The Good Hotel Guide Best of the Best Cesar Awards 2025

Recently we announced our annual GHG Césars, named in honour of the legendary hotelier César Ritz. Every year, as we set about revising the Guide, we take note of the hotels that have particularly impressed us, whether because of a positive inspection, a flurry of favourable reader reports, and/or some particular aspect that commends a place for one award or another. At the end of the process, we sift through the nominations and make our choices of the best in each category, before deciding on the best of the best, the new Césars.

With so many great contenders, it is never easy; it involves a lot of discussion and weighing in the balance, but it is exciting to single out a hotel for honourable mention. Some are perennial reader favourites and eligible for awards in more than one category. For instance, Henry Hunter’s hugely likeable, affordable Castle Hotel in Bishop’s Castle, amid the beautiful Shropshire hills, was a natural choice this year for ‘Best Hotel for Walkers’. It is also big on puppy love, but Mill End Hotel in Chagford, Devon – promoted from the Shortlist on the strength of praise from Guide trusties, scoops (if we may use that word) ‘Best Hotel for Dogs’. Among other ideal destinations for walkers on two legs and four, all with strong reader backing, the Reynolds family’s country house, The Traddock, in Austwick, Yorkshire, is our ‘Best Hotel in the North, the Nye family’s White Horse in Brancaster Staithe ‘Best in East Anglia’, and Gill Brown and David Hart’s Ty Mawr, in Carmarthenshire, ‘Best Country House Hotel’.

When it comes to the ‘Best Hotels for Foodies’, The Collective at Woolsery, Devon, an ‘amazingly unusual’ gastropub, new to the Guide, gets top billing, following an inspection, while, for all manner of reasons, remote, historic Mingary Castle, overlooking the Sound of Mull, wins ‘Best Restaurant with Rooms’. Another foodie winner and inspectors’ choice, Julie-Anne Uggla’s ‘pretty much perfect’ boutique hotel, The Blonde Hedgehog, on the tiny island of Alderney, is our 2025 ‘Best in the South West and Channel Islands’. Man for all seasons Raymond Blanc secures ‘Best in the South’ for gastronomy and hospitality at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in New Milton, Oxfordshire, and Tim and Steffa Hart’s Michelin-starred Hambleton Hall, Rutland, ranks as ‘Best in the Midlands’.

Among a fascinating array, from homey to luxurious to decidedly quirky, Tom and Ashley Fahey’s Italianate Victorian Villa, The Terrace, overlooking Ventnor’s promenade, is our ‘Best B&B’ this time around, not just for the ‘beautifully designed’ boutique-style bedrooms, the four-course extravaganza of a breakfast and Tom’s Friday night dinner showcasing Isle of Wight produce, but for complimentary wine tastings in the wine room. A rapturous reader endorsement earned The Seaside Boarding House in Burston Bradstock, Dorset, ‘Best Seaside Hotel’. Thumbs up, too, for The Howard Arms, Ilmington, Warwickshire (‘Best Pub’). For the full details of 20 Césars, follow the link here.

Partner announcements

We are pleased to announce that we are partnering with the wonderful Bramley for the next few months. Bramley are known for their naturally fragrant bath and body products, which you’ll find in many of our incredible hotels, crafted with botanical extracts and pure essential oils. Bramley is offering a 20% discount on their products to GHG readers. Please use code GHG20. Valid for 20% off until 31st Jan 2025 at bramleyproducts.co.uk.

Gusbourne's Food and wine pairings for Christmas

With Christmas festivities here, it's time to enjoy the best of the season with mouthwatering food and wine. If you're hosting, finding the perfect pairings needn't be complicated. Here, Gusbourne’s Laura Rhys, Master Sommelier, offers her expert advice on failsafe food-and-wine matches which will delight.