The UK’s guesthouse sector is experiencing a major revival in 2025, as fresh travel data from VisitBritain’s 2025 Travel Trends report reveals that 53% of British travellers now prioritise authentic, personal stays over hotel chains.
This growing preference for independent accommodation comes despite the rapid expansion of chain hotels across UK cities. Travellers are increasingly seeking experiences that offer cultural connection and community. According to VisitEngland, bookings for boutique and independent stays are projected to grow by 12% this year, with international visitors particularly attracted to the ‘local touch’ offered by guesthouses.
For Cambridge-based entrepreneur Inga Grigaitiene, owner of the multi-award-winning A & B Guesthouse, the data simply reflects what she has been witnessing first-hand for years.
“Guests rarely remember the size of the TV or the thread count of the sheets,” she said. “They remember how they felt – welcomed, valued, and at home. That is something a chain cannot replicate.”
Her guesthouse has hosted everyone from academics and global business leaders to families visiting their children at university. The feedback is consistently the same: it’s the human connection that stands out.
The trend towards more intimate stays mirrors wider UK travel behaviour in 2025:
- Domestic tourism is up 6% year-on-year, with more Britons opting for shorter, personalised breaks rather than standardised hotel offerings [VisitBritain].
- The so-called ‘Airbnb effect’ has shifted consumer expectations, with 7 in 10 UK travellers now saying they seek accommodation that feels “unique and rooted in local culture” [Mintel Travel Report 2025].
- Sustainability and community impact are driving decisions, with independent guesthouses seen as more eco-conscious and supportive of local economies than corporate chains.
For Inga, hospitality has never been just a business transaction but a calling.
“We are more than service providers – we are storytellers, connectors, and cultural ambassadors. The future of hospitality belongs to those who dare to lead with heart.”
With guesthouses across the UK reporting increased bookings for 2025, the sector is poised to thrive in the face of competition from big hotel brands – proving that in the age of automation, human hospitality will always win.
