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
Opened in February 2026, the Newman is an independent hotel that puts guests in the heart of Fitzrovia, a character-rich London neighborhood that visitors often overlook.
London may be one of the world’s most expensive cities, but these 13 hotels prove you don’t need a luxury-hotel budget to stay somewhere stylish.
The hotels on this list are as thoughtful about accessibility as they are about design, going beyond compliance to make travel more comfortable and intuitive for disabled guests.
Sleep under the world’s darkest, clearest skies across six continents at one of these 19 dark sky zone hotels.
From Victorian London to Boston and Pasadena, Langham hotels continue to define timeless elegance and modern hospitality.
Afar editors share the 2025 hotel stays they didn’t want to leave—and would happily return to.
Opening in February 2026 just north of London’s West End, the Newman takes cues from Fitzrovia’s bohemian history, balancing thoughtfully designed rooms with street-facing spaces meant to be shared.
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 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.
RESOURCES TO HELP PLAN YOUR TRIP
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 National WWII Museum is recruiting history buffs and fans of the acclaimed HBO miniseries for a 13-day European campaign, from England to the Eagle’s Nest.
Derek Lamberton’s gorgeous maps—of Paris, London, Boston, and other cities—allow urban explorers to survey architectural styles, chocolate shops, breweries, and more.
The Room with a View package offers a daredevil drop from the St. Giles Hotel’s 164-foot-tall central tower.
Walk in the footsteps of some of London’s most notable Victorians through the lavish restaurants, opulent theaters, and grand department stores they frequented.
Winter stars are at their brightest and clearest in the darkest corners of the earth. John Barentine, program director for the International Dark-Sky Association, shares where to look up (while bundled up) in 2018.
Eschew the castle crowds in Scotland’s capital for experiential tours, emerging neighborhoods, and a taste of the thriving culinary scene.
The most glamorous new hotel cookbook of the year instantly transported Alyssa Shelasky back to her sexy, single days staying at London’s grandest hotel. Consider it a Proustian madeleine for Anglophiles everywhere.
To really understand how this city comes together, don’t travel underground. Head to the top deck.
Which of these would you like to see?