N icknamed
Britain’s Ocean City —Plymouth is a bustling port city sandwiched between England’s stunning South West coastline and wild
Dartmoor National Park . It is steeped in rich nautical history from
Sir Francis Drake and the Spanish Armada to the
Mayflower New World Voyage of 1620—and today, you’ll find explorers meandering along its narrow cobbled streets to see its pretty harbor lined with independent shops, seaside cafes, sexy cocktail bars, and quirky art galleries. Or, visiting its National Marine Aquarium (the UK’s largest with over 5,000 animals) and legendary
Plymouth Hoe , where you can climb to the top of its winding red-and-white striped Smeaton’s Tower—serving spectacular views over
Plymouth Sound below. So, if you’re looking for a
chic city break where seaside charm meets Michelin-starred restaurants and cutting-edge museums visited by the
Royal Family —we’ve highlighted some of the finest hotels, restaurants, and cool things to do in Plymouth.
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Best Hotels In Plymouth
Boringdon Hall
Best hotels in Plymouth. Dating back to the 16th century,
Boringdon Hall is a grand dame of
Devonshire , just six miles from Plymouth, set across 7 acres of lush manicured grounds—housing a multi-million dollar spa, a Michelin-starred restaurant, and even a secret cocktail bar hidden behind a fake wall of books. It was once owned by
The Crown following the dissolution of the monasteries in 1539 by
King Henry VIII —later transforming into the five-star manor house hotel that stands today with ornate tapestries, Tudor beamed walls, cozy firelit lounges, medieval chandeliers, and original stone archways. Its two
Wellness Suites , named after ancient Greek gods
Apollo (God of Healing) and
Hypnos (God of Sleep), are modern and
Scandi , with a lightwood four-poster bed, a cozy Scandinavian fireplace, a lavish rain shower, and a private terrace with a giant outdoor spa bath—perfect for sipping a glass of
Moët & Chandon under the stars. Guests of the Wellness Suites also have complimentary access to Boringdon’s award-winning
Gaia Spa —with a sweeping glass-walled pool, Crystal Salt steam room, saunas, relaxation room, high-tech gym, beauty salon, and hydrotherapy pool flowing out to an outdoor hot tub surrounded by a sunny terrace dotted with comfy loungers. You can opt for its 90-minute
Gaia Calming Journey ($250 per person), where your therapist will sedate you with a long, luxurious back, neck, and shoulder massage for easing muscle tension and calming the mind—before a deep scalp massage, leaving you purring like a
Persian cat (plus a facial cleanse, tone, and pressure-point facial massage). Overlooking the Great Hall, you'll retire to
Àclèaf —Boringdon’s romantic Michelin-starred restaurant (with 4 AA Rosettes) in a former minstrels’ gallery—offering four-course taster menus feasting on caviar scallops, turbo served with clams, highland wagyu, and sole in a sauce of langoustine; paired with fine wines from
Clare Valley Reisling to
Bekaa Valley Chateau Musar ($250 per person with wine pairing).
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Best Things To Do In Plymouth
Plymouth Gin Distillery
Home of
Plymouth Gin since 1793, Black Friars Distillery, otherwise known as
Plymouth Gin Distillery , is England’s oldest working gin distillery. With its medieval
Refectory dating back to 1431, you can join its guided
Master Distiller’s Tour ($70 per person), where you’ll sample a range of gins and learn about the history of gin-making and
Plymouth Gin (with its secret 200-year-old recipe passed down verbally to every
Master Distiller since 1793). You’ll then try your hand at gin-making
yourself —choosing your botanicals to craft your own personalized gin with a small-batch bottle to take home afterward—complete with sampling a
Pink Gin cocktail in the Refectory Bar (where pilgrims are said to have spent their last night in Plymouth before sailing on the
Mayflower to the New World).
Heritage of Bligh Sailing
Sailing out of
Royal William Yard, home to the largest collection of Grade I listed military buildings in Europe—you’ll join TV yachtsman
Conrad Humphreys and set sail across Plymouth Sound National Marine Park aboard
Bounty —the replica that
Lieutenant William Bligh and his 18 loyalists were cast adrift on after the infamous
Mutiny on the Bounty —with a drop of rum and the chance to have a go at steering
Bounty yourself (from $70 per person or $375 for an 8-seat full boat charter).
The Box
Housing cutting-edge galleries, thousand-year-old fossils, and a
Media Lab (featuring the UK’s largest regional film and television archive)—
The Box is Plymouth’s award-winning museum and art gallery, visited by the
Royal Family in 2021. Dive through its extensive
Active Archives and vast collections from
Mammoth Gallery (with 1,000 pickled marine creatures and a full-size mammoth replica)—highlighting animals that lived in Plymouth 35,000 years ago—to
Figureheads ; with 14 monumental ships’ figureheads (collectively weighing over 20 tonnes) on loan from the
National Museums of the Royal Navy .
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Best Restaurants In Plymouth
Rockfish
Nestled on
Sutton Harbour , the original port of Plymouth,
Rockfish is a relaxed seafood restaurant, just a few steps from the National Marine Aquarium. Its
Daily Landings menu features some of the best daily catches each morning from Brixham Fish Market, from chargrilled sea bream to Brixham cuttlefish and large line caught haddock—with fried skin on in Rockfish batter—complete with apple tarte tatin and a
Fisherman’s Coffee with Armagnac and Disaronno Amaretto (two courses from $28).
Fletcher’s
While not obvious from its uber-minimalist look—
Fletcher’s is an independent Michelin-recommended jewel in Plymouth, awarded two
AA Rosettes. Led by Chef
Patron Fletcher , it’s a family-run bolthole with a focus on sustainability and locally sourced produce—serving a seven-course
Taster Menu ($190 per person with wine pairing) where you’ll graze on hand-dived scallops, quail breast with crispy quail leg, pan-roasted monkfish, and
Sladesdown Farm duck breast—complete with decant chocolate pave and petit fours to finish.
How To Get There
Travelers in London can hop on a 3-hour direct train journey with
Great Western Railway from London Marylebone to Plymouth. For more information, head to
visitplymouth.co.uk .
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