Like ducks to water, locals flock to this stylish 18th-century coaching inn, drawn to its modern country comforts and modern British fare. Staying guests are cosseted with high-quality linens and woollen throws in ‘minimalist’ bedrooms; bathrooms are supplied with robes and complimentary goodies from the owners’ beauty company, Baylis & Harding.

In Beachampton, a picturesque village a short drive from Milton Keynes, a beautifully restored 300-year-old farmhouse with three inviting bedrooms and a well-equipped gym. Breakfast includes freshly laid eggs and honey from the owners’ hives. Footpaths lead across the fields; the village pub is a stroll away. Bletchley Park, Woburn Abbey and Silverstone nearby.

In a picturesque village, five miles north of Reading, a welcoming olde worlde country inn with an open fire and Brakspear real ales in the traditional bar. Comfortable, mellow-toned bedrooms are named after types of wine. Satisfying pub dishes such as chicken pie, sautéed potato, honey glazed carrots and parsnip or pan roasted cod, butter beans, mashed potato, chorizo with white wine sauce are served in a cosy restaurant. Outside there is a patio and garden with a children’s play area.

Within its own lovely garden and grounds, an immaculate B&B in a Grade II listed house, where arriving guests are greeted with tempting tea-time treats. Part of a working farm, much of the food for breakfast (home-made granola, banana bread, jams and marmalade, fresh fruit salad, honey) comes from just a few steps away. A full English Wiltshire breakfast is cooked on the Aga. Supper trays may be pre-ordered; local pubs and restaurants are nearby. Cookery workshops are held. In a little hamlet, 2 miles from Swindon.

Convenient for Silverstone, the hotel once served as a stopover for Victorian railway travellers: high speed trains still run along its front. The restaurant is popular for rib eye steaks and seasonal menus. Bedrooms are straightforward; breakfasts are tasty. Music and comedy events are regularly held. On the outskirts of Blisworth, 6 miles from Northampton,

Close to the Ridgeway path (Europe’s oldest pathway), a small, friendly pub serving cask ales from local and micro breweries, and tasty food. The original well can be viewed through a glass panel in the restaurant floor. Comfortable accommodation is in an annexe; pets are welcome in ground floor rooms. 3 miles N of Marlborough.

In parkland, a white-painted country house hotel blending classic with contemporary twists. The cheerful lounge has yellow seating, and retains its period features. Oversized headboards add statement to individually styled bedrooms. British cuisine is served in Seasons restaurant overlooking Ouzel Valley Park, or outside on a sunny, decked terrace in summer. Children are offered special menus and board games for rainy days. On the outskirts of Milton Keynes, the hotel is a popular wedding venue.

Easy-going cool seeps through this Georgian town house in a leafy corner of Pittville, close to Cheltenham Racecourse. Smartly styled bedrooms set their own tone, with a claw-footed bath here, or an original fireplace there. Large-choice breakfasts include seasonal fruit, avocado and poached eggs on sourdough toast, American-style pancakes, crispy smoked streaky bacon, and maple syrup. Part of The Lucky Onion Family.

By Forbury Gardens, striking design meets civic grandeur in a grand brick-built building (formerly The Forbury hotel, and County Hall offices). Opulently restored by India-based hotel group Roseate Hotels & Resorts, an impressive chandelier trails down; plush fabrics and ritzy wallpaper add glamour. In luxurious bedrooms there is fine bedding, original artwork, and state-of-the-art lighting and audio systems. Cerise restaurant is for sophisticated dining. Soothing treatments await in Aheli spa. Reading rail station is a 5-minute walk away.

By the river, a modern hotel in Sonning-on-Thames, 3½ miles E of Reading. Stylish, with a retro edge, bedrooms are in separate buildings – some in a converted coach house and clock tower. Open from breakfast until late at night, Coppa Club bar/restaurant features a long, curved pewter bar, original fireplaces, velvet sofas and separate workspace. Large gardens and a terrace overlook the water.

Embellished with hanging baskets, a small, brick-built hotel close to the racecourse and main sights in Warwick. Neat, comfortable bedrooms are above a friendly pub/restaurant stocking a wide selection of real ales, craft lagers, ciders and fine wines. In the rustic dining area, pub favourites, char-grilled steaks and burgers are served. Some outdoor seating; limited parking is through a narrow carriage entrance at the rear.

Adjacent to a road, a family-run hotel with spacious accommodation in a former 200-year-old former coaching house. All bedrooms have free Wi-Fi, a flat screen TV, I-pod dock/radio and tea- and coffee-making facilities; less mobile guests will appreciate one of the five ground-floor rooms. Satisfying breakfasts are served in the modern dining room, and a small residents’ bar stocks local bottled real ales, lagers, wines and spirits; pubs and restaurants are a short walk away. Limited (first come, first served) on-site parking is possible).

Light and airy, South Lodge, Wavendon, is a contemporary B&B in an acre of landscaped gardens bordering a golf course and fields, five miles SE of Milton Keynes. Spoiling additions to the comfortable bedrooms include soft fluffy robes, homemade biscuits, complimentary soft drinks and fresh milk in the mini fridge, and underfloor heating in sparkling bathrooms. A morning newspaper arrives with breakfast, which may be served in the dining room, on the patio or in one’s room. The Wavendon Arms restaurant is within walking distance; the Stables Theatre is just one mile away.

Bedecked with hanging baskets, a friendly local on the high street. It is owned by Wadworth, an independent brewer based in Wiltshire. Comfortably furnished bedrooms (quieter at the back) have restful tones and some original features. Real ales at the bar; pub dishes (sausage and mash, pie of the day) are sered in the characterful wood-panelled dining areas.

Standing grandly over more recent housing development, this brick-built former manor house is two miles outside the town. The family-owned hotel includes a destination restaurant, a stylish bar, fireside sofas and intimate spaces for drinking and dining. Bright jewel colours run through to pleasing bedrooms.

Once the village blacksmiths, the 16th-century building is now a peaceful B&B with a TV, fridge, hairdryer, radio alarm, and tea- and coffee-making facilities in contemporary bedrooms. For breakfast, local and homemade produce is served in a large open-plan kitchen. A picnic area at the front is set beside the river bank where the Kennet flows past. In a small village, 5 miles W of Marlborough.

Painstakingly restored, a Grade II listed former rectory in peaceful grounds opposite Ecton village church and within walking distance of a local pub and restaurant. A continental breakfast is served in the elegant oak-beamed dining room, which has an original inglenook fireplace. Five miles from Northampton town centre.

Ten minutes from Ascot Racecourse, this 18th-century red-brick pub is a cert for equine devotees and rural inn-seekers alike. There are nooks and crannies, tweedy fabrics. original stone floors and a welcoming open fire in cooler months. Some of the comfortable bedrooms have views over the peaceful garden which has plenty of seating and a cosy Cabana for the ultimate outdoor dining experience. Traditional pub fare is supplemented with dishes such as Wild Boar sausages, mash, lentils and savoy cabbage or braised rabbit, mustard root vegetables and tarragon.

Just outside Bracknell, Valerie Preston’s homely B&B is within easy reach of both Ascot and Windsor. There are thoughtful touches and great attention to detail in comfortable bedrooms, splendid breakfasts, and a terrace in the delightfully colourful. well-cared-for garden. 4 miles drive from Ascot.