Southernhay House Hotel

Southernhay House Hotel is a 5-star boutique hotel behind Exeter Cathedral, built as a Georgian townhouse with a Roman Doric portico for an East India Company officer and orientalist. Twelve individually designed bedrooms range from compact Charming rooms to the larger Lovely & Luxe category, each with its own book collection.

A cocktail bar with more than 25 drinks on the list opens to non-residents daily from 8am to 11:30pm, alongside a private dining room and the informal Club Room with its own fireplace. Rooms come with a flat-screen TV, DAB radio, tea and coffee making facilities, and wifi throughout; three separate apartments give more space for longer stays.

A secret garden and terrace sit behind the townhouse, and the cathedral itself is a five-minute walk away, past Exeter's high street shops. Breakfast runs to a full English alongside pastries and fresh juice, and the hotel has been featured in the Telegraph, the Independent and GQ.

**Best for:** couples and solo travellers wanting boutique character and cocktails within walking distance of Exeter Cathedral.

**Less good for:** drivers, since the hotel has no car park of its own; there is a drop-off drive, and guests park in nearby city car parks such as Princesshay.