Floors slope, stairs are steep and narrow and views of the Cathedral and Green are wondrous from this old and quirky building. Downstairs, home-made Italian cuisine in Rugantinos restaurant.

A smart, well-appointed B&B situated in the heart of town. A Continental breakfast is served in a contemporary dining area, or may be taken in the room.

Nestling by a church, a traditional, family-run country inn with a bar, comfy sofas and good food in two restaurant areas. The 17th-century building is close to Montacute House; Yeovil is a thirteen minute drive.

Within the Bowood Estate, a purpose-built country house with adjacent golf facilities and an award-winning spa (infinity swimming pool, gym, rock sauna, crystal steam room, aromatherapy shower and relaxation room, and treatments. The Shelburne Restaurant, Bar & Library have all-day dining and parkland views. Guests receive complimentary access to Bowood House & Gardens (April to October). Chippenham is a 6-mile drive away.

Nestling in over seven acres, there are glorious views of the garden from every room of this lovingly refurbished 18th-century house. Accommodation is in three spacious rooms (one with a separate bathroom), and B&B guests may sit in front of a warm hearth in the cosy sitting room/library or drawing room. The host is helpful with local knowledge. A short walk away, a lively pub serves tasty food.

Set in seven acres of beautiful grounds, a historic manor house listed in the Domesday Book, and once owned by Elizabeth I’s Lord Treasurer, Lord Burghley. Rebuilt in 1840, it still features an original fireplace in the galleried hall. Casual dining, snacks and afternoon tea are served in the Restaurant and on the large terrace overlooking the garden. The hotel is in the village of Stanton Saint Quintin, four miles from Chippenham.

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.

Set up as a training centre for RNLI volunteers, this purpose-built structure overlooks Holes Bay in Poole Harbour. Alongside crew members, visitors can stay in comfortable, jauntily decorated bedrooms (each with a double bed, work desk, seating and stunning view of the harbour). Breakfast and bistro food is served in the light and cheerful Riggers restaurant facing the waterfront; the Slipway bar has drinks and nibbles. Tours of the facility (which include a wave tank and simulator) can be pre-arranged. Every £1 spent goes towards providing equipment, training, and support for those saving lives at sea.

Overlooking the Blackdown Hills, a welcoming, dog-friendly country pub in an 18th century coaching Inn. It is surrounded by rolling fields and the Neroche Staple Fitzpaine Herepath  (a 13.5 mile off-road trail) is close by.  Bedrooms are neat and comfortable, and supplied with tea, coffee, bottled water; Chard is large enough to accommodate a family of four. In the bar, local ciders and wines accompany home-made food, such as calves liver with crispy bacon, creamy mash and gravy or Dover sole Benoit with Fowey mussels and a white wine crème fraîche sauce, and a choice of vegetarian and vegan dishes, all based on locally sourced ingredients.

In the centre of this bustling market town, a family-friendly (Fullers) hotel in a handsome Grade II listed former coaching inn. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, menus include moules frites and steak frites. Quirky rooms have bold wallpaper. The flower-filled courtyard garden is ideal for sunny days and balmy nights. https://www.booking.com/hotel/gb/the-bull-dorset.en-gb.html?aid=311076

Off the beaten track, four miles south of Taunton, a relaxed and dog-friendly rustic inn with wooden floors, exposed stone walls, leather sofas and a log burner, Perfect pre- and post a bracing walk, the welcoming bar serves an extensive range of Somerset ales, and there is hearty fare in the oak-beamed restaurant. Bedrooms have views of rolling countryside.

In over an acre of grounds, this traditional country house hotel occupies an ivy-covered Regency-style building three hundred yards from the harbour. There are characterful bedrooms and a restaurant specialising in local fish and in-season locally grown fruit and vegetables. Lighter meals are available in the bar and comfortable lounge.

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.

In an elevated position, large, bright bedrooms at this welcoming B&B overlook glorious landscapes. Built mainly of flint, the house is in a small village five miles from Bridport, and surrounded by its own stone-walled garden. Coffee and cake is served on arrival; in the morning, there is a generous, varied breakfast.

Seaside hints abound at this Victorian town house, an easy stroll from the seafront. Spic and span modern bedrooms have plenty of storage and are decorated in soft colours; two overlook the greenery of St John’s Park. Hearty breakfasts are served in a coastal-hued breakfast room and the friendly hosts share useful local tips with their B&B guests.

Recently renovated in fresh, contemporary style, a grand Edwardian residence close to Weymouth Marina. Spruce bedrooms include a mini fridge with fresh milk, Bluetooth speaker and a charging hub. The lounge has an honesty bar, and fine breakfasts are served in a dining room with its original ceiling and wooden floor.

Opposite Taunton Racecourse, a charming 17th-century lodge set in over an acre of gardens. Some of the B&B accommodation is in spacious rooms in the main house – one has an emperor size bed, a bathroom with his and hers washbasins, free-standing bath, a separate power shower, and views to the Blackdown Hills. Characterful suites in the former stables have beams, a 4-poster bed, Persian rugs on traditional slate floors, and their own private access. A well-equipped, self-catering two-bedroom cottage is also available.

On the seafront, several bedrooms at this small Georgian-fronted B&B give wonderful views over Weymouth bay. Takeaway fish and chips may be eaten in the dining room; days out can be planned in the welcoming lounge.

In a rambling, five hundred-year-old house, this family-run hotel is decorated with a mix of traditional and quirky features. Bedrooms have ornate beds, rich fabrics and uneven floors. Downstairs, there are original inglenook fireplaces and fine furnishings in the elegant public areas. The restaurant (open Monday-Thursday) serves set two- and three-course menus for dinner.

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.

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.

Close to the sea front, a 16th-century house with a rich past, and a French-inspired light, airy interior. During summer months the whole house can be rented for up to 12 people.