Bradford

Bradford is a city built on wool and worked into hillsides, and where people choose to stay here tends to split neatly in two. Stop in the centre and you're within reach of hotels like the Great Victoria Hotel, the Cartwright Hotel or the Clarion Cedar Court Leeds Bradford Hotel, all set up for a straightforward city visit with restaurants, museums and the station close by. Head out towards the edges, though, and the picture changes entirely: cottages such as Bracken Hall House, Belle Isle Cottage and Cobbydale Retreat put you among the stone villages and moorland edges that made the Brontë family's landscape, with Ilkley itself covered by places like Clarion Lodge Cottage.

That contrast is really the story of Bradford. It's a working city with a strong industrial identity, best explored at somewhere like Bradford Industrial Museum, but it sits right on the doorstep of the Pennines, and a short drive gets you from terraced streets into open country. Budget-friendly options like Bradford Digs and Campanile Bradford suit anyone wanting a simple base for a night or two, while smaller B&Bs and guesthouses such as Canal View or the Dubrovnik Hotel offer something a bit more personal.

For those who'd rather be under canvas, Two Acre Camping and Esholt Sports and Leisure Club give a couple of options for a quieter, more rural stay without straying far from the city itself.

Families and groups looking for something active are well catered for. TeamSport Indoor Karting Bradford and VR Immersion offer a few hours of fast-paced distraction, Jungle at the Junction and Infinity Bradford are built with children in mind, and Big Shotter Fireworks and Farm Shed add a bit of variety to a weekend itinerary. Belong Bradford rounds out the mix with something more community-focused, a reminder that this is a city that still does things on its own terms.

Whether you're based in a hotel in the middle of the city or a cottage out near Ilkley and the Brontë villages, Bradford works well as a base for both urban exploring and easy trips into the surrounding hills.