Curated luxury hotels in East Midlands

• Easy access to York
• Next to York racecourse
• Kids eat and stay free

The Holiday Inn York, an IHG Hotel, makes the perfect base for exploring historic York and everything it has to offer. It’s a 10-minute drive from the city centre, where you’ve got the grand York Minster, or the famous Shambles – one of the best-preserved medieval shopping streets in Europe. Plus, the hotel’s next to York Racecourse, so it’s a top place to bed down after a race day.

There’s a restaurant for hot buffet breakfasts and dinners. And families are in luck, because kids eat free. The Open Lobby is where friends, family or colleagues all congregate. It’s open 24 hours and there’s an all-day dining menu. There’s a bar with a terrace for al fresco drinks, too. Or, room service is available around the clock.

The rooms have everything you need, from pillow menus and tea and coffee to air-con and free Wi-Fi. Plus, kids stay free when sharing with an adult, so it’s a great affordable option for families visiting York.

Royal Oak Ramsden features a garden, terrace, a restaurant and bar in Ramsden. This 4-star inn offers free WiFi. The property is non-smoking and is located 16 km from Blenheim Palace.

All guest rooms in the inn are fitted with a kettle. Each room comes with a private bathroom with a shower, free toiletries and a hairdryer. Guest rooms in Royal Oak Ramsden are equipped with a flat-screen TV and bathrobes.

The breakfast offers à la carte, Full English/Irish or vegetarian options.

University of Oxford is 26 km from the accommodation, while Cotswold Water Park is 47 km away. Birmingham Airport is 89 km from the property.

With a stay at No 38 The Park, you'll be centrally located in Cheltenham – a 2-minute drive from Cheltenham Racecourse and 14 minutes from Gloucester Docks. This boutique bed & breakfast is 0.1 mi (0.1 km) from Pittville Park and 0.1 mi (0.2 km) from Holst Birthplace Museum.

With a stay at The Head of the River, you'll be centrally located in Oxford, steps from Thames River and 3 minutes by foot from University of Oxford. This eco-friendly inn is 10.8 mi (17.3 km) from Blenheim Palace and 14.7 mi (23.7 km) from Bicester Village.

With a stay at The Fat Badger, you'll be centrally located in York, steps from York Minster and within a 5-minute walk of Barley Hall. This inn is 0.5 mi (0.8 km) from St. Mary's Abbey and 0.8 mi (1.3 km) from Treasurer's House.

Located in Sheffield, Mercure Sheffield Parkway is in the business district, within a 10-minute drive of Utilita Arena Sheffield and English Institute of Sport Sheffield. This family-friendly hotel is 4.9 mi (7.8 km) from Sheffield Hallam University and 4.9 mi (7.9 km) from Meadowhall Shopping Centre.

Located in Stoke-on-Trent, The Upper House is in a rural location – a 5-minute drive from World of Wedgwood and 6 minutes from Trentham Monkey Forest. This eco-friendly hotel is 5.2 mi (8.4 km) from Trentham Gardens and 5.5 mi (8.9 km) from Fenton Manor Sports Complex.

With a stay at Holiday Inn Milton Keynes - Central by IHG, you'll be centrally located in Milton Keynes, within a 5-minute drive of Xscape and National Bowl. This eco-friendly hotel is 11.2 mi (18 km) from Woburn Safari Park and 16.7 mi (26.8 km) from Silverstone Circuit.

Located in Northampton, The Poplars Moulton is a 2-minute drive from Moulton College and 9 minutes from Pitsford Reservoir - Pitsford Water Park. This hotel is 6.3 mi (10.1 km) from Delapre Abbey and 6.8 mi (10.9 km) from University of Northampton.

Featuring an on-site bar and restaurant, The George is located in Kirton-in-Lindsey and offers 4-star accommodation in an old coaching inn that dates back to the 17th Century. Free WiFi is available throughout the property.

Each of the bedrooms feature a TV and a radio, tea and coffee making facilities, and offer an en suite shower. Some of the rooms boast the old coaching inn’s original character, including exposed beams and feature fireplaces.

A full English breakfast is served each morning, and guests can make use of the award-winning restaurant that serves gastro style specials and pub classics.

The George Hotel is located 1.6 miles from the main road A15. From the property guests can travel to Lincoln within 30-minutes by car. Guests are a 3-minute drive from Kirton Lindsey train station. Brigg is 9.8 miles from The George. Humberside Airport is 20 km from the property.

When you stay at The White Swan in Gainsborough, you'll be within a 10-minute drive of Green Howe and Blyton Park Driving Center. This inn is 6.3 mi (10.2 km) from Race Kart Centre and 6.6 mi (10.6 km) from North Lincolnshire Museum.

With a stay at D'Parys in Bedford, you'll be a 3-minute walk from Bedford Park and 12 minutes by foot from St. Paul's Church. This hotel is 13.3 mi (21.3 km) from Woburn Safari Park and 1.8 mi (2.9 km) from Oasis Beach Pool.

Located in Bedford, The Embankment is within a 5-minute drive of St. Paul's Church and Bedford Park. This inn is 13 mi (20.9 km) from Woburn Safari Park and 1.5 mi (2.4 km) from Oasis Beach Pool.

With a stay at Castle at Edgehill in Banbury, you'll be within a 5-minute drive of Upton House and The National Herb Centre. This inn is 14.8 mi (23.8 km) from Warwick Castle and 4.2 mi (6.8 km) from Burton Dassett Country Park.

With a stay at The Royal Standard in Ely, you'll be within a 5-minute walk of Babylon Gallery and Ted Coney's Family Portraits. This inn is 0.2 mi (0.3 km) from Waterside Antiques Centre and 0.3 mi (0.5 km) from Jubilee Gardens.

Located in Knutsford, The Golden Pheasant is in a rural location, within a 10-minute drive of Tabley House and Tatton Park. This inn is 5 mi (8.1 km) from Victorian Gardens and 7.2 mi (11.7 km) from Anderton Boat Lift.

Located in Sale, Belmore is within a 10-minute drive of EventCity and Old Trafford Cricket Ground. This inn is 4.8 mi (7.7 km) from Old Trafford and 5.2 mi (8.3 km) from Trafford Centre.

With a stay at The Bell at Stow in Cheltenham, you'll be a 2-minute walk from Fosse Gallery Fine Art and 7 minutes by foot from St. Edward's Church. This hotel is 14.9 mi (23.9 km) from Cotswold Wildlife Park and 2.7 mi (4.3 km) from Old Mill.

• Grade I-listed surroundings
• Romantic wine cellar bar
• Four-poster bed rooms

Hotels don’t get much more romantic than Peckforton Castle, in Cheshire. I mean, it’s a castle. So your surroundings will include arrow slides, spiral staircases, suits of armour and French tapestries. It’s easy to see why so many celebs have got hitched here. And why it’s the backdrop for TV series, like Robin Hood, Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Who.

It’s not all looks and no substance, though. The 48-bedroom castle hotel has nailed dinner and drinks, as well. There’s the award-winning 1851 Restaurant, which blends the best of French and British. Or, fancy dining in the castle’s former kitchens? Head to 2010 Brasserie for a more informal meal of burgers, fish and chips, or pasta. The pièce de résistance is the wine cellar bar. It oozes ‘date night’ with its lantern lighting and dramatic vaulted ceiling.

You don’t come here for the location. It’s the kind of place you go to drop off the map and spend all weekend in bed. And they’ve got some seriously impressive ones of those. The Four Poster rooms give off fairytale vibes, while Executive rooms come with charming rolltop baths. And some of the rooms even have fireplaces that can be lit in the chillier months.

With a stay at Malmaison Oxford, you'll be centrally located in Oxford, steps from University of Oxford and 8 minutes by foot from Thames River. This eco-friendly hotel is 10.3 mi (16.6 km) from Blenheim Palace and 14.3 mi (23 km) from Bicester Village.