It is not just energy bills and supermarket prices that have rocketed. Hotel rates have gone through the roof – according to hospitality analyst Lighthouse, they are up to 11 per cent higher this April compared with a year ago in cities such as Bristol, Glasgow and Edinburgh. It is certainly more difficult to stay somewhere comfortable for less than £150 a night – let alone in a desirable location that serves good food.

However, 200 Hotels – a new guide from UK accommodation platform Cool Places – has gathered together some of the best (and best-value) independently owned hotels and B&Bs in the country. These 20 make a great option for spring.

Brama, Bromley, London

Brama occupies a landmark building in the south-east suburb of Bromley. Opened in the Old Town Hall in 2023 (where local hero David Bowie posed for the media in the 70s), even the smallest rooms here are a decent size. They are all decorated with a playful, mid-century minimalism. There is a nice bar and restaurant too. And it is just 18 minutes from London Victoria. Doubles from £117, accessible rooms available

Fort Road Hotel, Margate, Kent

Nowhere sums up hip, resurgent Margate quite as well as this former seaside boarding house, now a boutique hotel opposite the Turner Contemporary gallery. It offers grown-up Margate hospitality and stylish rooms with antiques and artworks. No bed is smaller than a king, no room without a Roberts Bluetooth radio and there are no TVs in most of the rooms, so you have no excuse not to get out and explore! Doubles from £130, accessible room available

Trading Boundaries, Fletching, East Sussex

This former crossroads pub has been a successful family business for two decades, a popular café and shop selling handcrafted Indian furniture, fabrics and collectibles. It has recently added a set of contemporary guest rooms, all exquisitely furnished. There are dog-friendly rooms, family suites and twins as well as doubles, and you also get priority booking at its music venue, not to mention as many visits as you want to the on-site gallery, which is devoted to the works of Roger Dean. B&B from £125

The Bell in Ticehurst, Ticehurst, East Sussex

This historic pub is one of the most unusual and welcoming places to stay in the South East, with beams and battered sofas, bare boards and open fires, alongside creative additions such as bowler hat light fittings, a tower of books forming a twisted column by the bar and tubas in place of urinals. The food ranges from a proper pub menu to a more refined tasting menu. Guest rooms are equally eccentric, but try one of the garden lodge suites, which have huge baths and terraces, wood burners and fire pits. Doubles from £120

Saddlers B&B, West Sussex

Just three miles from Chichester, the elegant rooms of this boutique B&B offer a great base from which to discover West Sussex – an Edwardian building in an English country garden that specialises in warm hospitality. Host Milly goes the extra mile – fresh flowers, homemade treats, smoothies and homemade jams, and delicious breakfasts made with ingredients that are either homegrown or sourced from within a five-mile radius. The interiors are painted in soothing shades and filled with a medley of modern British design, antiques and artworks by Milly’s family and friends. B&B from £140

The Swan at Wedmore, Somerset

Anyone seeking a cosy Somerset pub in a quintessentially pretty Somerset village need look no further than this handsome (dog-friendly) former coaching inn that serves terrific food and has seven contemporary and stylish rooms. Furnishings are mostly French vintage style: mirrored dressers, bedside tables, armchairs and window shutters. B&B from £100

The Cotley Inn, Somerset

On the edge of the Blackdown Hills, this gorgeous stone farmhouse is now a boutique inn, run with a highly personal touch by its latest custodians, Ben and Maddie, who have converted the old stable block into four super-stylish en-suite B&B rooms. Food and drink are similarly exceptional. B&B from £150

White Hart Inn, Mersea, Essex

Mersea Island is one of Southeast England’s under-the-radar gems, mainly because it’s only accessible via The Strood – a skinny Saxon causeway that floods twice daily. This 15th-century pub was derelict for the best part of a decade before being revived a couple of years ago as a welcoming gastropub. The weatherboard cladding exudes coastal charm, while inside is a master study in contemporary cool, with an airy restaurant fringed with leather banquettes and cosy booths, and six sumptuous guest rooms. B&B from £150

The Bell Hotel, Saxmundham, Suffolk

Saxmundham often gets overlooked in favour of the more obvious tourist honeypots of the nearby coast, which is a shame because it has a terrific place to stay (and to eat) in The Bell – a classic coaching inn that has recently received a makeover. The hotel also has a lift and a dual-aspect accessible room. Dogs are welcome in some rooms, and have the run of the downstairs public spaces except the restaurant, which serves a menu focused on local ingredients, including Blythburgh pork and fresh fish from the nearby coast. B&B from £130, accessible rooms available

Sculthorpe Mill, Norfolk

Taken over in 2021 by restaurateurs Siobhan and Caitriona Peyton, and set in wonderfully bucolic Norfolk countryside, just outside Fakenham, this award-winning pub makes a thoroughly stylish yet homely destination to eat, drink and stay, overlooking the gently babbling River Wensum. Rooms are provided with a map of an hour-long circular walk you can take directly from the pub. You’re also close to the manifold delights of the North Norfolk Coast. Don’t be put off by the lack of TV, you won’t miss it. B&B from £110

Sheriff Lodge, Derbyshire

Incredibly comfy beds and extremely tasty breakfasts are just two of the things that make this a fantastic place to stay. Owner Ziz has paid attention to the important details at this adults-only Matlock B&B, on the edge of the Peak District, which in some ways retains the feel of the Edwardian gentleman’s residence it once was. Guests are offered tea and cake on arrival and there’s a garden and thoughtful food-focused extras like sharing platters and packed lunches. B&B from £115

Stow House, North Yorkshire

A boutique B&B in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales, Stow House occupies an artily renovated Victorian vicarage with magnificent views. Each room is light and airy, with modern artwork and a decent bathroom, most with baths. Try one of the two bright modern spaces on the top floor – Shotgun Clare or Cowboy Balance – which have wooden beams and big windows cut into the eaves. Dogs are welcome in most rooms, as well as the gardens. B&B from £120

The Spinning Block, Lancashire

It’s hard to think of a more triumphant re-imagining of an old industrial space than this Lancashire hotel, which forms part of the Holmes Mill complex in Clitheroe at the heart of the gorgeous Ribble Valley. The old mill has been restored as a food, drink and entertainment venue, capped by this boutique hotel in the former spinning sheds. The rooms are decorated in earthy, on-trend colours, and hit all the right notes, from sharp bathrooms to chunky wooden furniture. B&B from £110, accessible rooms available

The Oyster House, The Mumbles

Occupying a prime position in the seaside village of Mumbles on Swansea Bay, this is as comfortable a base for the Gower Peninsula as you’ll find. A slick restaurant and bar with a set of upstairs guest rooms that have a soft seaside feel – and, in some cases, sea views too. Each of the 16 bedrooms is decorated in muted pastel colours. The glass-fronted restaurant/bar makes the most of the views, and the menu is right on-point. B&B from £129 with an accessible room

Manor Town House, Pembrokeshire

If you’re looking for a B&B room with a view over the beautiful Pembrokeshire coast, then look no further. The lovely Manor Town House, overlooking the sea in Fishguard, provides a warm welcome and fabulous views. Affable owners Helen and Chris have a distinguished fan club – Nick Crane reckoned it to have the UK’s “best breakfast view”. You’re greeted with tea and homemade warm Welsh cakes on arrival, while downstairs there’s a room stuffed full of DVDs and books, an honesty bar, and a couple of cosy rooms with log fires that are adorned with work by local painters and photographers. B&B from £140

The Neuadd B&B, Powys

Situated in the heart of the Brecon Beacons National Park, with mountain views and access to some ravishing walking country, The Neuadd is a pretty special B&B, with three large suites. Hosts Julia and Peter are invaluable sources of local information and have created personalised guides for guests, in which they describe their favourite walks, cafes and pubs in the area. Be sure to take them up on their suggested scenic route to get here, which takes in spectacular views via a truly epic mountain road. B&B from £132

House of Gods, Edinburgh

Tucked off Cowgate, this flirtatious adults-only hotel is wonderfully over-the-top. But the prices are keen and there’s an emphasis on luxury. The wood-panelled Cabin rooms channel the atmosphere of the Orient Express. Classic rooms are larger, with four-poster beds and sofas, while the sumptuous Suite has a free-standing bathtub. You’re checked in with a glass of fizz in the bar, beneath a dazzling paint-dripped disco ball, and breakfast hampers are delivered to rooms, which also feature call buttons for champagne. B&B from £120 with one accessible room

The Cross Keys Inn, Scottish Borders

Situated in the village of Ettrickbridge, this country inn was recently brought back to life by Rory and Vicki Steel, son and daughter-in-law of the area’s former MP, Lord David Steel, and it makes a perfect base for exploring the Scottish Borders. The Steels champion the surrounding area in everything from the toiletries to what’s on tap and the inn has seven light and airy bedrooms that cater for all tastes and needs. Downstairs there’s a pubby feel. B&B from £130

Ravenscraig Guesthouse, Aviemore

Run with verve and enthusiasm by affable owner Scott Burns-Smith, this Aviemore guesthouse is a thoroughly welcoming place to stay, revelling in its proximity to the outdoor activities the area has to offer – catering to skiers and snowboarders in winter, walkers in spring and summer and mountain-bikers all year round. And even if outdoor activities aren’t your bag, it’s as cosy and comfortable a place to stay as you’ll find. B&B from £100

The Harrison Chambers of Distinction, Belfast

Quirky doesn’t quite do this Belfast hotel justice. Each room of this grand Victorian townhouse is unique, named after a famous creative with a link to Belfast and cleverly decorated to match. The result is interesting, intelligent, comfortable and cool, with deep tones, colourful wallpapers and velvet curtains – and no TVs. There’s a mini library and a typewriter in the CS Lewis suite, and a record player in the one named after singer Ruby Murray. B&B from £120

Cool Places – 200 Hotels – showcasing the very best hotels, B&Bs and guesthouses that Britain has to offer right now – is compiled by Rough Guides founder Martin Dunford and the Cool Places team of writers. It’s available now in book shops and from coolplaces.co.uk, priced £18.99