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UK Smoking Hotels - The Best Hotels with Smoking Areas in the UK

When the smoking ban came into effect in the UK in 2007, a few hotels, restaurants and bars tried to find ways to get around the legislation. But such efforts were soon stubbed out. So far, so British and law-abiding. But in the last few years encouraging green shoots of semi-rebellion have been appearing. Several UK smoking hotels now have cosy outdoor smoking areas or COSAs. It is still thoroughly law-abiding in that they are at least 50% open but the grander the hotel, the more kitted out they are.

Outdoor heating is universal but whether that is a gas-fired patio heater, an open fire or even under-floor heating depends on where you light up.

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Here is our selection of the best smoking hotels in the UK. A smoking hotel is not one where you can smoke anywhere but one which has a place specially for smoking. Please feel free to call or email a friendly guru for advice. Contact

UK Smoking Hotels - London

London is a smoker’s delight, particularly if you like to linger over a big fat cigar. The Dorchester on Park Lane is a super-luxurious hotel in a magnificent location overlooking Hyde Park in an area rich with smoking hotels.

The iconic thirties building is filled with traditional luxury touches from the gold leaf in the public areas to the marble bathrooms to the chintzy four-poster beds in some bedrooms and suites.

But there is plenty that is modern too. The spa is outstanding, Restaurant Alain Ducasse has three Michelin Stars and is one of several restaurants. There is a great cocktail bar and a place for smoking. For an opulent treat, it’s all here.

  • The Dorchester London 250 rooms from €363

    Restaurant  -  Alain Ducasse's award winning restaurant
    Four poster beds  -  For romantics.
    Opulent
    Traditional
    Air conditioningSpaRestaurantParking
    Recommended by  -  Tablet, Fodors, Frommers, Kiwi Collection, Michelin Travel

    Iconic hotel whose signature is traditional British luxury and service that’s out of this world. Ritzy-yet-comfortable rooms, Italian marble bathrooms and opulent central lounge that’s a riot of gilt, fabric, statues and chandeliers. The place to go to be treated like royalty. See More

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Up the road at The Goring, a well-known London hotel even before the Duchess of Cambridge and her family spent the night before her wedding there, the vibe is definitely country house in the city. And like many a country house, smoking is permitted in certain areas.

The family run most homely among smoking hotels in the UK now has its fourth Mr Goring in charge. It is traditionally comfy while keeping up to date with its service and food.

  • The Goring Hotel London 69 rooms from €415

    Sights nearby  -  Great for Buckingham Palace, Westminster, Mayfair, Knightsbridge, Sloane Street and the Royal Parks.
    Great walks  -  Green Park in the summer is a sea of green with deck chairs for people to lounge in and relax.
    Traditional  -  The property has a quintessentially English feel.
    Full of character
    Air conditioningRestaurantGardenDisabled accessParking
    Recommended by  -  Frommers, Good Hotel Guide, Small Luxury Hotels, Tablet

    A family-owned luxury hotel in the heart of Belgravia with manicured lawns, award-winning high tea and proximity to some of London's most famous sights. Plush carpets, antiques and designer fabrics make up the rooms. Do not miss fine dining at the Michelin star restaurant. Magical stay. See More

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UK Smoking Hotels - Outside London

Outside London at Pennyhill Park in Surrey, you are only 45 minutes from central London (if you don’t travel at rush hour) and half an hour from Heathrow (ditto) but surrounded by over 100 acres of parkland.

The spa is particularly luxurious and there is tennis and golf available to work up an appetite for dinner in one of the two restaurants. And if you work up the appetite for smoking a cigar over dinner, that can be accommodated.

  • Pennyhill Park Hotel and The Spa Bagshot, Surrey 124 rooms from €490

    Spa  -  The fabulous spa boasts indoor and outdoor pools, plus canadian hot tubs, treatments and much more.
    Spa breaks
    Restaurant  -  Michelin starred dining at The Latymer.
    Traditional
    Air conditioningTennisSpaRestaurantSwimming PoolGardenPet friendlyDisabled accessParking
    Recommended by  -  Tablet, Small Luxury Hotels

    Creeper clad 19th-century country house luxury spa resort with two excellent restaurants, only half an hour from Heathrow. Country style with lavish facilities. Relax and rejuvenate. See More

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Further South in Hampshire, Lime Wood Hotel in the heart of the New Forest is a beautifully restored and extended Georgian house. If you didn’t know it had been renovated by two architects and an interior designer, you might well guess as you wandered its traditional yet restrained rooms and corridors.

UK Smoking hotels tend to have good restaurants and there are two here, one smart and one more informal and family friendly. There is a state of the art spa but more homely pursuits of foraging and boating can also be arranged. As can the traditional pursuit of smoking.

  • Lime Wood Lyndhurst, Hampshire 32 rooms from €455

    Foodies  -  A super chic restaurant, serving Anglo-Italian fare. A product of Lime Wood’s Luke Holder and high-profile chef Angela Hartnett.
    Families  -  Extra beds allowed in rooms, kids activities on site and baby sitting facilities makes this an obvious choice for parents.
    Country Escape  -  A beautifully renovated country house situated in the heart of one of the UKs finest National Parks.
    Cooking classes  -  The excellent Hartnett Holder & Co Backstage cookery school has a wide variety of hands on courses.
    SpaRestaurantSwimming PoolGardenPet friendlyDisabled accessParking
    Recommended by  -  Mr & Mrs Smith, I Escape, Tablet, Good Hotel Guide, Kiwi Collection, Relais & Chateaux, Sawdays

    Scintillating luxury hotel in a superbly redesigned Georgian house in the heart of the New Forest. Wonderfully comfortable beds in large rooms all with unique features including free standing baths, fireplaces or four posters. A sublime restaurant curated by a celebrity chef. Countryside perfection. See More

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North west of London, Ellenborough Park Hotel, near Cheltenham in Gloucestershire has wellies and umberellas available to borrow for guests who fancy a walk but that makes it sound altogether more hearty than it needs to be.

In terms of UK smoking hotels, this would have to be one of the most extravagant. Luxury suites have opulent four-posters and Nina Campbell interiors. There is a long list of indulgent treatments available in the spa and a heated outdoor pool.

The food is good and there are Range Rovers ready to whisk guests to nearby Cheltenham racecourse on race days. Smoking in the Range Rover might be frowned upon but there is somewhere to light up in the hotel.

  • Ellenborough Park Cheltenham (Southam) 62 rooms from €204

    Country Escape  -  Set in 90 acres of stunning National Trust land, with flower filled gardens and a lovely heated pool, just outside Cheltenham.
    Spa breaks  -  A well equipped spa with a juice bar, mood showers and an extensive treatment list using therapies from the East and West.
    Great walks  -  Borrow hunter wellies and brollies for a stroll in the Cotswolds.
    Traditional  -  Traditional country house style with Nina Campbell interiors.
    Air conditioningSpaRestaurantSwimming PoolGardenPet friendlyDisabled accessParking
    Recommended by  -  Kiwi Collection, Mr & Mrs Smith

    16th century rambling manor restored to its former glory in a beautiful Costwolds setting. Opulent luxury suites boast antiques, four posters and Nina Campbell interiors. A serious country house hotel, with spa, pool and gourmet dining for the ultimate indulgent getaway. See More

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On the other side of Cheltenham, nearer Cirencester, Barnsley House is a top pick from the lists of UK smoking hotels. It too has a deeply sybaritic spa. This dreamy Cotswolds spot also has a glorious garden having been the former home of renowned gardener Rosemary Verey; a top notch view for those who fancy a quick post prandial puff.

In its first few years as a hotel with its red leather padded bar it attracted a noisy Loadsamoney clientele but it has since been re-decorated in a way which suits this classy house far better and has come into its own.

Smoking is permitted and the terrace is a truly delightful place to sit on a summer evening, or any evening if you are dressed for it.

  • Barnsley House Cirencester (Barnsley) 18 rooms from €345

    Romantic Break  -  A stately home with indulgent chic interiors- think dual baths, large suites and a pampering spa.
    Country Escape  -  A rural abode on another level, the ultimate luxury getaway in stunning surrounds.
    Cooking classes  -  The nearby reputed Foodworks Cookery School offers a number of different classes for various levels.
    Great walks  -  This area is littered with beautiful walks, ask at the front desk to be pointed towards a favourite.
    TennisSpaRestaurantGardenPet friendlyDisabled accessParking
    Recommended by  -  Mr & Mrs Smith, Frommers, Good Hotel Guide, Kiwi Collection

    An imposing Cotswold house set within stunning (deservedly famed) gardens. Gorgeously renovated rooms are light, airy and full of mod cons. The chic modern interiors, indulgent spa and contemporary British cuisine make it hard to leave! A popular rural escape for urbanites. See More

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UK Smoking Hotels - The West Country

Outside Bath in Somerset, the Swan Hotel in Wells, right next to the cathedral is a former coaching inn and smoking hotel with truly spectacular views. It is not only the suite which has great views, there are smaller cheaper rooms from which you can enjoy the same view as the people downstairs in the suite.

Part of the Best Western chain, it is great value. Any nearer the Cathedral and smoking here might feel wrong, but it is far enough away for smokers to enjoy the smoking facilities without any feeling of discomfort.

  • Swan Hotel, Wells Wells, Somerset 48 rooms from €171

    Romantic Break  -  Original four poster beds, log fires and views of Wells Cathedral combine to create this unique and utterly romantic getaway.
    Local exploring  -  Well situated to explore the small historical city and the beautiful surrounding countryside.
    Sights nearby  -  Visit the 13th century Wells Cathedral, this majestic sight is literally across the road.
    Local markets  -  Scour the bi-weekly farmers market, packed with the cream of the local produce.
    RestaurantGardenDisabled accessViewsParkingNo pets
    Recommended by  -  Frommers

    Stunningly located old coaching inn opposite Wells Cathedral. Opulent rooms mix tradition with contemporary. Gold embellished wallpaper, chintz fabrics and some have free standing copper baths. Contemporary British fare served in an oak paneled room. Ideal for exploring Wells and its surrounds. See More

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Next door in Devon, the Hotel Endsleigh is set in the kind of countryside that would tempt even the most stubborn non-walker in to a pair of wellies. Stylishly designed interiors by Olga Polizzi compliment the glorious garden and terrace.

Built for the Duke of Bedford in 1812 as a shooting and fishing lodge, when it must have been the scene of some raucous parties, the house now seems infused with peace and calm. Some guests will always feel calmer in smoking hotels. There is a private stretch of the River Tamar which can be used for fishing and a place for a contemplative smoke in the evening afterwards.

  • Hotel Endsleigh Tavistock 19 rooms from €288

    Families  -  Babysitting and monitors available plus such delights as picnics (complete with lanterns and blankets) in the grounds.
    Honeymoons  -  Fairytale suites, gourmet cuisine, cosy fireside sofas and incredible grounds for strolling hand in hand- enchanting!
    Country Escape  -  Extensive grounds for fishing, shooting, and rambling, plus plenty of comfy armchairs for the weary walker!
    Sights nearby  -  The National Trust and its stately homes make for a great day exploring - Cothele House, Saltram House and Castle Drogo.
    RestaurantGardenPet friendlyViewsParking
    Recommended by  -  Mr & Mrs Smith, I Escape, Good Hotel Guide, Kiwi Collection

    Historic shooting lodge offering an intimate, Olga Polizzi styled stay. Relax in the stunning grounds or in the library. Beautiful rooms overlook the Tamar valley and river. Excellent restaurant, and immaculate staff. Probably one of the best in the South West. See More

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UK Smoking Hotels - The North of England

Heading north, the Devonshire Arms at Pilsley in Derbyshire is one of four pubs owned by the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, two in Derbyshire on the Chatsworth Estate and two in Yorkshire on their Bolton Abbey estate.

The seven bedrooms are cheerful and bright with good bathrooms and the food is traditional, well-cooked pub food, much of it grown or raised on the Chatsworth Estate. A proper English pub with smoking accommodation.

  • The Devonshire Arms at Pilsley Pilsley, Derbyshire 7 rooms from €91

    Great walks  -  Extensive walks around the estate.
    Sights nearby  -  Close to Chatsworth.
    Restaurant  -  Recommended.
    RestaurantPet friendly
    Recommended by  -  Sawdays

    Stylish country pub with occasional antiques and great bathrooms, interior designed by the Duchess of Devonshire. Good food from the Chatsworth Estate, and walks from the door. See More

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The Feversham Arms in the village of Helmsley in Yorkshire is near Castle Howard where Brideshead Revisited, the Downton Abbey of the eighties was filmed. Modern comfort at its best is what you get here with a heated outdoor pool, well-designed spa and 33 modern comfortable bedrooms with good bathrooms, some with roll-top baths.

Attention to detail is good with beds made up with Egyptian Cotton sheets and duck down duvets or sheets and blankets if you prefer. Like all UK smoking hotels, smoking in bed is not permitted. But smoking in peace can be arranged elsewhere.

  • Feversham Arms Hotel & Verbena Spa Helmsley (North Yorkshire) 33 rooms from €172

    Foodies  -  Foodies will love the locally sourced modern British menus or why not try their lunch menu or Traditional Afternoon Tea ?
    Romantic Break  -  A secluded spot to getaway together, with luxurious massages, deep soaking tubs, cosy corners and crackling fires
    Great walks  -  The hotel is on the edge of the Moors and close to a National Park, an ideal spot for rambling
    Sights nearby  -  Helmsley Castle, Castle Howard and Helmsley Walled Garden are all worth checking out
    Air conditioningSpaRestaurantSwimming PoolGardenPet friendlyDisabled accessViewsParking
    Recommended by  -  Mr & Mrs Smith, Good Hotel Guide, Small Luxury Hotels

    Tucked away near the centre of one of the North York Moors’ most attractive market towns, this coaching-inn-turned-hotel offers all the ingredients for a country break: newspapers and fire in the lounge, sun-trap terrace and pool, small spa, country-chic bedrooms and handsome bistro food. See More

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The Inn at Whitewell near Clitheroe in Lancashire has an exceptional location in the Forest of Bowland. Run for three generations by the Bowman family it is furnished partly with antiques bought over the years from local auctions and is full of character.

Uniquely among UK smoking hotels there is a wine shop in the reception area which is a good indication of the priorities of this likeable place. Shelves full of cookery and guide books are also for sale. The good things in life are everywhere here. You wouldn’t expect smoking to be forbidden here and it isn’t.

  • The Inn at Whitewell Nr Clitheroe, Lancashire 23 rooms from €158

    Fishing  -  7 mile stretch on the River Hodder available - ghillie on request
    Great walks  -  In the forest of Bowland.
    Traditional
    Full of character
    RestaurantGardenPet friendly
    Recommended by  -  Good Hotel Guide

    An antique-filled inn; full of character, on the Duchy of Lancaster Estate in the Forest of Bowland. Fine gardens, fishing available, child friendly and dogs welcome too. Charming. See More

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The Hotel du Vin chain is extremely hospitable to smokers. The branch in Newcastle has a particularly good COSA which they call a cigar shack and a good stock of cigars. Their hotel in Cheltenham also has a cigar shack.

  • Hotel du Vin Newcastle Newcastle (City Road) 42 rooms from €164

    City Style  -  Stylish accommodation in the heart of this vibrant city
    Local exploring  -  Central location - get about town with ease
    Local markets  -  Visit Tynemouth Market nearby
    Great walks  -  Walk along the Tyne River
    Air conditioningRestaurantPet friendlyDisabled accessParking
    Recommended by  -  Good Hotel Guide

    A boutique hotel with spacious guest rooms, modern interiors and views of the nearby quayside. Set slightly outside the lively city centre, the hotel has a number of meeting rooms and good event spaces. A great spot for business events or a weekend break in this exciting city. See More

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UK Smoking Hotels - Scotland

Outside the oil city of Aberdeen where they like a cigar, The Marcliffe at Pitfodels has a smoking area and a lovely 11 acre garden in one of the driest parts of Scotland. The treatment list in the spa is as extensive as the wine list in the conservatory restaurant. There are three golf courses nearby and plenty of shooting and fishing opportunities.

  • The Marcliffe Hotel and Spa Aberdeen (Pitfodels) 42 rooms from €196

    Spa  -  Beauty care and therapeutic treatments for both men and women
    Restaurant  -  Fine dining which showcases the best of Scottish produce
    Fishing  -  Excellent fishing nearby.
    SpaRestaurantGardenPet friendly
    Recommended by  -  Good Hotel Guide, Small Luxury Hotels

    Delightful Scottish refuge in 11 acres of woodland on the edge of the historic city of Aberdeen. Elegant and spacious bedrooms, Conservatory restaurant with extensive wine list, luxury spa. See More

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Can't find what you're looking for amongst our UK Smoking Hotels, why not check out our individual collections in Scotland, Yorkshire, Hampshire and London.

 

Written by Jane Hutchison

posted Tuesday, 29th September 2015