There’s something about staying in a hotel with history.
Chain hotels are predictable — clean, consistent, efficient — but sometimes we want a property with a story. A lobby that has seen generations of travelers. Architecture you just don’t get anymore. A place with quirks and character.
Before our Virgin Voyages cruise out of Portsmouth, we needed a hotel for one night. We narrowed it down to three choices:
- Holiday Inn Express — the most expensive option, and a generic chain property
- Premier Inn — the least expensive of the three, but with very small rooms, basically just a place to sleep
- Queens Hotel — a 115-year-old seaside hotel with history, architecture, and personality
We have a weakness for historic hotels. So instead of choosing purely based on cost or predictability, we booked the one that offered something memorable. We’ve done this before — like the Goldener Hirsch in Salzburg and Hotel Metropole Hanoi — and it’s always been worth it for us.
And the moment we walked into the lobby, we knew we had made the right choice.
Booking
We booked directly through the Queens Hotel website, where we found the lowest price — $166 USD per night for a Standard Double Room. Chase Travel and other portals were higher, so even though we could have triggered a travel credit, the rate difference didn’t make it worthwhile.
Since we were with friends who had never visited the UK, staying at a historic hotel felt like part of the adventure, rather than just a place to sleep.
A Little History
The Queens Hotel dates back to 1865, with the current building opening in the early 1900s. It retains much of its original architecture, including marble columns, ornate moldings, checkerboard tile floors, and murals painted on a domed ceiling.
More about the hotel’s history can be found at https://queenshotelportsmouth.com/history/
Location
The Queens Hotel is located in Southsea, on the southern tip of Portsmouth. We knew it was on the waterfront, but we didn’t realize how far out it really was until the next day — when our Virgin Voyages ship pulled away from the harbor and the hotel was one of the last landmarks still visible.
Lobby & First Impressions
We weren’t entirely sure what we were getting into when we booked, but the lobby absolutely blew us away.
- Marble columns
- Intricate tile flooring
- Painted murals on the dome ceiling
It felt like stepping into an old-world Edwardian estate.
The check-in desk is off to the side. Check-in was quick, and we had keys in hand within minutes.
Like many older European hotels, the lift was small — we made separate trips with luggage. On the way back down, I took the staircase instead, and I’m glad I did. The staircase and upper level have a different, more modern design, but equally impressive.
Even the hallways had detail and personality, with moldings and arches that reminded us this hotel has seen more than a century of guests.
The Room
When it comes to the room… well, it was a room. Nothing extravagant, but clean, functional, and perfectly fine for a one-night stay. The major downside was a lack of outlets near the bed. I guess this wasn’t a concern in the early 1900s.
The Standard Double included:
- A comfortable bed
- Adequate space to open luggage
- Wardrobe with tea/coffee setup, mini fridge, safe, iron, and fan
The bathroom had a tub/shower combo with a glass screen, and everything was clean, with good water pressure.
We didn’t spend much time in the room — the hotel’s public spaces were the real star of the stay.
Dining & Duke’s Bar
We spent part of the evening in Duke’s Bar, just off the lobby. Comfortable seating, classic decor, and good cocktails — everything you want from a hotel bar.
We ended up meeting several other guests who were also sailing on Virgin Voyages the next day, so it became an unofficial pre-cruise mixer.
Breakfast the next morning was where the hotel struggled. A large wave of cruise-bound guests all showed up around the same time, and the restaurant wasn’t ready for that volume. It wasn’t bad, just slow and a little chaotic.
Final Thoughts
If it weren’t for our cruise leaving from Portsmouth, we likely never would have visited the city or discovered the Queens Hotel — and that would have been a shame.
The hotel is currently undergoing a significant restoration, and parts of the property — including the entire 4th floor — were closed during our stay. Once the renovations are finished, it will likely be even more impressive.
There’s plenty to do nearby:
- D-Day Story Museum
- Portsmouth Historic Dockyard
- Ferries to the Isle of Wight
Would we stay again? Absolutely.
The rooms are basic, but the hotel has that old-world grand hotel feel that made the night before our cruise feel like part of the adventure.
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