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.

In the thick of things, a large, modern hotel on the cobbled high street. Public spaces are vibrantly furnished or bright with colourful prints. Food and drink is available throughout the day; HarSpa has a whirlpool, sauna, steam room and small open-air heated pool.

An elegantly updated Queen Anne-style mansion in lovely gardens. Lavish afternoon teas are served on the terrace, fine dinners in an oak-panelled room. Soothing treatments for face, body and nails can be booked. Guildford Station is a 10 minutes’ drive.

Close to the station, a hotel and restaurant inside a Grade II-listed 18th-century sandstone mansion. Intimate and clubby, there is an open fire in the bar, and Gallic-influenced dishes in the informal restaurant. Alfresco dining on the terrace. Modern bedrooms (some overlooking Calverley Park) have plenty of perks: a capsule coffee machine, fluffy bathrobes, chic toiletries for indulgent bathing. Within walking distance of the Pantiles.

Near the Pantiles, a former brewery and school house is now a modern hotel with sophisticated, neutral-toned bedrooms and suites (some in the neighbouring Townhouse are more contemporary and have a separate entrance). Breakfast is buffet-style. Informal dining as well as a la carte menus are served in Seventeen restaurant. Situated by Cumberland Walk, al fresco morning snacks, cocktails, and light bites can be enjoyed on The Terrace.

Yeehaw! All spruced up, a cowboy-themed hotel (part of a small group) in former Tunbridge Wells West Station. Bedrooms have cowboy boot- or antler-shaped lights, and Native American-style blankets. Vittles include hearty servings of ribs, burgers, nachos and other US favourites in the atmospheric restaurant. Join in the hootin an’ hollerin with live Country and Western bands in the bar until closing time.

By Forbury Gardens, triking 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.

An informal hotel in a renovated black-and-white Victorian building on The Embankment, with fine views out over the River Great Ouse. Rooms are prettily decorated with touches of floral fabrics and wallpaper. Throughout the day, a wide range of food is served in the homely public spaces.

A friendly Wetherspoon pub in a handsome building right In the centre of town. Bedrooms are comfortable and well-equipped, with modern bathrooms. Food and drinks may be ordered via the Wethersppon app, and there are plenty of places to sit inside, plus a terrace and garden for alfresco dining.

Close to Bedford Park, an informal restaurant with rooms blends vintage and modern decoration with flair. Breakfast, morning coffee, traditional British dishes and sharing platters, and homemade afternoon teas are served. Several of the Victorian-style bedrooms have a vintage sink and roll-top bath.