United Kingdom

A four-in-one destination (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland), the U.K. offers beautiful, memorable, and accessible nature, some of the best museums in Europe, and a flourishing food scene far beyond mushy peas or beans on toast. Its landscapes are unparalleled and diverse—think craggy mountain peaks, ancient forests dripping with moss and ferns, and cool glassy lakes increasingly popular for wild swimming.

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Overview

Planning your trip

Use these articles, resources, and guides to plan and inspire your next trip to the United Kingdom.

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Read Before You Go
Hotels
Whether it’s a villa in Italy, a dude ranch in the U.S. West, or a luxury all-inclusive in the Caribbean, here are places where accommodations and experiences are ideal for large family groups with a wide range of ages.
The British capital may be expensive, but there are affordable design hotels in every corner of the city.
The luxury hotel industry is changing fast. The Langham Hospitality Group CEO Bob van den Oord discusses how his brand is adapting—and what the future holds for high-end travel.
These are the 24 hotels we recommend most for wellness.
Open to the public who book hotel rooms and suites, the Twenty Two is also opening its second location in NYC this fall.
Sleek design. Hot chefs. Prime location. The alluring new Mandarin Oriental Mayfair is the first new hotel to open in this London neighborhood in a decade.
From lobby bars to rooftop lounges, these are the hotel bars Afar editors love checking out when they’re checking in.
These historic villas and apartments across England and Ireland evoke the romantic spirit of the hit Netflix romance series.
British luxury hotel group Maybourne has opened the Emory, London’s first all-suite hotel, next to Hyde Park.
Omer Acar, the CEO Raffles and Fairmont, shares his vision behind the recent growth of both luxury hotel brands and talks about what great hospitality truly means. (Spoiler alert: It’s all about people.)
Take glamping to a whole new level at one of these bubble hotels and vacation rentals, many with see-through roofs for stargazing.
AFAR’s picks for the 31 best new hotels in the world.
These five concierges in Paris, Hong Kong, Cape Town, London, and Marrakech reveal their favorite city itineraries that they usually only share with guests.
Lace up your hiking boots: These vacation rentals are perfectly situated for adventurers who love to explore on foot.
At the Fife Arms in the Scottish Highlands, the artwork is extraordinary and the afternoon tea might involve whisky.
The new Raffles London at the OWO already feels like a grande dame.
As the city undergoes a hotel boom in the run-up to the Coronation, we round up the 15 best hotels, classic and contemporary alike.
In honor of the third season of the hit Apple TV+ show—out March 15—Airbnb is launching a very special overnight stay for a few lucky fans.
When London reopens to the world, these new hotels—stylish townhouses, global brands, and a refreshed grande dame—will be waiting.
Put down your pint and head upstairs to find comfortable beds, cool designs, and maybe a cozy fireplace or reading nook. Could pubs with rooms be the perfect alternative to big chain hotels?
From a historic ship-turned-hotel docked in Edinburgh to the first Four Seasons in Greece, these are the 10 best new hotels opening across Europe in the new year.
There are plenty of exciting hotel openings, exhibits, and more to discover in the U.K.’s capital from now until the end of the year.
Didn’t make the guest list? (We didn’t either.) You can still get in on the fun with these royal wedding weekend hotel packages in the U.S. and the U.K.
The Room with a View package offers a daredevil drop from the St. Giles Hotel’s 164-foot-tall central tower.
Relax, reset, and recharge at the following hotels—each is ideal for a (long) weekend escape.
These well-curated hotel shops will give you a sense of place and a lasting memory.
A stay at the iconic St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel in London is a must for any train buff.
Monachyle Mhor in Scotland’s Trossachs National Park
There are thousands of traditional Japanese inns with hot springs across Japan. This hot spring lodge is part of a decade-old Japanese pastime.
Resources to help plan your trip
With design-forward camp furniture, mood lighting, and accents, you can transform your next camping trip into a seriously chic glamp-out.
A writer discovers that walking Great Britain’s many footpaths is more than a lockdown salvation—it’s a civic duty.
Heather Phillipson’s work, titled “The End,” is scheduled to stay up until spring 2022.
The mysterious street artist’s latest work commented on the spread of the coronavirus.
In an excerpt from “The New Traditional,” cartographer Peter Bellerby continues a tradition nobody even noticed had gone missing.
As the world-renowned London theater teeters on the brink of permanently closing, AFAR’s editors reflect on what the Globe means to them.
The latest piece from the renowned street artist was revealed inside a British hospital to honor health-care workers amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Each European country has set its own rules and regulations for letting its residents head outdoors.
Until you can spend more time on the Thames, keep calm and carry on with this list of our favorite films about London.
With everything from miles (and miles) of books to discussions with authors, these bookstores are our favorites for a reason.
Images of London before and after the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown reveal how drastically life has changed in the British capital.
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