Somerset born and Somerset bred, Louise and David Farrance have run their B&B in this wisteria-hung 15th-century Somerset longhouse for nearly ten years.

In a ‘very quiet’ Chew Valley hamlet criss-crossed by public footpaths ideal for a ramble, this ‘most appealing’ inn is ‘a good base and a real bargain’, say Guide readers this year.

Black swans glide on the lake in the garden; sun pours in through Venetian windows. Here, perched on a lynch, or ridge, above the Cary river valley, is a classic Georgian country house run as a B&B with ‘a touch of class’.

‘There are no flashy bits, just a friendly atmosphere and good, old-fashioned hospitality’ at Ann and Ian Dyer’s rural B&B on the family farm at the foot of the Quantock hills.

In a Georgian country house said to have been built by the Duke of Wellington for his mistress, Claire and Nicholas Potts’s elegant B&B is run with ‘friendliness’ and a fair number of egg dishes at breakfast.

‘All kinds of interesting art and quirky touches’ bring cheer to this lively modern hotel, which sprawls across three Georgian town houses on busy North Parade.

‘A hive of activity’, Clare and Charlie Garrard’s 17th-century thatched inn is well liked for its ‘excellent accommodation’, ‘enjoyable food’ and ‘efficient, professional staff’.

‘The shabby-chic style suits the relaxed atmosphere’ at this ‘fresh, appealing’ candidate, one of Robin Hutson’s sty of Pig hotels.

‘A special place’, Julie and Edward Christian’s B&B is in a ‘beautifully furnished’ 1930s house in secluded grounds overlooking Exmoor countryside.

On a cobbled Georgian square as central as it gets, Nici and Alan Jones’s prime-location B&B stretches across two town houses, with period features and well-considered touches in each.

There’s a ‘lovely, informal atmosphere’ at this ‘friendly’ pub-with-rooms, down the street from the old, stone-built village church.

A total revamp of this 16th-century pub-with-rooms, in a village on the edge of the Somerset Levels, has exposed stone walls, left wooden floors bare and unveiled patchwork tiling, resulting in a contemporary, rustic-chic look throughout.

‘All very welcoming’, this is today a ‘nearly faultless’ B&B where guests are greeted with a ‘generous tea’ on arrival.

Amid the sublime sweep of a Grade I listed Georgian crescent, two converted town houses combine as one luxury hotel affording ‘magical vistas’ over lawns and public parkland.

In a medieval village in Lorna Doone country, this ‘well-managed’ 15th-century coach inn overlooking National Trust parkland is owned by Anne and Nigel Way.

Contented guests praise the ‘friendly, efficient staff’, ‘comfy beds’ and ‘good food’ at Philip Mepham’s inn on the village green.

‘A good address’, David and Annie Lanz’s B&B stands in large gardens, a 10-minute walk, across the River Avon, from the city.

Away from the hordes of the city centre, retreat to this quiet, contemporary B&B owned by cellist Timothy Hugh and his wife, Kathryn.