‘You can hear the sounds of birds all around’ this converted 14th-century farmhouse.

Up the tree- and hedgerow-lined road from the National Arboretum, this Cotswold-stone country hotel stands in gardens and woodland.

The Pear Tree at Purton closed down on January 2nd, 2018. It has had an entry in the Guide for many years. Anne Young, the owner, who has retired after more than 30 years helping customers, says: 'making happy memories for guests has been a pleasure.'

Countryside chic fills this 17th-century farmhouse on a ridge above vast fields beyond the Cotswold village.

Romance is in the air, along with the birdsong of robins, nuthatches and chaffinches, at this golden-hued manor house in a pretty Cotswold village.

‘However you look at it, it’s truly a delight.’

In leather and tweed, burnished wood and rustic plaid, Dominic Wood’s ‘lovely old pub’ is a ‘delightful, friendly place’.

The log fires still burn within the old stone walls, the mismatched furnishings still stand; the vegetable patch continues to push up fresh ingredients for lunch and dinner.

‘Completely serene’, Nicola and Archie Orr-Ewing’s ‘sweet Cotswold-stone inn’ stands on the village green, a brook trickling by – here’s ‘a good spot for reading in sunny weather’.

‘The wonderful setting alone – in a gorgeous village hidden on the banks of the Thames – makes this a desirable place to stay’, but visitors to the 17th-century inn discover much more to like.

‘We had a great time.’ Fifteen minutes’ drive from Cheltenham, this contemporary country house and spa stands in acres of parkland, woods and meadows, a laid-back atmosphere all around.