The Best Hotels in King's Lynn

King's Lynn Hotels

The marshy flatlands of Norfolk’s low-lying coast reach out to the Wash – a wildlife-filled National Nature Reserve – from King’s Lynn, once a bustling port town of North Sea traders, intrepid explorers and sea-soaked fishermen. The fishing crafts, sail boats and trading fleets have long disappeared from the River Great Ouse, but an air of marine life lingers on. Nowadays adventurers are bird-watchers, and a number of majestic old buildings bestow buckets of olde-worlde charm on a mostly-modern town centre.

Things to see

With a long history of sea-faring life, King’s Lynn is a place to contemplate the past. Wander through town, admiring the brick and timber-built warehouses turned museums, restaurants and galleries. Look out for significant buildings like the Old Custom’s House – a 17th century riverside building with a prominent bell tower – and 12th century King’s Lynn Minster – noted as the country’s largest in-town church. Away from town, King’s Lynn’s spot among Norfolk’s fenlands – just inland from the bird-lover’s paradise of the Wash – offers a great chance for some fill-your-lungs-up-with-fresh-salty-air downtime. Take a pair of binoculars for a chance to spot pink-footed geese, lapwings and plover. Don’t miss a visit to regal Sandringham Estate. A tour of the grand public rooms gives great insight into the Royal Family’s countryside retreat, and has an impressive display of fine art portraits as well as a vast collection of oriental armour.

Hotels in King's Lynn

King’s Lynn has a surprisingly good selection of hotels and B&Bs for a small town. From traditional accommodations offering upscale facilities in a manor house type setting to cheap and cheerful family-run bed and breakfasts, and self-catering apartments, you’re not stuck for choice in King’s Lynn. Hotel amenities vary from place to place, so if you’re looking for an on-site restaurant, WiFi and other mod-cons head to a larger 3 or 4-star rated hotel. Check in to a country house hotel or boutique guesthouse to enjoy luxury hotel amenities like roll-top baths, soft-as-you-like cotton linens and soothing spa facilities.

Where to stay

Try a town centre setting if you fancy strolling from your hotel door straight to bistros, cafés and pubs. A scattering of independent boutiques and popular high-street stores make it a good choice if you love a bit of retail therapy. Just to the northeast of town, Wootton offers a popular residential alternative to the town centre, situated closer to the marshlands that hug the Wash. Further out of King’s Lynn, plenty of small towns and villages scatter the area. Grimston, Hillingham and Dersingham are all close to Sandringham, if you fancy being a stone’s throw from the regal parklands.

How to get to King's Lynn

King’s Lynn Station is near the town centre. Trains from London King’s Cross and Cambridge terminate here, with journeys from London averaging just under 2 hours. Buses serve local villages, as well as towns slightly further afield, including Norwich. Unless you’re planning to spend your time solely in town, using a car to get around the area will give you much more flexibility and independence, as buses can be slow-going on the local Norfolk roads. A good idea if you don’t want to drive to King’s Lynn is to hire a car from a national firm operating in the town.