Boutique hotel bedrooms: Ideas and key buys to help you get the look

Indulge yourself or impress guests with boutique chic

There’s something especially gorgeous about boutique hotels. With their one-of-a-kind glam, they evoke the kind of decor envy that can send you scouring the high street to recreate your favourite boutique bedroom design looks.

And with patience, highstreet shops and online stores can yield some great bedroom design goodies, from lush wallpapers to perfect accent chairs. But there is a knack to shopping the best high street bedroom design gems inspired by boutique hotels.

The Swan at Southwold - a cosy boutique hotelCredit: The Swan Southwold
A cosy suite at the Swan in Southwold

That’s where your Exceptional Homes Team comes in. We’ll give you a sneak peek at the best inspirational boutique hotels around. The kind that make you want to take the suites home. Then we’ve tracked down some well-priced high street lookalike pieces. Add them to your already existing bedroom scheme or let them be your starting point to a room makeover. 

Why, you could even do your bedroom shopping spree from the comfort of your boutique hotel suite… 

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1. Make a statement with an Art Deco bed

As seen at… Another Place, Ullswater, Cumbria

Luxury Art Deco bedroom at Another Place, Ullswater, CumbriaCredit: Another Place
Art Deco-inspired bedroom at Another Place

The beauty of the Lake District cannot be overstated –  the mountainous locale nestled in the heart of Cumbria is a delight to visit. To enjoy the pleasures of the area, one of the best boutique hotels to lay your head (and walking poles) in is Another Place 

The hotel boasts Georgian architectural bones contrasted with slick modern gallery glazing, which lets you gaze out on 18 acres of unspoilt parkland.  

One of the most vibrant suites in Another Place features bold wallpaper, aptly recalling undulating hills and hiking. For the blissfully worn out, the hotel has provided a wonderfully inviting Art Deco bed upholstered in decadent saffron yellow, topped with a matching sleek yellow throw.  

Just what weary limbs exhausted by hours of outdoor pursuits ache for. 

Another Place’s golden bed is sheer luxury that hints at the all-out glamour of the Roaring Twenties and you, too, can capture this famous decor spirit with our lookalike find.

Luxurious Art Deco bedroom at Another Place boutique hotelCredit: BedConnect
Another Place’s golden bed is sheer luxury

Upholstered in plush velvet with a footboard and headboard measuring 54 inches high, this bed will add a sense of grandeur to your most intimate space. 

Buy the Art Deco Bed, from £399.99 at BedConnect

2. Blend character with contemporary

As seen at… Hotel Indigo, Bath, Somerset

Honey-stoned opulence at Hotel Indigo BathCredit: Hotel Indigo Bath
Honey-stoned opulence at Indigo Hotel Bath

Bath in Somerset has a wealth of riches when it comes to establishments that charm the eye. The characterful confidence of the Hotel Indigo Bath, with its vaulted suites, is on point for the area.

In the city of Georgian splendour, where heritage meets happening, the hotel’s interior designers have been adept at mixing the property’s traditional honeystoned opulence with chic contemporary touches.  

And with the suites at Hotel Indigo Bath, guests are invited to take a good look at what’s happening on the ceiling. In place of traditional pendant lights are jaunty industrial-style light fixtures – a refreshing bedroom lighting choice. 

This stroke of decor genius is one you can adopt for your own bedroom. The high street has really embraced the industrial light fad, so copying the look is simply a matter of deciding how much you want to pay for lighting fixtures.

With this style, you can pick up a decent design at a pocket-friendly price, leaving you more to spend on your bedroom’s textiles, art and other accents.

Wayfair Sputnik light on white backgroundCredit: Wayfair
Buy the Abby 6-light Sputnik chandelier, £64.99 at Wayfair

The Abby 6-Light Sputnik Chandelier from Wayfair may just fit the bill. Often cited as a great designer doppelgänger, this futuristic-style light, which comes in a copper or vintage finish, not only looks the part, but also comes with a one-year warranty.

It’s available with a three-to-four-week lead time.

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3. Go wild with wallpaper

As seen at… The Portobello Hotel, Notting Hill, London

Eccentric and irresistible - The Portobello Hotel, Notting HillCredit: The Portobello Hotel
Eccentric and irresistible – The Portobello Hotel

Ah, Portobello Market – eccentric, posh and irresistible. The beating heart of Notting Hill. For all ages, the cinematic and architectural allure is irresistible, and it’s a dream spot to enjoy a photogenic city break.   

Its prime lodging for the cultured traveller – The Portobello Hotel – perfectly embodies the spirit of this perennially perky hotspot. When you visit, you will experience one of the most famous bohemian design outposts in London. In true boutique hotel fashion, each room is one of a kind and designed to exacting detail.

Exotic wallpaper at The Portobello Hotel, Notting HillCredit: The Portobello Hotel
Exotic wallpaper at The Portobello Hotel, Notting Hill

Each of its 21 bedrooms is designed individually. The Marvellous Room, for example, features exotic wallpaper with monkeys here and peacocks there. Who wouldn’t want to wake up to a bedroom design that evokes tropical climes? It would certainly encourage us to linger a while. 

The wild feeling invoked by The Portobello Hotel’s decor is a masterclass of design – dark, moody and completely liveable.

Mind the Gap's cheeky monkeys wallpaperCredit: Mind The Gap
Mind the Gap’s cheeky monkeys wallpaper
Buy Barbabos Anthracite wallpaper, £195 per roll at Mind The Gap 

A good wallpaper to try to imitate the look is the Barbados Anthracite wallpaper design by Mind The Gap.  

Its curious cheeky monkeys will never cease to raise a smile. And at night, you’ll drift away fantasising of faraway lands, where the scent of coconuts and rum punches waft in the air.

For a budget monkey-motif alternative, try Albany’s Ateles wallpaper, £32 a roll at Wallpaper Direct.

Feeling inspired to use wallpaper in your home? Papering your spare room’s ‘fifth-wall’ is a great way to add interest.

4. Use rugs to zone your room

As seen at… The Swan, Southwold, Suffolk

Regal blues and sandy neutrals at The Swan, SouthwoldCredit: The Swan Southwold
Regal blues and sandy neutrals at The Swan, Southwold

The Swan, Southwold is a destination boutique hotel where Georgian grandeur meets seaside sensibilities. The design concept blends a gracious feel with maritime merriment. And with the adjacent Adnams brewery forming a key part of the hospitable offering, your merriment won’t be in short supply.  

The colour scheme for the hotel references the ocean in a modern, thoughtful way – expect a sea of regal blue grounded by sandy neutral tones.  

We like the modern geometric rug that graces one of their gorgeous suites. It adds a lively, off-beat design note that complements the restful lull of so much charming seaside blue.  

Adding a jaunty geometric rug in a soft colour palette to your own bedroom is a great way to make your sleeping space feel polished without veering into buttoned-up. Just like The Swan, you can pair it with deeply coloured walls and supremely comfortable seating.

Rugvista's Catalpa rugCredit: Rug Vista
Rugvista’s Catalpa rug
Buy the Capulta rug, from £453 at Rugvista

We like the Catalpa rug in green by Rugvista. It’s a fun example of a geometric rug that makes a visual impact with its regularity of pattern, while maintaining an air of youthful whimsy. It’s a little different to some of the more predictable rug offerings on the high street, and comes in three sizes so there’s sure to be one that suits your space.

5. Try a modern take on the four poster

As seen at… The Newt in Somerset, Castle Cary

Contemporary four poster bed at The Newt, SomersetCredit: The Newt in Somerset,
Contemporary four poster bed at The Newt, Somerset

Sophisticated, nuanced and unrepentantly elegant – these are the words that best describe the Clock House rooms at The Newt in Somerset. This boutique hotel is the absolute epitome of Georgian finery – a self-described ‘Place of Wonderment’ that easily lives up to its slogan.  

In their restored stable rooms, there is a regal nod to equestrian spirit and heritage. The touches are suitably earthy, thoughtful, and confident.  

In one of the rooms, a perfectly proportioned and beautifully graceful wooden four poster bed takes centre stage. Though this modern version of the four poster is curtain-less, it still beautifully conveys the notion of escapism and romance of a traditional one. 

We propose your own bedroom can also reach new heights if you treat yourself to a high street bed in line with The Newt in Somerset’s lovely four poster. 

The Newt in Somerset's mod touchesCredit: The Newt in Somerset
The Newt in Somerset’s mod touches
Buy the Classic Four Poster Bed, from £549 at Get Laid Beds

Get Laid Beds has great option. Not only does the Four Poster Bed – Classic in solid hardwood oak come with a wide range of wood options, but you can customise the leg style as well. 

In fact, you can even add underbed storage or up the ante by adding curtains for extra boutique hotel suite style extravagance.

6. Layer up the lamps

As seen at… The Polizzi Collection, Hotel Endsleigh, Devon

Fairytale bedroom decor at Hotel Endsleigh, DevonCredit: The Polizzi Collection, Hotel Endsleigh
Fairytale bedroom decor at Hotel Endsleigh, Devon

At the Hotel Endsleigh in Devon you can meander through the 100 magical acres of gardens, grottoes, woodlands and follies that has made the hotel one of the most picturesque in Britain.  

No doubt taking inspiration from the bucolic charm of its fairytale setting, the hotel extends the flora and fauna theme to its charming bedrooms. It’s a gentle look that works equally well in a country pile or a humbler abode, where you can create a jewel of a bedroom with a chinoiserie wallpaper theme. 

But as ever, it is the lighting you select for your bedroom theme that really pulls the whole thing together. 

We recommend lifting your naturalist bedroom scheme with some bold blue classical style lamps.  

A pair of solid blue lamps, especially in bedrooms featuring chinoiserie wall. offer a modern nod to the traditional oriental Chinese lamp – a pair of vintage ceramic Chinese lamps can retail for around £800.

Ellie table lamp by PookyCredit: Pooky
Ellie table lamp by Pooky
Buy the Ellie table lamp, from £84 at Pooky

For a simpler, yet visually impactful blue lamp, there are well-priced options available. 

We like the Pooky Ellie table lamp in turquoise glaze. At 38cm tall and available in three sizes, it makes an elegant and self-assured statement while adding a perfect pop of colour that brings to mind the sky. A perfect accent for that chinoiserie bedroom design.

The Newt at Somerset not only offers some stunning suites, but it also has a great online shop. Visit the hotel’s website to buy a copy of Boutique Hotels of Britain by Gina Jackson and indulge your décor fantasies with photographs showing off some of the best boutique hotel décor around. 

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Written by Joy Archer she/her

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