Leicestershire

Leicestershire has recently been attracting fresh eyes after the discovery of Richard III's body. If you are one of the travellers who have had their interest renewed, you can also expect to find Roman ruins, some exquisite Elizabethan castles and stately homes, and some bomb damaged industrial centres. Aside from the Roman ruins, you can find examples of the best places to stay in Leicestershire in all of these!

Among Leicestershire's other large centres are Melton Mowbray - famous for pies and Stilton cheese, Market Harborough - known for its market centre, schools and fox hunting, and Loughborough, a market town known for textiles and is now a university town.

Outside the towns you'll find the Bosworth Battle Heritage Centre, a family nature centre called 'Conkers', a number of stately homes and plenty of green belt and forest to explore.

Leicestershire borders peaceful Rutland to the east with the lovely views, walks and wildlife of Rutland Water only about 20 minutes from Leicester.

What Not To Miss

• The National Space Centre is a wonderful place for a fun family day out.
• Leicester was actually one of England's oldest cities, founded, like London, by the Romans. You can see the remains of the Roman Bath House at the Jewry Wall Museum near the centre of town.
• The oldest surviving building is a 12th century church called St. Mary de Castro, which, as you might guess from the name, stands within the grounds of the ruins of Leicester Castle - this is the church in which Geoffrey Chaucer was married in 1336.
• Leicester Cathedral is also worth a visit, as is the new Richard III Visitor Centre.

There is a wide range of accommodation in this county, but our pick of the best places to stay in Leicestershire embodies country house luxury. For those not necessarily looking for such grandeur, you'll find smaller guesthouses, B&Bs and coaching inns.

For A Country Escape

• Stapleford Park is a huge Georgian county house hotel and sporting estate near Melton Mowbray. Both the rooms and public spaces are vast - grand affairs with huge windows and furniture and opulent decorations. It sits in 500 acres of landscape created by Capability Brown, which includes facilities for falconry, archery, 18 holes of golf and a mini-golf course. There is a luxurious spa. This is a very popular spot for weddings, it even has its own church.

For An Apartment Or Cottage

• If you think you'd prefer the privacy of a self-catering option then browse though the wide variety available online with our partner Booking.com.

Travel Information

• Best time to visit Leicestershire is in the summer months, with the average daily temperature rising to 16°C in July and August.
• Whilst never overly busy, this is peak tourist season - so if you fancy a quieter and potentially cheaper alternative, consider visiting in May, September or October.
• Visitors from Europe can fly into East Midlands Airport, located 18 miles north of Leicester and served well by public transport links to the rest of the area.
• If you're coming from further afield you can either fly into Manchester Airport or and of the London hubs before taking the train on to your final destination in Leicestershire.
• For car hire prices, we recommend you visit our online partner Rentalcars.

Still not sure?

• Browse though our list of all the best places to stay in Leicestershire.
• Widen the net to search through our recommendations in Warwickshire or Derbyshire.
• Alternatively, feel free to contact one of our friendly Gurus for advice.