beaverbrook

The luxury UK hotels with seriously impressive art collections

14 Aug 2024 | Updated on: 15 Aug 2024 | By Annie Lewis

Combining stunning pieces with five-star service, here are the hotels where art aficionados will feel right at home

Answering the calls from creatives to curate art-led escapes, passionate collectors and gallerists have transformed average hotels into boutique boltholes where what’s hanging on the walls and furnishing the space is as important as the five-star service. Spanning the length of the country, from Scotland to Cornwall, check in to these unique hotels with incredible art collections for a stay guaranteed to inspire. 

Beaverbrook, Surrey

Nestled in the rolling Surrey hills, Beaverbrook is a hotel steeped in history and charm. Once home to Lord Beaverbrook – a Canadian press mogul who became Winston Churchill’s Minister for Aircraft Production during the Second World War – the grand 18-bedroom home was frequented by not only government hotshots, but also the crème de la crème of high society, who turned up in their droves for Beaverbrook’s notoriously raucous parties. The main house and estate – which comprises an extensive golf course and the hotel’s newest addition, Mickleham Village – was transformed into a hotel in 2007, and has become a popular bolthole for Londoners looking for the respite of a chic countryside escape. 

While you may not realise it at first glance, Beaverbrook is, in fact, home to an array of artistic treasures. Curated by the hotel’s creative director, Sir Frank Lowe, the main house is dotted with inspirational works by a host of artists, including Gerhard Richter and Jean Cocteau. Stand-out features include the beautiful Coach House Spa, finished with works by stained-glass artist Brian Clarke to create what the Germans call Gesamtkunstwerk: art that embraces everything in the space, and therefore ensuring the space itself is a work of art. Elsewhere, head to Sir Frank’s Bar to discover a kaleidoscope of colour by Victorian botanical artist, Marianne North, who travelled across the globe to capture botanical wonders on paper. Her paintings of exotic, and often rare, plants and flowers became Britain’s finest collection of botanical art, and now make the perfect backdrop for a tipple or two at the esteemed hotel. Chin chin. 

From £620 per night. 

The Cavendish, Peak District

Situated in the quintessential English countryside in the Peak District, The Cavendish Hotel has just emerged from a total refurbishment which now sees it home to some of the very best British designers and local makers. As one of the many historic properties on Chatsworth Estate – boasting doorstep access to its historic house, garden and parkland – the hotel has been overhauled by renowned interior designers Nicola Harding and Laura Burlington, taking inspiration from Chatsworth’s art collection and interiors and celebrating the best in local craftsmanship.

The 28 characterful and comfortable bedrooms, including two suites, feature countryside views across the estate. While antique furniture, stone fireplaces and traditional elements remain throughout, punches of colour add a sense of fun, from the playful lamps that were made by a member of the household staff to the upholstery and fabrics, which were woven in Derbyshire and Yorkshire. Elsewhere, the artwork has been sourced from the family’s private collection, and includes Elizabeth Frink, Phyllida Barlow, Lisa Brice, Elizabeth Peyton and Jeremy Deller. Watercolours of the house and grounds sit alongside more contemporary works, while black and white historic family photos adorn the bar.

From £200 per night. 

The Fife Arms, Scotland

Since the 19th century, The Fife Arms has been at the heart of Braemar, the Aberdeenshire town famous for the annual Braemar Gathering (the most famous Highland Games in Scotland), which draws visitors from around the world. Deep in the Cairngorms National Park, this Victorian coaching inn has been reimagined for the 21st century by its new owners, Hauser and Wirth gallerists Iwan and Manuela Wirth. Since it reopened in 2018, guests have been invited to enjoy its 46 bedrooms and suites, restaurant overlooking the rushing River Clunie, spa and much-loved village bar. 

Given the Wirth’s decades-long dedication to modern and contemporary art, it's unsurprising that art is central to The Fife Arms experience. More than 14,000 works have been thoughtfully integrated into every room, corridor and corner, with large-scale site-specific commissions by internationally-renowned artists – Zhang Enli, Guillermo Kuitca, Subodh Gupta, and Bharti Kher – among them. In the main entrance hall, for example, guests are greeted by a three-metre-high mahogany and pine chimneypiece carved by 19th-century artist Gerrard Robinson, featuring depictions of various scenes from the work of Scottish lyricist and poet Robert Burns. Other notable Scottish works include numerous paintings by Archibald Thornburn, one of Scotland’s finest wildlife painters, and a canvas by Dundee artist John Maclauchlan Milne, who exhibited alongside the Scottish Colourists.

From £515 per night.

No.42 by Guesthouse, Margate

Perfectly situated in the UK’s trendiest seaside town, No.42 by Guesthouse Margate is one of the coolest hotels on the block. The 21-bedroom hotel incorporates playful interior quirks throughout, such as bedrooms equipped with Crosley record players and vinyl collections carefully curated by local record store Ghost Papa, a set of special postcards designed by local artists at The Margate School, and a corridor pantry housed in a handsome vintage ticket booth and stocked with sweet and savoury snacks. Inspired by the character of the town, and in keeping the original Victorian columns at the centre of the hotel, No.42 features a neutral, soft colour palette alongside eye-catching wall murals, printed wallpapers and striking stained-glass windows. 

Artistic highlights include the soft furnishings such as wardrobe drapery and upholstered furniture designed by members of the Margate Design Collective, while the vast collection of works that hang throughout the hotel are sourced from artists Catherine Chinatree, Trix Newham, Harriet Ferris and more. Last year saw the hotel welcome renowned artist Tracey Emin for the first Margate Art Prize, shining a light on the booming creative scene that’s going from strength to strength in Margate, resulting in some winning pieces exhibited at the hotel too.

From £204 per night.

Chapel House, Penzance

This boutique bolthole in the heart of Cornwall’s Penzance doesn’t skimp on the small touches, despite its size. Featuring six bedrooms and two suites, Chapel House is owned by passionate art collector Susan Stuart, who has decorated the Georgian property in sea-blue hues, clean white furnishings and plenty of artworks to accentuate the hotel’s characterful bay windows and original floorboards. 

Enter via a hallway peppered with a plethora of artworks, including modern pieces from local artist Kate Jmo whose seascapes and textured canvases light up the walls around the house. Bright and exciting paintings by Phil Ward grace the kitchen walls and, on the landing, Tom Leaper’s Diving Gannet sculpture stands in the Georgian window, silhouetted against the backdrop of Mounts Bay. Chapel House has also partnered with Newlyn School of Art in Newquay to showcase works from local artists and pupils; each time the artwork changes the hotel hosts a viewing evening for guests and artists to enjoy. Time your stay accordingly. 

From £200 per night.

Heckfield Place, Hampshire

Dating back to the 1760s, this elegant Georgian family home was lovingly restored by designer Ben Thompson who was inspired by the estate’s 438 acres of Hampshire countryside and its historical legacy. The 45 bedrooms and suites at Heckfield Place feature calming sage walls, original fire pits and a 400-strong collection of art, showcasing some of Britain’s most renowned artists from the last 150 years while adding touches of character and history throughout. 

There are a number of notable works dotted around the grand house but perhaps the greatest piece is The Works of Elsbeth Juda, which you’ll find hanging above the main stairway. This striking display of photographs is by eponymous artist Elsbeth Juda, a British photographer noted for her pioneering fashion photographs and whose subjects included artists Henry Moore, Graham Sutherland and high-profile figures such as Winston Churchill. Elsewhere, discover Jane Austin in Beige + Hat – an oil painting by artist Wilfred Gabriel DeGlehn – casually overlooking the Drawing Room and adjacent to All My Loving, an oversized graphic piece by David Spiller famous for his vivid, bold images inspired by the Pop Art scene of the 1960s. Want to learn more? Book one of the hotel’s art tours during your stay to discover the history behind the works. 

From £550 per night.

Ham Yard Hotel, Soho

For those looking for an artistic staycation, allow us to point you in the direction of Ham Yard Hotel in Soho. As one of five London outposts by Firmdale Hotels, Ham Yard Hotel is the interior brainchild of British designer Kit Kemp, and you’ll notice her signature artistic flair inspired equally by her travels and English roots across 91 bedrooms. The three-acre site, a desolate space following the Second World War, has been revived to include the hotel and an ‘urban village’ with an array of independent boutiques. These include handcrafted resin homeware by Dinosaur Designs and Reem Gallery: a space founded by art dealer Zaid Alexander Badda in 2014 to exhibit a diverse range of contemporary and street art, from the emerging to the established. 

Following on from that artistic thread, the hotel itself is a feast for the eyes. Featuring works from Chelsea College of Arts alumni Hermione Skye-O'Hea and established artist Conrad Shawcross, each piece has been carefully selected to seamlessly work alongside Kemp’s award-winning interiors. Fancy taking a peek inside? Head to the website to discover a series of short films where Kit and her daughter Willow take viewers on a journey through some of the most inspiring pieces from their personally curated art collection.

From £714 per night.

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