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.

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.