The Old Palace Lodge

You would be hard-pushed to be sleeping any closer to Lincoln’s magnificent medieval cathedral - and in a historic building, too. The former Victorian church of St Michael on the Mount (itself on the site of a medieval church) was built for Christ’s Hospital School opposite, now Lincoln College, and imaginatively converted into a hotel in the early 21st century. Rooms either feature part of the stone-mullioned gothic windows or, if they’re on the top floor, original beams and apex ceilings. Each is a different shape with a modest, low-key style: plain carpets, oak furniture, traditional armchairs, and classically patterned wallpapers and thick curtains. Shots of ecclesiastical reds, purples and golds in throws and cushions make a nice nod to the building's origins. All have views, even if through a skylight window, while top-category rooms have rolltop baths and grand features such as high ceilings and vast windows. Breakfast taken in the former apse of the church is a novelty while the central location means plenty of eating options are within strolling distance, including locals’ favourite Browns Pie Shop (all home-made) and The Cosy Club in the spectacular former Corn Exchange. Despite its location in the heart of the city, it sits amidst trees and lawns which make it a surprisingly peaceful – cathedral bells aside – retreat.