All hotels have been independently reviewed and selected. We will earn a commission if you book via the links below, but this never affects our rating.
Golfers looking for a break this summer will be spoilt for choice thanks to a variety of hotels offering top-class Championship courses, Michelin-starred dining, luxurious spas and an array of sports facilities and country pursuits. Tread in the footsteps of your Ryder Cup golfing heroes on the fairways of Celtic Manor in south Wales, and Gleneagles, Scotland, wield your sand wedge on the challenging Hell Bunker of St Andrews Old Course or pit your putting skills on the greens of The Grove or Lough Erne.
Enjoy exquisite Michelin-starred dining from renowned chefs at Gleneagles and Pennyhill Park, the latter boasting a spa with eight pools including one with underwater music. From luxury hotels with award-winning courses to historic estates with castles, country house hotels with gorgeous countryside views and beachside boltholes, our pick of the best golf hotels in the UK will ensure your break is guaranteed to go with a swing this year.
How we review
Every hotel in this curated list has been visited by one of our expert reviewers, who are usually hosted on a complimentary basis. They stay for a minimum of one night, test at least one meal and trial other experiences (in this case, for instance, the family facilities) that the hotel might have to offer.
At a glance, the best golf hotels in the UK
- Best golf hotel in England – The Grove, Hertfordshire
- Best golf hotel in Scotland – The Gleneagles Hotel, Perthshire
- Best golf hotel in Wales – The Celtic Manor Resort, Newport
- Best golf hotel in Northern Ireland – Lough Erne Resort, Fermanagh
The best golf hotels in England
Sprawling parkland surrounds this largely Victorian hall where hotel amenities such as a 50,000-sq-ft spa with swimming pool, three distinct restaurants and a cocktail bar are joined by sporting facilities including tennis courts, bicycles and the 18-hole golf course that’s designed to capture the environment it lies within. Golfers can master their game at the driving range, short game area and practice greens and make the most of the expert coaching and golf tuition at the on-site PMG Academy. Stay in one of the five-star country estate’s spacious guest rooms, many of which come with a terrace or balcony.
From
£
410
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
The best golf hotel in England: The Grove
Found within easy reach of London, The Grove spans 300 acres of bucolic grounds in Hertfordshire. While some may know this stately hotel for its sumptuous rooms, destination restaurants and extensive spa, others come for the outdoor pursuits it offers, including golf. The award-winning Championship course has welcomed many greats of the game including Tiger Woods. Play a round on this 18-hole course placing you in the Hertfordshire countryside, be a spectator at annual golf tournaments and sharpen your skills with PGA professionals offering tuition. Other pursuits include off-road driving and hot-air ballooning.
From
£
595
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
• The best hotels in England
The prestigious Championship golf course at Bovey Castle is one of the great draws of this grand stately pile on a sporting estate in Dartmoor National Park. Both challenging and scenic, this 18-hole golf course was designed in 1926 by one of the finest golf course designers of the last century, JF Abercromby. A dedicated golf team is on hand to guide both members and visitors of the hotel. An array of other leisure and sporting facilities round out the experience. Inside the property, guests can make the most of amenities including a restaurant, brasserie, spa and pool. On-site activities aside from golf range from falconry to clay pigeon shooting.
From
£
289
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
A hotel of sporting fame, Pennyhill Park is renowned for being the country house hotel selected for the England rugby team’s training ground. It’s also a major draw for avid golfers. The hotel provides the ideal setting for accessing a number of world-class golf courses including those of the Berkshire, Walton Heath, West Hill and Royal Ascot golf clubs. When you’re not discovering the local golf courses, time can be spent making the most of the lavish amenities found at the hotel, which is set within 125 acres of parkland. Dine on Michelin-starred cuisine and retreat to the extensive spa featuring a range of pools.
From
£
550
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
Not one but two 18-hole Championship golf courses, Longcross and Bernard Hunt, draw golfers to this country club and resort at the heart of the Surrey countryside. The nine-hour Manor Course, the Practice Den and a covered driving range add to its golfing appeal. Set around a Victorian manor house, the country club and resort facilitates over 200 activities across its 400 acres. Indoors, the resort hosts guests in three dining rooms, a brasserie and award-winning restaurant, a lounge for afternoon tea and a spa with two pools. The hotel’s guest rooms are contemporary yet homely.
From
£
280
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
The sprawling Slaley Hall resort and spa is appealingly set amid woodland and golf courses in the North East countryside. An Edwardian manor distinguished by its grand stature and battlements is the focal point of this stately hotel featuring a choice of restaurants and bars, a health club with indoor pool and elegant rooms and suites spanning both the manor and its more contemporary modern wing. Within these grounds, Slaley Hall Golf Club then encompasses two 18-hole golf courses, Hunting and Priestman, which have played host to over 20 major golfing tournaments including the PGA Cup.
From
£
211
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
• The best hotels in the UK
The modern Carden Park hotel places the focus on the great outdoors through its countless pursuits offered across the 1,000-acre estate. An aerial adventure course, climbing wall and zipline feature on this estate also hosting activities like Segway and archery. The highlight for those most interested in the golf though is Carden Park’s golf offering, which encompasses two Championship golf courses, two putting greens, a driving range and short game area as well as a clubhouse. Inside the hotel, a brasserie, gastronomic restaurant, lounge for afternoon tea and a bar, not to forget the luxury spa, make for the ideal weekend retreat.
From
£
249
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
This idyllic 14th-century manor and its surrounding landscape lie beside a tumbling weir at the edge of Castle Combe in the Cotswolds. Within the hotel, 21 country-style rooms accommodate guests in the main house while another 29 are found in a row of mews cottages. This accommodation is joined by the Michelin starred restaurant Bybrook, a cosy bar and lounge for afternoon tea. Also within the estate, there’s then the Manor House Golf Club featuring a Championship 18-hole golf course, where mature oak and beech trees line the fairways, and a clubhouse home to a restaurant, bar, golf shop and gym.
From
£
465
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
The best golf hotels in Scotland
The Fairmont at St Andrews appeals in equal measure to keen golfers and those just looking to get away for a luxury break. This hotel is set on 520 acres of land, close to the sea, just outside the town of St Andrews, which is known as the Home of Golf. With so much land, the hotel has enough space for two world-class golf courses, which surround the sprawling resort building housing dining venues including The Squire, named after the golfing legend, rooms and suites overlooking the golf courses and sea, and a spa complete with indoor pool. The two 18-hole golf courses are complemented by a clubhouse and golfing services including lessons.
From
£
445
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
The best golf hotel in Scotland: The Gleneagles Hotel
Considered one of the best golf hotels in the UK, Gleneagles has earned global renown for both the experience offered in this lavish country house hotel and for the outdoor pursuits it facilitates across the vast estate. Here a series of restaurants, both casual and fine dining, and bars as well as extensive spa and wellness facilities join the collection of grand rooms and suites spread throughout the historic house. Outside, activities like clay pigeon shooting and fishing abound, with a particular focus on golf. The estate has three Championship golf courses, which are among Scotland’s most highly rated, along with a nine-hole course, a clubhouse and extensive practice facilities.
From
£
750
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
Another of the UK’s most prestigious golf hotels, and ideally located in the area widely recognised as the Home of Golf, the Old Court Hotel is built on the site of a former railway station in a position that overlooks famous golfing sites. The grand hotel, which in recent years has benefitted from a significant expansion, houses just 31 rooms and a penthouse suite alongside multiple dining venues including an award-winning restaurant and the Kohler Waters Spa featuring an indoor pool. As well as being located next to one of the world’s most famous golf courses, the Old Course, this estate is home to its own Championship course and a golf academy.
From
£
660
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
With its North Berwick location, this grand seaside hotel is the ideal base for golfing getaways. As many as 21 golf courses span the 30 miles of coastal terrain in East Lothian. The hotel can advise on the top courses to visit while you’re there, from the historic West Links at North Berwick Golf Club to the younger Renaissance Club, which has already hosted several Scottish Opens. The hotel also offers golf club storage and rental sets, and a putting green is found in the walled garden. Aside from its golfing connections, the hotel provides a locally inspired culinary experience at the restaurant and leisure facilities here include a spa and pool.
From
£
387
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
• The best hotels in Scotland
This renowned golf and spa resort overlooking the Firth of Clyde has two Championship golf courses, which are joined by a clubhouse and golf academy, within its 800 acres, among an array of other sporting and leisure facilities. The grand early-20th-century-built hotel houses 198 rooms and suites, including self-catering cottage suites and a lighthouse suite, along with the panoramic 1906 restaurant, the Duel in the Sun restaurant named after the battle between Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus at the 1977 Open, and the Grand Tea Lounge and Bar. The King of Scots offers refreshment in the Turnberry Lighthouse and The Spa at Turnberry comes with a heated infinity pool.
From
£
602
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
The best golf hotels in Wales
A 14th-century manor house is at the heart of this estate spanning 400 acres of parkland within the picturesque Chepstow countryside. The St Pierre golf club brings together the estate’s Championship Old Course, which dates back to 1962 and over the years has played host to a number of high profile tournaments, and the 12-bay floodlit golf academy home to a driving range, putting and chipping greens. Back in the manor house, guests can dine in the hotel’s Cast Iron Bar & Grill and unwind in the Trophy Bar. A gym, swimming pool and spa also feature here.
From
£
144
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
• The best hotels in Wales
The best golf hotel in Wales: The Celtic Manor Resort
Modern luxury meets classic grandeur at this capacious resort on sprawling grounds meandering across the Usk Valley. Wales’ biggest resort, it brings together a series of rooms and suites designed according to its traditional luxury style, Hunter Lodges accommodating larger groups and leisure facilities ranging from the award-winning Forum Spa to a number of restaurants and bars offering everything from Asian to Welsh cuisine. Once host to the Ryder Cup, the resort has an impressive three 18-hole Championship golf courses, a golf academy, driving range and two luxurious golf clubhouses.
From
£
113
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
The best golf hotels in Northern Ireland
This popular resort and spa among golfers is set within 450 acres of parkland, with the River Maine flowing through the estate, in County Antrim. The resort’s 125 luxurious rooms and suites, as well as log cabins, cottage suites, shepherd’s huts and forest dens, join the resort’s Fratelli Ristorante, Castle Kitchen + Bar, Gillies Grill, a conservatory for afternoon tea and a thermal spa village. The Championship Castle Course is then nestled in the heart of the estate, with a neighbouring six-hole pitch and putt for families and a 24-bay golf academy for practice and coaching.
From
£
230
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
The best golf hotel in Northern Ireland: Lough Erne Resort
Lough Erne Resort is tucked into the verdant Fermanagh lakelands in a picturesque position between Castle Hume Lake and Lough Erne. Within this bucolic location on a private 600-acre peninsula, a resort home to luxurious rooms and suites, self-catering lodges, a spa and three restaurants inspired by Irish tradition provides the base for retreats making the most of two Championship golf courses. Together, the Faldo and Castle Hume courses allow you to follow in the footsteps of golfing legends like Sir Nick Faldo, Rory McIlroy and Padraig Harrington. Hone your skills at the estate’s golf academy.
From
£
372
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
Contributions by Emma Love, Helen Pickles, Suzanne King, Natalie Paris, Linda Macdonald, Janice Hopper, Penny Walker, Precious Adesina, Gavin Bell, Hattie Garlick, Wendy Gomersall & Geoff Hill
-
Queen Victoria and Churchill have both sojourned at this fantasy Victorian mansion on the fringes…
-
One of New York’s most celebrated design studios has worked magic on a historic building in the C…
-
A heavenly 18th-century house hidden on Calton Hill with a courtyard garden to the front, a prett…
Rates provided byBooking.com
This article was originally published by Telegraph.co.uk. Read the original article here.