The 4 best UK luxury hotels to watch the solar eclipse in style
By Shivani Dubey | 7 August 2026 | Travel
As Europe gears up to witness a rare total solar eclipse, we round up the best luxury hotels in the UK to catch this astronomical phenomenon in style
On Wednesday, 12 August, most of Europe, including Greenland, Iceland, northern Spain, and a small portion of Portugal will be able to witness a rare total solar eclipse, with the moon completely covering the sun and casting a shadow over the Earth for an extended period in the day. Meanwhile in the UK, when the eclipse reaches peak solar coverage, the moon will cover around nine-tenths of the sun, making it the UK’s deepest partial solar eclipse in a generation. It will be the greatest solar eclipse visible in the UK since 1999, with the next total solar eclipse in the country scheduled for 2090. So this really would be one of the best chances to catch this astronomical phenomenon in its true glory. From the Ayrshire coast in Scotland to the fells of Cumbria and the western reaches of Wales, these luxury hotels in the UK offer the most scenic settings with the best vantage points to catch the solar eclipse in style.
Glenapp Castle, Scotland
Scotland’s Ayrshire coast remains one of the UK’s most beautiful hidden gems, and on 12 August it will become one of the best-placed spots in the UK to witness a rare celestial event. Around 90% of the sun will be obscured across Scotland that evening as the moon sweeps low across the western sky just before sunset, and it’s here that Glenapp Castle, a 22-bedroom luxurious Relais & Châteaux hotel, offers guests an exclusive front-row seat, surrounded by dramatic coastal landscapes and 110 acres of private estate and local woodland. Because the eclipse sits so low near sunset, an unobstructed western horizon is a fantastic vantage point. Glenapp’s grounds look directly out over the Firth of Clyde, giving guests an open, uninterrupted sea view free of city sightlines and light pollution.
Farlam Hall, Cumbria
Farlam Hall, a luxurious hotel in the Cumbrian countryside, is one of the best-placed settings in the north of England to watch the solar eclipse. Cumbria’s open fells and wide horizons, free from city light pollution, make it a natural vantage point for the spectacle, particularly given the hotel’s position on the edge of one of the world’s largest Dark Sky Parks, an area already known among guests for its stargazing. Guests wanting to make a night of it can pair eclipse viewing with dinner at the hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurant, The Cedar Tree, the more relaxed Bistro Enkel, or the private dining setting of HRISHI’s Table, with ingredients drawn from the hotel’s own kitchen garden. Hadrian’s Wall and the North Pennines are also a short drive away for those wanting to extend the visit with a guided walk.
Penmaenuchaf, Wales
Tucked into the edge of Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park, Penmaenuchaf is an elegant country house hotel with open, west-facing views across its gardens towards the coast, making it a natural base for watching the spectacle unfold as the Sun dips towards the horizon later that evening. Beyond the eclipse, the hotel offers a proper country retreat – guests can watch the eclipse from the grounds, then sit down to dinner overlooking the gardens and national park beyond. The surrounding area gives plenty of reasons to extend the trip: Cadair Idris and the wider Eryri range for walking, the gentler trails of Coed y Brenin Forest, and the Mawddach estuary right on the hotel’s doorstep. Nearby Dolgellau, Betws-y-Coed and Conwy add independent shops, galleries and historic sites, including Conwy Castle.
Grove of Narberth, Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire is expected to see around 94% coverage during the partial solar eclipse, and Grove of Narberth offers a quiet, rural base from which to watch. Each room has been thoughtfully crafted to blend traditional character with modern comforts, retaining the charm of its historic architecture while offering every amenity guests could need, with elegant touches of Welsh art, crafts, and antiques giving every room its own unique personality. The hotel’s rooms look out over the surrounding gardens or the Preseli Hills, giving guests an open outlook as the eclipse unfolds that evening. Guests can watch from a terrace or garden setting, then retreat indoors to unwind by a roaring fire or soak in a bath with views over the countryside.
