Last-minute hotel deals in England

Find out more about England

England’s historic cities, cute villages and rugged national parks are world-renowned. For a tiny country, it’s got a big reputation. The nation’s so steeped in history it’s impossible not to immerse yourself in it. Stonehenge. Hadrian’s Wall. Shakespeare’s Stratford-upon-Avon. And countless castles…

City-wise, England’s much more than London. You could spend weeks getting to know this wide-awake city, but there are also the smaller cities of Liverpool, Bath, Oxford and Brighton, where you can live and breathe history, from The Beatles to the Romans.

England’s green and pleasant land is also worth a visit. Cycle, hike and climb your way around national parks, like the Lake District, New Forest and Peak District. Then retreat to a rural village for an afternoon in a cozy pub. It doesn’t get much more English than that.

Where to stay in England

Where you stay in England will depend on what kind of trip you’re planning. Are you a city slicker, or do you want to escape the hustle and bustle? You’ve got it all here. You’ll also want to decide whether you base yourself down south, in the middle, or up north.

We can’t sum up a whole country, but we’ll give it a go. Down south, you’ve got the pretty-as-a-picture counties of Cornwall, Devon and Dorset, where quaint harbor towns and unspoilt beaches reign supreme. National parks, like Dartmoor and the New Forest, provide the wide open spaces, often with a wild horse or two thrown in.

To the north, the main tourist hubs are Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds and York. York’s an attractive choice if you like the idea of roaming cobbled streets, past Medieval buildings and a Gothic cathedral. For trips in the great outdoors, there’s the Peak District National Park, the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales. Here, glacial lakes and rugged mountains make for a scenic backdrop.

In the middle – or south east – of England, you’ve got the capital, London, as well as ancient Oxford and the Cotswolds, where you can hole up in boutique hotels and country manors.

Top things to do in England

• Take a trip back to Roman times in Bath. Bath isn’t just one of England’s prettiest cities. It’s also rammed with history. Its Georgian townhouses aren’t the oldest thing in town, you’ve also got the 2,000-year-old Roman Baths.
• Tour the capital’s sights. England’s capital isn’t one to miss. The architecture and history here is next level. You can gawp at the crown jewels at the Tower of London, check out where the King lives at Buckingham Palace, and see where the royals wed at Westminster Abbey.
• Get back to nature in the Lake District. You could climb England’s highest mountain, Scafell Pike. Take trips out on Lake Windermere. Or, just get snuggly in a traditional old pub with a cold pint in hand.

Insider tips for visiting England

1. Make the most of the free attractions. Loads of England’s museums offer free entry, like London’s Natural History Museum, the British Museum and the National Gallery. Spend what you’ve saved on lunch or cocktails instead.
2. When you’re in London, make sure to stand on the right on escalators. And never, ever jump a queue. The English are very polite and patiently wait their turn, so you’ll get some angry looks if you break these rules.
3. If you’re hiring a car while in England, be prepared for some narrow roads. Some of the rural roads are two-way, but with passing spaces. You’re also going to want to book an automatic, if you can’t drive stick. Lots of English cars are manual.