Durham is nestled in the rolling hills of the English countryside, so whether you want to spend a few days experiencing the busy city center life or would rather wake up to the sounds of birds and walk along country routes our top ten urban and rural accommodations will be perfect for you. Let’s take a look at what Durham has to offer.
We handpicked these listings carefully, considering (wherever possible) Superhost status. recent guest reviews, location, accommodation type, prices, availability of dates, decor, and amenities. The image galleries get refreshed with the latest updates regularly. They were last updated on January 31, 2024.
Urban Durham
1. Rays Durham Oasis
Situated in the heart of Durham, next to the riverside this beautiful three guest luxury apartment is a stones throw away from restaurants, bars and the activities of the city center. There are three bedrooms to fight over, one double bed and one single bed each exquisitely designed. The modern interior with relaxing red leather couche, and black and white themed bedrooms will suit all visitors. There is even mood lighting for those relaxing evenings watching a DVD on the couch.
Durham, United Kingdom
369 meters (0.3 ft) from Durham CathedralSuperhostAccommodates: 3
Top guest reviews
Amenities & Room:
great apartment with super amenities and a lovely array of welcoming treatslovely comfortable accommodation in the centre of the city with everything prrovidedbed was extremely comfortablethe additional touches of breakfast supplies was a wonderful touchtwo bathrooms are another nice feature plus three tvs mean you can't be boredCleanliness:
vert clean and tidyclean tidy and extremely well presentedvery clean and excellent locationthe apartment is beautiful spotlessly clean and very well equippedthe apartment is clean well equipped and has secure underground parkingHost:
ray (host) was very accommodating friendly and helpfulhost very welcoming and lovely touches like croissants and wine etcray is a friendly reliable host who communicated accurately and promptlyray was very helpful and friendly before and during the visithe met us on arrival and helped us to settle in with helpful advice which was much appreciatedRead more reviewsLocation:
a wonderful location and very comfortable apartmentwonderful central location to explore a beautiful citya great location a lovely quiet flatnice flat in really good locationvery close to the centre of town and a secure car park
2. May's bright, single bedroom (from 26 USD)
This quiet and cozy single bedroom in a bungalow near the center of town is perfect for lone travelers. There are buses every ten minutes to the center and it takes 15 minutes. You’ll have access to both the kitchen and garden so if the weather is sunny you could enjoy an English breakfast outside in the sun! May’s room has 15 excellent five star reviews and so combining May’s welcoming nature, the location and the price, which is a bargain, we’re not that surprised.
May's bright, single bedroom
Price: from 26 USD
Number of Guests: 1
3. Zana's central double bedroom (from 46 USD)
Zana’s modern flat is perfect for a couple looking for a double bedroom with ensuite that is close to the sights of Durham. Zana has been hosted previously by other AirBnB locations so we’re sure that she understand what makes a good host and replies very quickly to all inquiries.
Zana's central double bedroom
Price: from 46 USD
Number of Guests: 2
4. Marriott Hotel Royal County (from USD 108)
Great value for money, convenient on-site parking for £11.00/24 hours
Walk-in shower, spacious and well-equipped rooms, complimentary coloring pack for children
Convenient central location, close to city center and attractions, quiet surroundings
Excellent buffet breakfast with cold and cooked options, happy hour drinks offer
With a wide variety of rooms, architecture dating back to the 17th century and an indoor swimming pool, the Marriott Hotel Royal County has been a firm favorite of tourists. Their inside bar and outside garden areas are perfect for relaxing in after a long day sightseeing; need to feel more relaxed, their beauty center and spa will take good care of you. Their standard rooms come with a double bed, small seating or lounge area, TV and 24 hour room service. Worth noting that wireless is available for a fee, payable upon arrival.
Delta Hotels by Marriott Durham Royal County
Address: Old Elvet
408 meters (0.3 ft) from Durham Cathedral
5. The Garden House Inn (from 123 USD)
By staying at The Garden House Inn in Durham, you’ll be in walking distance to Crook Hall and Gardens. The family quadruple room has two double beds, TV and hot drink facilities. The bedrooms are beautifully decorated with crisp detailing and oak-wood styled furniture that will transport you to a regal era. The outside eating area at the back of the Inn has plenty of room for you to enjoy a dinner with your whole family and the hotel bar means that you can slip away for a sneaky half.
Garden House Inn
Price: from 123 USD
Number of Guests: 4
Rural Durham
6. Hallgarth Manor Country Hotel (from USD 113)
Set in spectacular grounds and gardens, this traditional English country house is ideally situated just five kilometers (three miles) away from the historic city center of Durham. You can’t go wrong with the view from these room, which are each situated on the upper floors of the Hotel so you can look out over the magnificent natural countryside or the Hotel’s own garden area. All 23 rooms play homage to the historical nature of the building whilst offering comfort and style through their finer detailing.
Free WiFi is available throughout the hotel and on site amenities include a cocktail bar, restaurants and a real ale ‘Tavern’ bar.
61 Durham
Address: Pittington
5.64 km (3.6 mi) from Durham Cathedral
7. Honest Lawyer Hotel (from USD 88)
Set in scenic the Croxdale area, the Honest Lawyer Hotel is a pet-friendly hotel just 5 minutes drive from Durham city center. With over 1,000 reviews reaching a 8.3/10 star mark, you’ll be in good hands at the Honest Lawyer Hotel. One of our favorite pointers for this hotel is the wide range of dining options that use only locally sourced produce. It’s so yummy in fact that the restaurant is the proud winner of an AA Rossette Award for Culinary Excellence. Their 51 rooms on offer are modern, motel-style rooms and come complete with interesting features including; driftwood framed mirrors, printed artworks and garden-themes wallpapered feature walls. The perfect relaxing atmosphere is carefully created in each room.
Honest Lawyer Hotel
Address: Croxdale,
4.07 km (2.6 mi) from Durham Cathedral
8. The Three Horseshoes Inn (from USD 88)
This pub/restaurant inn is situated within 10 minutes’ drive of the beautiful city of Durham, although you really will feel like your in the countryside here. With parts of the building over 300 years old, it still retains some quirky, original features, to compliment this the bedrooms have been decorated in neutral minimalist fashion. Staying at the inn is very suited to couples who scored it a 9.5/10 stars. Now, we know that being above a restaurant and pub may not be to everyone’s liking, but once you’ve tasted the food we’re sure that you’ll change your mind. The daily rotations on offer includes steaks, grills, pastas, seafood and much more. So although, you may be slightly further away from Durham you definitely don’t lose its touch of charm staying here.
Three Horseshoes Inn
Address: Running Waters/Sherburn House
5.83 km (3.7 mi) from Durham Cathedral
9. Sue's quaint rural cottage in the vale of Durham (from 65 USD)
We love this cute cottage located near a Roman Fort just 16 minutes drive from the town center. This quiet cottage is perfect vacation rental for those who want to visit Durham but do not want to be disturbed by the humdrum of town life. On offer are two bedrooms, one with a double bed and the other a single. Just a short walk to Lanchester you can test out the many restaurant choices on your doorstep after a busy day sightseeing in Durham. It’s worth noting that there is a minimum stay of three nights. [https://www.vrbo.com/6724008ha]
Sue's Cottage
Price: from 65 USD
Number of Guests: 3
10. Farnley Tower (from USD 134)
Farnley Tower is a luxury four-star guesthouse on the outskirts of Durham. Why do we love this guesthouse? The view is incredible! Situated on a hill just proud of the rooftops of Durham below you can see for miles and take a bird’s eye view of Durham below. Inside, the leather oversized armchairs and stained glass windows offer an air of opulence to enjoy whilst browsing on the free WiFi. The bedrooms are crisp white bedding with ornate wallpaper playing homage to the Georgian history of Durham.
Farnley Tower Guesthouse
Address: The Avenue
864 meters (0.6 ft) from Durham Cathedral
Something for everyone
That’s it! Our list of accommodation for best exploring urban and rural Durham is complete. We recommend that everyone visits Durham once,and you could split your holiday between an urban and rural location to ensure that you get to experience both sides of this fascinating historical location. Have you stayed somewhere in Durham and feel like they deserve a mention on our list? Comments below!
History
Get Trip101 in your inbox
Unsubscribe in one click. See our Privacy Policy for more information on how we use your data
Create an account to bookmark our articles, like local expert tips, receive great stories in your inbox, and follow writers and topics that you love.
Log in with Google ×