‘In a pretty south Cotswolds village', this is a ‘fun, relaxing place’. A Palladian mansion with Arts and Crafts refinements and an Italianate logia, it was recently made over for the Calcot Collection.

‘A lovely, family-friendly hotel,’ was Guide inspectors' verdict on this 16th-century stone manor house with spa in beautiful grounds, ‘looking out over rolling hills’.

Readers ‘had a really lovely, relaxing stay’ at Lila Arora’s apricot-washed Georgian mansion, approached by an avenue of lime trees amid sheep-grazed pastures.

Surrounded by manicured lawns, wild meadow flowers and woodland, this Cotswold-stone manor house, a few miles outside Tetbury, has ‘exceptional staff, excellent service, delightful furnishings’.

‘We were welcomed with a complimentary Pimm’s,’ write Guide insiders, who dined at James Moffett’s historic stone manor house in the Peak District national park.

‘The hotel, its staff and food were exquisite,’ a reader writes of an anniversary visit to Max and Susan Fischer’s stone manor house, in a village on the fringe of Chatsworth Park.

Overlooking National Trust parkland, this Georgian country house has ‘a real sense of grandeur’, say inspectors in 2018.

Built in 1652 as a manor house, this stone inn on the edge of the Peak District national park is owned by Lord and Lady Manners of nearby Haddon Hall

A 19th-century cottage and barn combine as one exceptional B&B on private land within the Peak District national park.

On the ‘picturesque green’ of a ‘peaceful and stunning’ Cotswolds village, this 400-year-old inn was taken over in 2015 by two local families, providing a welcome breath of new life.

Henry VIII gave the manor of Barnsley to each wife in turn – the old romantic! – before it passed to the Bourchier family, who built this Cotswold stone house in the 1690s.

For ‘a quiet weekend in a friendly, characterful hotel among bucolic surroundings’, John and Sue Cushing’s red brick Georgian manor ‘fits the bill perfectly’.

‘We were made so welcome and were well looked after,’ writes a reader, of a stay at this pub-with-rooms at the meeting point of two old drovers’ roads.

‘A homely village pub within easy reach of the A1 and well worth the detour,’ writes a trusted Guide reader after a three-night stay at Paul and Lorraine Willoughby’s traditional inn.

In a ‘stunning setting’ that inspired CS Lewis, this 18th-century dower house stands high in the Malvern hills.

With ‘superb views’ of spectacular limestone cliffs, Chris and Zoe Hipwell’s Georgian town house hotel is ‘a very special spot’ near the River Derwent.

‘Beautifully decorated’ and properly bookish, this Grade II listed village library has been converted into a cheerful B&B near the River Severn.

On a 150-acre working farm, clucking hens are the only neighbours at this Joan and Martin Slack’s 'charming, welcoming’ B&B in the Derbyshire Dales.

A cheerful welcome awaits horses, hikers and hounds at Izzy Barnard’s wild flower-filled Georgian house in prime Shropshire hacking and walking country.

The hub of a pretty Cotswolds village, this mellow-stoned pub-with-rooms (Calcot Hotels) is liked for its stylish rooms and relaxed nature.

In ‘a lovely rural location’ yet within easy reach of the town centre and Worcester cathedral, Chrissie Mitchell's ‘spotless' and 'very reasonable' B&B is ‘surrounded by delight’.

A series of disused outbuildings on the Marriott family’s small arable farm has been converted into homely B&B rooms.

In cluster of Cotswold stone buildings, Chris York and Kate Lewis run their all-round inviting pub-with-rooms with great community spirit.

The Slater siblings have country comfort down to a fine art at their stylish 18th-century coaching inn – a local hotspot for real ales, signature cocktails and zesty pub classics.