Hotels in Wiltshire

Where to base yourself

BritStays lists 75 hotels in Wiltshire, and they cluster in a handful of places. Swindon has 20 and Salisbury has 12. Chippenham and Devizes have four each, and Malmesbury, Amesbury and Marlborough have one apiece. A further 28 are listed simply under Wiltshire rather than a named town, so check the exact address of anything that catches your eye before you book.

Wiltshire is an inland county, so this is a countryside and market-town trip rather than a seaside one. Your choice of base comes down to what you want to see and how you plan to travel.

• Salisbury suits a historic short break, with Mompesson House and Wilton House on the list of places to visit.
• Swindon has the most hotels, which gives you the widest choice of dates and styles.
• Amesbury appeals if Stonehenge is the main reason for your visit.
• Malmesbury and Marlborough each have a single listed hotel, so you'll need to book early if you have your heart set on either.

What the example stays tell you

The listings show a real spread, from familiar chains to one-off names.

• In Swindon, The Great Western Hotel has a bar and WiFi and is near the train station. Lansdowne Strand Hotel offers a bar, restaurant and WiFi. DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel lists disabled access and WiFi. Holiday Inn Express Swindon - West M4, Jct 16 is, as the name suggests, geared towards people arriving by road.
• In Salisbury, The Old Mill, Mercure Salisbury White Hart and Milford Hall are all listed as near a train station. Riverside Hotel has a bar and restaurant and is pet friendly.
• Elsewhere, Travelodge Chippenham offers WiFi and is near the station. Holiday Inn Sailsbury - Stonehenge in Amesbury lists WiFi, and The Kings Arms Hotel is in Malmesbury. Village Hotel, High Post Hotel and Parkhouse Motel are listed under Wiltshire more generally.

Facilities: what's common and what's scarce

The most common feature across the 75 hotels is being near a train station, which applies to 28 of them. That makes Wiltshire a realistic place for a car-free break, especially if you base yourself in Swindon, Salisbury or Chippenham. WiFi is listed at 25 hotels.

After that, the numbers drop quickly:

• a bar at 11
• disabled access at 10
• a restaurant at 9
• pet friendly at 7
• parking at 7
• takeaway food at 3

Listings only show what has been recorded, so a missing facility doesn't always mean it isn't there. Even so, if you're driving, contact the hotel to confirm parking rather than assuming it.

Couples, families and dog owners

Couples after a relaxed evening without going out again should look for a hotel with both a bar and a restaurant, such as Lansdowne Strand Hotel or Riverside Hotel.

Families should note that none of the example stays list how many people they sleep. Ask about room configurations directly before booking, especially if you need interconnecting rooms or space for a cot.

Dog owners have seven pet-friendly hotels to choose from. Riverside Hotel in Salisbury is one of them. Always check which rooms allow dogs and whether there's a charge.

If anyone in your group needs step-free access, ten hotels list disabled access, including DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Swindon. It's still worth asking about specific room features before you pay.

What to do once you're there

Stonehenge is the obvious headline. Wiltshire also has several National Trust properties:

• Alexander Keiller Museum
• Mompesson House
• The Coombes
• Piggledene

For grand houses, the list includes Wilton House, Fonthill House and Tedworth House.

With children in tow, you could plan a day further afield. Marwell Zoo is over the border in Hampshire, and Aquaventure is in the Cotswolds. Museum lovers might look at the Museum of Bath Architecture in Bath or the Sherborne Steam & Waterwheel Centre in Dorset. Check opening times and travel times before you set off.

When to book

Supply is uneven, and that should shape your timing.

• Book well ahead for school holidays, summer weekends and any trip built around a single small town. Malmesbury, Amesbury and Marlborough each have just one listed hotel, so if it's full you'll be staying elsewhere.
• Expect more flexibility in Swindon, where 20 hotels give you more room to shop around. Compare weekday and weekend rates, as demand can differ.
• Confirm the details that matter at the time of booking, whether that's parking, dogs, accessibility or room sizes for children, and get it in writing.
• Arriving by train? Filter for hotels near a station first, then check the walking route from the platform to the door.