‘Tis the season of colourful leaves, crisp sunny strolls, beautiful misty mornings and cosying up by a log fire. Make the most of this snuggly time of year with a bit of ‘hygge’ at one of Bristol’s cosiest hotels for autumn hibernation.

Leaf a smile on your face at Bristol Harbour Hotel & Spa

Step out of the cold and hunker down in one of the 42 bedrooms at Bristol Harbour Hotel & Spa – we love the one with a roll-top bath for gazing out at historic Corn Street in the gorgeous autumn light. There’s a whole range of spa treatments, spa days and breaks to choose from to warm your cockles and give you a glorious autumn glow. Head underground to their subterranean spa to find a sauna, steam room, swimming pool and various cushioned snugs for cosying up in, before limbering up with a warming cocktail in The Gold Bar.

Image - Bristol Harbour Hotel & Spa

Cuddle up for the night at Hotel du Vin

Treat yourself to an autumn stay at Hotel du Vin in the Old City and you’ll get a free two course dinner from the Prix Fixe menu! With its dark furnishings, squashy leather armchairs, twinkly courtyard, wood panels and open brickwork, it’s the perfect place to hide away when the weather turns colder. Add to that candlelit dinners in the bistro and a tootsie-warming nightcap in front of the fire and you’ll be more than ready to cuddle up in your comfy king size bed.

Image - Hotel du Vin, Bristol

Hibernate at Avon Gorge by Hotel du Vin

Perched on the edge of the magnificent Avon Gorge, this prime position hotel is currently revelling in its new boutique chic appearance. Following a serious makeover by Hotel du Vin, the new, cosily dark, sophisticated interiors offset by glittering chandeliers make you want to hibernate inside and there’s good reason to. With that gigantic view of Clifton Suspension Bridge, Avon Gorge and Leigh Woods now given pride of place - quite rightly - with wall-to-wall glass in the dining room, you can stretch lunch or Afternoon Tea out for hours, safe in the knowledge that you’re making the most of one of the scrummiest views in Bristol. 55 of the bedrooms have Gorge-facing views (the rest look over pretty Clifton Village) and are equipped with Nespresso machines, spoily Occitane toiletries and a mini-bar, all of which should keep you more than comfortable on a chilly autumn night.

Image - Goram and Vincent Restaurant, Avon Gorge by Hotel du Vin, credit Angharad Paull

Curl up in the city at Berkeley Suites - The Crescent

The colourful, bright décor inside these Georgian townhouses and next door private members club The Square Kitchen (which guests are automatically given access to) echoes the vibrant colours of the trees outside and immediately banish any thoughts of grizzly grey days. The five-star luxury rooms have state-of-the-art projection cinemas for snuggling in front of with a warming beverage and visitors after some autumnal R&R can opt for a range of in-room health and beauty treatments. The hotel offers spa packages with trips out to Bristol Lido or Thermae Bath Spa, or sign up for a masterclass in cocktail-making or group cookery for more indoor fun. From here, a leafy square stands between you and the beautiful parkland of Brandon Hill, where you’ll find panoramic views over the city. To appreciate Bristol’s autumnal makeover in all its glory, climb the steep winding steps to the top of Cabot Tower for a handsome scenic reward before returning to your cosy nest.

Image - Berkeley Suites

Unbe-leaf-able luxury at Thornbury Castle

Former residence of King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, Thornbury Castle ticks all the boxes for luxurious autumnal hibernation. The rooms - or should we say bedchambers – are all geared up for ultimate cosiness with grandiose four poster beds, sumptuous furnishings, open fires and olde worlde charm. You’ll be hard-pressed to leave your lavish nest, especially once you’ve take advantage of the in-room pampering treatments…but venture out you must! Wander the exquisite Tudor gardens flourished with splashes of dazzling seasonal colour before warming up with a glass of red in one of the baronial-style, wood-panelled dining rooms.

Image - Thornbury Castle

Get ready for an autumn glow at Berwick Lodge

If you like the thought of hibernating in the countryside, there are 18 acres of woodland and landscaped gardens (looked after by Prince Charles’ former Highgrove gardener no less!) to explore at this elegant country house, before curling up next to the crackling fire in the lounge. Luxuriously-decorated rooms overlook the changing trees in the gardens, distant Monmouthshire and Bristol Channel – the perfect place to hole up for a few hours. Wallow a while in one of the freestanding claw foot baths before padding downstairs for an 8-course dinner at the award-winning Hattusa restaurant.

Image - Berwick Lodge

Get toasty with a tipple at Backwell House

If snuggly rooms, beautiful West Country countryside and a roaring fire are what you seek, Georgian country mansion, Backwell House has autumnal magic in abundance. Outside, an ornamental walled garden, woodland and rolling hills make for an invigorating seasonal ramble, while inside is set up for some serious cosying. Soak in a copper roll top bathtub overlooking the scenic grounds before getting toasty with a tipple next to the wood burner in the lounge and tucking into some scrumptious comfort food.

Leafy strolls and spa time at De Vere Tortworth Estate

Marvel at scarlet, copper-y and russet-coloured leaves on a wander around Tortworth Court’s very own arboretum. There are over 300 plant and tree specimens to explore in the extensive grounds before getting your cosy on inside this Cotswold country house. The refurbished Victorian mansion takes snuggly autumn days to a new level with a magnificent winding staircase dominating the entrance hall, lamp-lit foliage in the Atrium Bar and wood-heavy library complete with log-filled fireplaces and soft velvet chairs in the 1853 Restaurant and bar. Steam yourself in the ‘Leaf Spa’ before feasting on some hearty fare and hibernating for the rest of your stay.

Read more

• 17 Ways to keep warm and cosy in Bristol this winter
• Bristol's best parks for autumn leaf-peeping
• Bristol's best autumn walks

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