BEAUTIFUL PLACES. TIME TO EXPLORE. Discover your next base
county · England
Places to stay in Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire offers quite different overnight settings: Marlow for a Thames-side town break, Old Amersham for historic High Street surroundings, and Aylesbury for a town-centre evening or performance. Choose the setting before the bedroom. These three bases are a selective comparison, not a claim that one town serves the whole county. The room layout and the final part of the arrival matter especially when a pub stay, a historic building or a separate car park is involved.
Marlow on the Thames, Buckinghamshire · Photo credits
FIND YOUR BASE
Choosing your base in Buckinghamshire
Marlow: choose a Thames-side town evening
Marlow is the choice here for combining a High Street stay with time near the Thames. The Chequers is a pub with rooms in the town, rather than a hotel promising a river-facing bedroom. Make space for a local walk and dinner without adding a long drive after arrival. The riverside setting is the reason to choose Marlow, while the room and pub programme decide whether this particular stay fits.
Good for: Couples and visitors wanting a town-and-river weekend.
Before you choose: The Chequers advertises weekend live music, and its Signature room is split over two levels. Confirm room position, stairs and parking before choosing a quiet or step-free break.
Old Amersham: stay in the historic lower town
Old Amersham suits a break around the historic High Street and a separately planned Chilterns outing. The Kings Arms is the hotel example, with different room formats and a separate townhouse. Decide whether you want the lower-town atmosphere enough to arrange the final transfer from the station area. Staying overnight is most rewarding when you leave time for these streets rather than immediately driving elsewhere.
Good for: Historic-town weekends and visitors who want a local evening before a countryside day.
Before you choose: Amersham station and Old Amersham are different arrival points. Check the connection with luggage; inside the hotel, an accessible twin, a heritage room and a family suite have different arrangements.
Aylesbury: keep a performance and town stay together
Aylesbury provides the town-centre comparison, particularly if an evening performance is the anchor for the break. The Bell on Market Square is a pub-room option. Choose the actual event and the route back, then allow time to settle before heading out. This is a practical alternative to selecting a river or historic-town hotel and travelling back after the show.
Good for: A theatre-led stay or a short visit with a specific Aylesbury purpose.
Before you choose: The Bell’s advertised guest parking is in the separate Friars Square multi-storey. Check access hours and the hotel’s validation procedure, as well as the room beds and stairs.
Make it your kind of break
ROMANTIC BREAKS
Choose the return from dinner
For two, a Marlow river-town setting and an Old Amersham High Street evening offer different moods. Pick the one you want to experience after day visitors leave. At the Chequers, ask about live music and the bedroom location; at the Kings Arms, choose the actual room format rather than a general historic-hotel image.
FAMILY BREAKS
Do not equate more space with easier access
The Kings Arms offers a separate townhouse as well as hotel rooms, while other stays here use conventional bedrooms. Confirm the beds, stairs, bathroom and dining arrangements for the whole party. If an attraction drives the trip, check its own entrance and transport before deciding which of the three towns is the useful base.
A LITTLE ROOM TO EXPLORE
Two nights in Buckinghamshire
Choose one of these bases for two nights. The town choices are alternatives, not stops on a required county circuit.
Arrival: settle the final connection
Reach Marlow, Old Amersham or Aylesbury and leave bags before the evening. Confirm pub events, the room route and parking. In Old Amersham allow for the station transfer; in Aylesbury check when you can retrieve the car.
Full day: enjoy the chosen setting
Make the day about Marlow and the Thames, Old Amersham with one checked countryside outing, or Aylesbury around the performance or visit you selected. Keep any longer walk optional according to conditions and the group’s needs.
Departure: finish nearby
Choose a short local stroll or café before collecting luggage. A second Buckinghamshire town is an optional onward stop when the journey works, rather than a reason to compress breakfast and checkout.
Less time? For one night, stay near the evening you want and plan one main visit. A Thames town, a Chilterns-side historic town and Aylesbury need not all fit into the same weekend.
ROOM FOR YOUR NEXT TRIP
Stays in Buckinghamshire
Researched accommodation shortlist
Three town-based examples: Marlow for the Thames, Old Amersham for historic streets and Aylesbury for a town or theatre evening.
Pub with rooms · Marlow
The Chequers
53 High Street, Marlow, Buckinghamshire, SL7 1BA
A nine-room High Street pub stay in Marlow for a Thames-side town break. The bedroom format matters here, particularly if the Signature room appeals.
Why compare it: Choose Marlow for a High Street evening with the Thames as the town setting; check the pub programme and room layout before booking.
Standard Double, Superior and Deluxe rooms are listed.
The Signature room occupies two levels and has a claw-foot bath.
Selected rooms can accept dogs by prior arrangement.
Before you book: Confirm stairs, bathroom layout, parking and the position of your bedroom. The pub advertises live music at weekends, so ask about the programme and likely sound before choosing a quiet break.
30 High Street, Old Amersham, Buckinghamshire, HP7 0DJ
An Old Amersham High Street hotel for a break in the historic lower town. Compare a hotel bedroom with the separately located No. 40 Townhouse only after checking the layout you need.
Why compare it: Choose Old Amersham for its historic High Street and a Chilterns-side stay, accepting a separate transfer from the station area.
The hotel offers en suite rooms and suites.
An Accessible Twin is listed with level access and an adapted bathroom.
No. 40 Townhouse is separate accommodation for up to six guests.
Before you book: Confirm the exact building, stairs, beds and bathroom, including bathroom fittings for the Accessible Twin or stairs in a suite or townhouse. Check arrival parking and your connection from Amersham station; the hotel is in Old Amersham rather than beside the station.
A Market Square pub with rooms for a town-centre Aylesbury evening. Compare it when a theatre visit or a practical town base matters more than a river or village setting.
Why compare it: Choose Aylesbury for a Market Square stay and a town evening, with external parking checked around your arrival and departure.
The operator lists 14 en suite rooms.
A pub and dining spaces are part of the property.
Guest parking is advertised at the separate Friars Square multi-storey car park.
Before you book: Ask for the room beds, bathroom and full access route before booking. Confirm the external car park access hours and validation process, plus the route back after a performance; parking is not at the bedroom entrance.
Marlow is the river-town choice in this shortlist. The Chequers is on the High Street, so do not assume its bedrooms overlook the Thames or that a particular river activity is included.
Is Old Amersham beside Amersham station?
No. Treat the station area and the historic lower town as separate points and check the onward connection with luggage. The Kings Arms is on Old Amersham’s High Street.
What should I check for an Aylesbury theatre stay?
Choose the performance first, then the route between the venue and the Bell, dinner timing and late access to the room. If driving, check the separate car park’s hours and the hotel’s parking procedure.
Does a pub room suit a quiet break?
It may, but ask about the actual programme and bedroom position. The Chequers specifically advertises weekend live music; a room above a pub should be chosen with the evening activity in mind.
Does this guide cover every Buckinghamshire base?
No. It compares three useful settings with specific accommodation examples. If your visit is centred elsewhere in the county, start with that destination and the exact journey rather than treating this selection as a complete hotel directory.
How we put this guide together
These base comparisons and suggested plans are our editorial judgement, informed by the linked official sources. We have not stayed at or inspected the properties. Official links earn no commission; confirm current arrangements directly.
Sources checked 2026-09-17. Check current arrangements before travelling.
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