The Times recently announced the top 21 most quirky hotels to visit across the UK, with London-based hotels like The Rookery and Holmes Hotel making the list.
However, if you fancy venturing out of the city, one of London’s neighbouring counties – Sussex – also came out strong on the list, with two hotels being featured in the lineup.
Among them was The Old Railway Station in Petworth at number 17 and Amberley Castle coming in at number 11.
Here’s a bit about them and why they made this list:
Amberley Castle, Amberley
Located in the picturesque village of Amberley, this 11th century castle surrounded by the South Downs offers any fantasy lovers to make like royalty and spend the night in a castle.
With its battlements, turrets and iconic portcullis, the castle looks like a movie set straight out of a Ridley Scott epic, but its origins stretch all the way back to the Domesday Book.
The castle has had a long and fascinating history since it was first built in 1103 as a timber-framed hunting lodge, before later being used as a stronghold in the Civil War.
Today, it has been lovingly transformed into a glamorous hotel with 19 individually styled bedrooms, from Classic Rooms to Tower Suites, which combine period features with modern comforts.
The castle’s dining is equally atmospheric, with meals served in either the Queen’s Room, featuring a 12th-century barrel-vaulted ceiling, or the Great Room, a Norman gem dating to 1165 complete with lancet windows, oak floors, and suits of armour.
As for the menu, the kitchen has curated a menu using locally sourced ingredients which earned it recognition in the Michelin Guide.
The Old Railway Station, Petworth
Tucked away in the heart of the South Downs, this hotel is housed in what would have once been a bustling train station that was part of the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway.
Owned and run by Jennie and Blair Hudson, the station has been lovingly restored as a boutique hotel where the romance of railway travel lives on.
Guests can sleep in beautifully restored Pullman carriages, which would have once ben the height of 1920s luxury, or in one of two elegant rooms within the original wooden station house.
Each carriage features its original 1920s charm with wood panelling and plush interiors, along with modern comforts like en-suite bathrooms and Wi-Fi.
Inspired by Agatha Christie, the couple’s passion has breathed new life into the property, expanding it to include ten en-suite rooms and a newly renovated Pullman dining car, Princess Ena , where guests can linger over fine dining made from local Sussex produce.
It’s just two miles from the antique shops of Petworth and within easy reach of the popular historic Arundel Castle.
