gardens, a spa, fishing, golf, cooking classes and with an award winning restaurant. Swinton Park also qualifies for our list of the UK’s best unusual spa hotels.
- While you cannot stay in the castle itself, Hever Castle B&B is set in the grounds of Hever Castle and it is so high-end that it still feels like a grand stay. Gorgeous rooms are all individually styled with antiques and original features. The best have in-room free-standing baths. Pick this for a taste of the royal life.
- Similarly, Leeds Castle Stable Courtyard B&B, is (unsurprisingly) set in the old stable block of Leeds Castle. Ideal for a rural weekend away — enjoy the beautiful grounds and garden, dine in the nearby pub, and enjoy the traditional decor.
Hotels with a Theme
![The Scotsman](https://www.thehotelguru.com/_images/d5/31/d5318cc6aefa8a48c2913e52b77bf221/600x422.jpg)
Themed hotels are certainly unusual, but many seem to miss out some of the essential pleasures of a hotel stay.
For a clever conversion
![Malmaison Oxford](https://www.thehotelguru.com/_images/5c/80/5c80ab4eb244c58d5551ff092e1b6f11/600x422.jpg)
- Oxford’s Malmaison has been imaginatively converted from a prison — the cells are now modern bedrooms but the Gothic colours and original fittings, doors and window bars remain! The hotel is spread over three storeys, with a central atrium and red carpets. The Exercise Yard has become an attractive outside space and you can enjoy pre-dinner drinks in what was once the Visitor’s room. Before it was a prison it was a castle, so it’s a double conversion.
For London
![Sunborn Yacht Hotel](https://www.thehotelguru.com/_images/97/f4/97f4f34b1cf540d57322963d5373c601/600x422.jpg)
- Moored on the Thames, just a short distance from Canary Wharf is the Sunborn Yacht Hotel, a permanently moored super yacht with 135 smart, classically styled rooms, a restaurant and a spa. It’s just 15minutes from London City airport too.
Downright Eccentric!
![Crazy Bear Hotel](https://www.thehotelguru.com/_images/ac/2d/ac2d98928ebb3c329c23ecdb40f3c441/600x422.jpg)
- There’s an element of eccentricity to all of our selection of unusual UK hotels, but the Crazy Bear Hotel in Stadhampton deserves special mention. This eclectic creation was originally an old coaching inn, but now the reception is a double decker bus, champagne flows from a tap in the bar, there are pink padded walls and leopard print carpet in the restaurant.
Still not sure which to book?