‘An ideal place to slow down and relax.’

‘Stylish but informal, fun and relaxing – a grand job overall.’

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

Down an avenue of lime trees stands this characterful hotel, its apricot-washed facade a welcome sight to its legions of loyal fans.

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

In a ‘marvellous Derbyshire Dales setting’, supporters of James Moffett’s rustic, laid-back hotel find much to like: ‘a warm welcome’, ‘decent home-cooked dinners’, ‘quiet, comfortable rooms’.

Fine dining is the order of the day at Max and Susan Fischer’s Jacobean-style Edwardian mansion in the Peak District, approached by a chestnut-shaded drive.

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

In ‘a pleasant location’ close to the cathedral, David Watkins’s family-run hotel has long pleased visitors who praise its ‘quality and comfort’, and its ‘cheerful, intelligent, helpful’ staff. ‘

In ‘an attractive, central setting’, with ‘a commanding vista’ over the city, Tim Hart’s hotel is ‘a clear choice for business travellers and parents visiting offspring at university,’ say Guide inspectors this year.

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.

All is peaceful at John and Sue Cushing’s 18th-century manor house hotel, approached down a country lane embraced by green fields.

‘I was greeted at the door when I arrived; the attention to detail continued throughout my stay.’

Views of parkland and surrounding countryside stretch out from this Victorian manor, where ‘the ambience exudes comfort and encourages total relaxation’.

‘Delightful and characterful’, this centuries-old former coaching inn is ‘a happy ship’, Guide readers say.

In a ‘charming setting’ by the River Wye, this ‘good-value’ restaurant-with-rooms occupies a ‘lovely old building’ a 15-minute walk, over the bridge, from town.

Bespoke wood furnishings, original artwork and bold colours have transformed this one-time shoe factory near the historic centre into a modern, style-led hotel.

Judy Gardner runs her rural restaurant-with-rooms and cookery school in an ‘attractive conversion’ of farm buildings, in a ‘charming, peaceful' village on the edge of the Cotswolds.

Charles II is said to have slept here, and medieval beams and Georgian panelling attest to a long history, but this former coaching inn couldn’t be more ready for the 21st century.

In ‘lovely, well-manicured gardens’ with a zigzagging mini-maze, this ‘luxurious’ English manor house hotel has a reputation for its ‘relaxing atmosphere’ and ‘willing staff’.

Steeped in ‘character, eccentricity and individuality’, this atmospheric, history-rich hotel retains many traces of its past as a 12th-century Cistercian abbey.

‘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.

On the site of Lincoln’s Roman Forum, this smartly refurbished hotel in the historic Bailgate area is an excellent base from which to explore the city.

A garden path from this Edwardian country house leads to the Malvern hills – and the ‘friendly, helpful, efficient staff’ are happy to send you off with a packed lunch and a walking map.