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Who says the top one percent should be the only ones to indulge in a bit of luxury? While many of the world’s most opulent hotels are way out of any normal person’s price range, there are plenty that aren’t so extortionate (if you know where to look). If you fancy treating yourself with a five-star stay that doesn’t break the bank, Londoners don’t need to go much further than the end of the Elizabeth line.
Consumer group Which? has done god’s work and rounded up all of the most affordable luxury hotels on the planet. It looked at five-star spots across 76 countries with customer ratings of eight out of 10 or above on Hotel.com and filtered out properties that ‘didn’t seem luxurious enough’ (ie. they had no facilities, restaurants or a pool or spa), that were in hard to reach locations or that only offered all-inclusive stays.
Turns out, one of the world’s cheapest five-star establishments (and the most affordable in the UK) is just half an hour out of London – The Roseate in Reading. One room for two guests here during peak season costs a reasonable £135 a night (including breakfast!).
Just a short walk from Reading station, it’s got an overall guest rating of nine out of 10. With 55 rooms and suites, the Roseate sits in a Grade II-listed building that dates back to 1911. It shows off beautifully restored original features, including marble floors, vaulted ceilings, grand fireplaces, elaborate wood carvings and the original lift shaft. You also can’t miss the bespoke chandelier made of 86,000 Italian glass beads hanging from the top of the building.
Beyond that, there’s a restaurant serving up afternoon tea and posh dinner dishes like hand-dived scallop, foie gras and duck terrine and roasted spiced pineapple, and a luxury spa offering indulgent treatments like hot stone therapy or chocolate wrap.
Rory Borland, editor of Which? Travel, said: ‘There is no single definition of a five-star hotel, so if you don't want to be disappointed it's worth doing some research and checking reviews before committing. The good news is that a five-star stay could be cheaper than you think so don’t discount it from your options.’
Other luxury establishments on Which?’s list including a Vietnamese hotel with private beach access for £22 a night and an up-market Indonesian resort for £49. See the full roundup of the world’s most affordable five-star hotels here.
You can find out more about the Roseate Reading on Booking.com here.
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