Abutting the Roman city walls, this style-savvy red brick old coaching inn (Young’s Brewery) has a lively atmosphere. Inside, a host of interesting curios including a vintage sewing machine, a ship’s masthead, and splashes of colour lend a quirky yet unpretentious vibe. Microbrewed drinks and traditional pub classics are served all day in the buzzy restaurant. In balmy weather, diners spill on to the large beer garden. ‘Boutiquey’ bedrooms are themed (water, wool, cotton).

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

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.

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.

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.

Inside a Georgian town house, an elegant bar, restaurant and hotel, overlooking the high street of a charming market town. Some of the ‘high’-dubbed bedrooms retain an antique fireplace and have an eye-catching feature wall. Evening menus in the modern restaurant include European dishes such as chicken and mushroom Stroganoff or king prawn and crayfish risotto. A wide choice of light bites, sharing boards, burgers is available at lunchtime; roasts on Sundays. An enclosed, sunny courtyard has tables, chairs and parasols. Six miles N-E of Swindon town centre.

In Plympton St Maurice, on the edge of the city, this Georgian manor was once a convent. Now a hotel and events venue, tranquillity remains in calming, modern bedrooms and in the surrounding nine acres of gardens and sweeping lawns. Local and regionally sourced produce appears on the restaurant’s fine dining menus: perhaps curried white crab with pea panna cotta, pink grapefruit and fresh pea shoots; Tournedos Rossini – fillet of Devon beef on crispy crouton with chicken liver parfait, dauphinoise potato, wild mushroom and baby onion jus.