George Dailey’s honey-stone roadside inn, north of Oxford, is a popular village hub where locals come for the ‘excellent’ cooking – and where farther-flung guests settle in for ‘a very nice stay’.

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.

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.