Holidaymakers who frequent the tourist-filled towns and cities across the UK that were once hailed as the epitome of class might as well hold up a sign above their heads professing themselves to be a ‘posh wannabe’.
Gone are the days when heading off for a weekend in the likes of the Cotswolds was reserved for the elite.
With hotels booked up by every middle-class family seeking a picture-perfect weekend away – and previously sleepy small towns now housing IKEA-decorated Airbnbs where privately owned cottages used to lie – many staycation spots across the UK have lost their secluded, exclusive air, becoming far more ‘proletariat’ than ‘bourgeoisie’.
Indeed, even a multitude of spots you still might consider to be ‘old money’ have lost their flair.
So, where are the staycation spots that have maintained their status as timeless bastions of refinement, remaining alluring for the affluent?
And which can be dubbed ‘new money’ – where glitzy displays of riches, Louis Vuitton luggage and cheap rose wine in silvery plastic buckets of ice reign supreme?
The UK staycation spots that scream ‘tacky’
BOURTON-ON-THE-WATER
In recent years, pretty Cotswolds villages such as Bourton-on-the-Water have seen huge numbers of tourists visit in the summer months
Once dubbed the ‘Venice of the Cotswolds’, Bourton-on-the-Water is the sort of village you’d expect to see in an Enid Blyton novel, with children frolicking along the waterways, enjoying an ice cream from a local independent vendor.
Unfortunately, the days of secluded, peaceful vacations here are long over.
Bourton-on-the-Water has just 4,000 local residents, which sounds great – until you learn this is far outweighed by the number of tourists who visit each year, estimated to be around 300,000.
Crowds can fill up the banks of the River Windrush, with many tourists enjoying the picnic spot, and it can become overcrowded and unpleasant as a result.
In September 2025, the quaint village was hit by a surge of so-called ‘TikTok tourists’ – which saw mounds of rubbish left behind and locals being abused.
With the increase in ‘hit-and-run tourists’, so named by Cotswold district councillor Jon Wareing, there has also been a wave of litter and even poor behaviour reportedly directed towards residents.
SKEGNESS
Skegness in Lincolnshire is popular with families – but is not for everyone
Most Brits turn their nose up at Skegness – and for good reason.
Red-tinged skin, pints spilling everywhere, screaming children and a beach better-known for cheap ice cream and fast food than a peaceful bathing ambience are the hallmarks of this beachside staycation.
Not to mention it’s been home to the original Butlin’s resort on the Lincolnshire coast since 1936.
‘Losers paradise,’ the ‘worst beach ever’, and ‘discarded underwear’ strewn everywhere are just some of the criticisms piled on this seaside town.
Steer clear at all costs.
ST IVES, FALMOUTH – AND OTHER POPULAR CORNISH SPOTS
The beach at St Ives is heaving with crowds during the peak summer months
In the 1940s, St Ives became a veritable haven for intellectuals, artists and wealthy Londoners seeking refuge from the bombing of the Second World War.
Sculptor Dame Barbara Hepworth and writer Virginia Woolf are just two such figures who spent much time in the Cornish seaside town, demonstrating its cultural appeal.
Nowadays, however, the coastal region is in decline – it may still have its pretty beaches and cobbled streets, but it’s far less bougie and more budget.
The same applies to other heaving Cornwall hotspots – most of all Falmouth, where independent shops and cafes are overwhelmed by noisy teenagers and busloads of tourists.
LONDON
London’s always heaving with tourists – and the central areas don’t always provide the classy holiday you might be looking for
You may associate trips to London with erudite historic tours, visits to the Shakespeare’s Globe theatre and perusing the British Museum.
If this is what you’re after, proceed by all means.
But for many, a weekend in the Big Smoke is all about traipsing from Slug and Lettuce to All Bar One in search of the cheapest cocktail happy hours – before paying a small fortune to get into one of Piccadilly’s nightclubs, nursing a hangover at an overpriced central Wetherspoon’s and visiting whichever West End theatre is offering reduced-price tickets.
If you’re seeking a classy vacay without the price tag (and queues, tourists and sticky-floored watering holes of Soho), opt for slightly further afield Bristol, Bath or Cambridge.
MARGATE
Margate beach is often packed with tourists, leaving little space and serenity
If you’re the type to enjoy a nautically decorated Airbnb, complete with a ‘Gone to the beach’ sign for your door, you might well be keen on Margate.
Coffee shops serving oat milk macchiatos, apartments going for more than a grand and families forever boasting of how easy the commute is from London are a dime a dozen here.
While it might seem appealing – indeed, it was even dubbed ‘the UK’s coolest seaside town’ earlier this year – beware the middle-class families opting for a beachside holiday here might be doing so for the ‘posh’ clout.
Indeed, having a holiday home in this Kent coastal resort, loved by Madonna, Lily Allen, Sam Mendes and Pedro Pascal, all of whom have been spotted enjoying the sea air and artistic energy, is just one step away from buying a pizza oven and enrolling your child in cello lessons.
CENTER PARCS
Some have suggested Center Parcs has become ‘too busy’ and overpriced
Brits turning their noses up at the likes of Butlin’s and Parkdean holiday parks might opt instead for Center Parcs.
Since the late 1980s, Center Parcs has reigned supreme with family weekenders wanting some fresh air fun – and some two million people now holiday at the five Center Parcs villages every year.
But ongoing criticisms of soaring prices and declining activities have tainted its previously stellar credentials.
While it is not exactly downmarket, the food and dining options may leave you cringing.
Chains Bella Italia and The Pancake House are among the brand’s food restaurant chains – hardly the posh premises you’d be likely to enjoy a beef bourguignon and glass of Bordeaux red.
The ones that retain their classy status
PEAK DISTRICT
The Peak District is still very much full of immaculate landscapes and peaceful towns
There’s nothing tacky about the Peak District, a far cry from the selfie-filled coastal spots and overpriced destinations elsewhere in the UK.
The ‘green lung’ of the north has miles of untouched grasslands to explore, from the Tissington trail to Stanage Edge and the Roaches.
Towns such as Bakewell (yes indeed, the home of the famous dessert) and Ashford-in-the-Water provide a similar Cotswold feel – but the real appeal here is the immersion in nature.
NORTH YORKSHIRE
North Yorkshire has greenery in spades – as well as glamorous hotels
North Yorkshire may not be the first destination that springs to mind when planning a staycation – but, as home to some of the UK’s best classy hotels, it certainly should.
Grantley Hall in Ripon looks like something out of Downton Abbey – and was voted among the UK’s best hotels for 2026.
It’s even been dubbed ‘Yorkshire’s poshest hotel’ – and boasts rooms with personal staff and pillow menus.
Often described as one of the Yorkshire Dales’ hidden gems, guests rave about the memorable experiences, personalised stays and extensive facilities such as the spa.
One visitor wrote: ‘One of the greatest hotels in the world. What a fabulous experience this has been. From the energy of the greeting at the gates to the service at the bars and restaurants truly wonderful.’
HENLEY-ON-THAMES, OXFORDSHIRE
Henley-on-Thames is home to such residents as celebrity chef Mary Berry
Aside from the one weekend a year when it’s absolutely heaving during the rowing regatta, Henley-on-Thames is an ideal riverside staycation.
And it’s still as posh as ever.
Perusing the local pubs, you’re more likely to locate a well-seasoned duck breast than a greasy fish and chips, and the pints are so expensive you’d think you were in London.
But with all this comes genuinely beautiful vistas, green river banks, gastropubs you can spend hours in and a positively un-rowdy atmosphere.
SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS
With history and culture galore, destinations across the Scottish Highlands draw in wealthy travellers
A world away from the pomp and spectacle of more sparkly UK holiday destinations, Scotland’s highlands are littered with historic castles and imposing scenery, catering to high-brow tastes.
One can’t help but hear the word ‘Balmoral’ pronounced in perfect Queen’s English, and as a favourite of the Royals it’s clear the Scottish Highlands still scream ‘old-school values and inherited wealth’.
Scotland is also home to many classy, historic hotels – including several that rank among the best in the UK.
The Raasay Distillery, on the Isle of Raasay in the Highlands, was ranked among the UK’s best hotels for 2026, for instance.
Meanwhile, the Balmoral Pyramid, known as Prince Albert’s Cairn, is surrounded by countryside and is one of 11 structures built to represent the life of Queen Victoria and her descendants – and has been voted one of Britain’s weirdest tourist attractions.
