Big picture windows frame views of the Dart at this cool, contemporary hotel with a leisure vibe, uncluttered chic bedrooms, relaxed gourmet dining in the riverside restaurant and alfresco.

A Saxon royal hunting lodge in the Gloucestershire countryside, rebuilt over centuries, is run today as a private hotel by 'lovely hosts' Christopher Trim and Kathryn Warner.

Hidden in a back street of Padstow's old town, these sybaritic B&B suites, created by chef Paul Ainsworth and his wife, are an ideal retreat for foodies.

In 'the most idyllic location', cascading down the cliffs at St Mawes with views to St Anthony's lighthouse, Olga Polizzi's seaside hotel continues to delight readers. Once home to a yacht club, it is spread across a cluster of houses.

With its bright yellow front door and rhubarb-pink sitting room, this Georgian town house with cottages, forge and Michelin-starred dining is 'classic and chic, a place exuding love and care'.

The fun begins in the sculpture-studded subtropical garden at this dog-friendly clifftop hotel, and runs through everything, from the ambience to the decor.

This delightfully eccentric boutique B&B, a stroll from Torquay's seafront, has won numerous awards for its singular style and luxurious standards. Run with great warmth by Andy and Julian Banner-Price, it is known for its funky features, state-of-the-art touches and fastidious attention to detail.

Where Exmoor meets the Bristol Channel, this foodie retreat that oozes personality and style has 'very comfortable rooms with lovely sea views; the food is up there with many Michelin-starred restaurants'.

Country-house luxury abounds at this child-friendly, dog-friendly hotel, a Georgian mansion, its ‘well-maintained gardens a huge joy to visit’.

There's a huge sense of fun at this stylish hotel, whose logo is Vanity Fair's caricature of the 9th Marquess of Queensberry, Oscar Wilde's Nemesis. Laurence and Helen Beere's hotel, a quirky combination of four townhouses has pugilism-themed jokes throughout; the decor is knockout too.

An Edwardian hunting lodge, this welcoming, opulent B&B is a perfect base from which to explore Exmoor.

What began life as a cliff-top coastguard station in 1847 has metamorphosed into a relaxed luxury hotel in rural seclusion, with its own beach a walk away.

In a village close to Bath, one of England's oldest inns offers characterful rooms and above-average pub fare.

Serving cider since 1851, this honey-stone village pub has been attracting attention since a lockdown makeover by enthusiastic new owners. Contemporary-chic bedrooms have good fabrics, a Roberts radio, 100 Acres toiletries, views over gently rolling countryside.

At the heart of the city, this chic hotel offers a good choice of rooms in two elegant Georgian townhouses.

A charmed 'village within a village', this collection of honeyed buildings houses chic rooms surrounded by pretty gardens, with outdoor pool, spa, cookery school, bar, and short, modern menus of country produce in the Ox Barn.

A loyal following of guests returns time and again to this 17th-century house, with stone-mullioned windows in 'a lovely quiet location, with nice gardens'.

The Fowey estuary washes around the rear terrace at this white stucco Victorian hotel with boutique-chic bedrooms in restful shades, and restaurant serving classic dishes with a modern twist.

Gorgeous interiors and a friendly, informal ambience are a winning combination at Susan Stuart's beautiful B&B, where every bedroom has a sea view, and breakfast is quite special.

Michelin-starred chef Michael Caines has created a country house hotel for the 21st century, a foodie destination and place of soft-spoken luxury, in a Georgian mansion overlooking the Exe estuary.

Amid gardens, native woodland and meadow, this 16th-century manor house is today a family-friendly hotel and spa with contemporary comforts and a choice of formal and informal dining.

In a small village on the Duchy of Somerset's estate, the Victorian Somerset Arms was relaunched in 2021 as an idealised rustic-chic country pub.

The old Ring o' Bells village pub is now a restaurant-with-rooms, transformed by new owners and trained chefs Caroline Gardiner and Alan Lucas in a 2020 lockdown makeover.

In 25 acres of mature grounds, this handsome stone manor house has seven chic bedrooms with emperor bed and home-made treats, a relaxing lounge, friendly staff who deliver a much-praised breakfast with a smile.

In a medieval village overlooked by a red sandstone castle, the old guest house for Cleeve Abbey is now a friendly, unstuffy hotel, with a mix of bedroom styles, eclectically furnished public rooms, gorgeous bar, and menus catering to all tastes.

Massive crenellated walls, with arrow slits and multi-tier bay windows, enclose panelled interiors adorned with tapestries and suits of armour at this Tudor castle and Relais et Château hotel.

The three Guest brothers made their first bold foray into hospitality with this boutique hotel and spa occupying three Grade I listed town houses on a splendid Georgian terrace.