You can paddleboard on the river, stroll to see the deer in Richmond Park, and feel a world away from central London at this smart, multifaceted Thames-side hotel.

A 16th-century village inn has been reinvented as a fun, bohemian hangout, with rustic-chic bedrooms, upcycled furniture, modern artworks, good pub grub and an irrepressible sense of fun.

For 40 years, Raymond Blanc has held two Michelin stars at this beautiful country-house hotel 'and it's not surprising – every mouthful of every meal is a triumph', say Guide insiders.

A New Forest bolt-hole, this country house hotel has an easy glamour, romantic and family-friendly rooms, heart-warming Italian food and top-notch spa.

Just a couple of minutes' drive from Petworth, with views over farmland to the South Downs, this gastropub has smart contemporary bedrooms and some exciting menu choices.

A fine base for exploring the Chilterns, this urbane hotel is just outside a picturesque riverside village near historic houses and vineyards.

With the Goodwood Estate down the road and the South Downs on the doorstep, this rural, dog-friendly former coaching inn is popular with Barbour-wearing country-sports enthusiasts and hikers.

This former coaching inn is now an equestrian-themed gastropub and restaurant, with affordable boutique bedrooms spread across four annexe buildings.

Jeremy Mogford's conversion of the old Barclays Bank gets credit from a Guide insider for its 'brilliant location, right in the city centre'.

Once a retreat for Lord Beaverbrook, this Victorian mansion, filled with fascinating memorabilia, is home to chic contemporary bedrooms, a fine-dining restaurant, Japanese grill, library, cinema and spa.

'A stone's throw from everything Oxford has to offer', Jeremy Mogford's second hotel (see the Old Bank) impressed our inspectors with its 'peaceful, classy vibe'.

Between the Thames and Windrush, this 17th-century pub blends all the charm of a traditional village local with rugs on flagstone floors, comfy sofas and log-burner, country-chic bedrooms and gastropub cooking.

With Thameside gardens and free mooring, this 18th-century inn has six courtyard bedrooms with vintage and contemporary furniture, a cosy beamed bar, a menu of pub favourites and creative dishes.

Pigs have foraged in the New Forest since the Norman Conquest, but a different breed arrived in 2011, when Robin Hutson took on a Georgian hunting lodge and reinvented the English country house hotel.

In gardens bordered by a stream, the Wild family's hotel, converted from three 17th-century cottages, a stroll from its own quayside, has well-equipped, country-classic bedrooms, formal and informal dining in restaurant and brasserie.

A colonial-style Victorian villa with galleried veranda has been refurbished in fine style, with 16 classy bedrooms and an airy restaurant serving locally sourced, seasonal, modern British fare.

History meets the modern world at this Elizabethan manor house, a luxury e hotel in eight acre-grounds, with gracious drawing room, state-of-the-art spa and fine-dining restaurant.

Close to Canterbury, this village gastropub has four stylish bedrooms, informal dining inside and out, and imaginative menus of locally sourced produce.

This chic and stylish small hotel in a restored Regency building has an enviable clifftop position overlooking the beach and Royal Harbour.

A great white wedding cake of a hotel, this Victorian extravaganza invites you to take a step back in time, to take tea or cocktails to the sound of the Palm Court Strings, dine in style and retire to a deluxe bedroom at prices that won't break the bank.

This baronial-style Victorian manor house overlooking a deer park in the New Forest has been stylishly updated as an adults-only retreat with a well-regarded restaurant.

Smart accommodation combines with the ambience of a country pub, replete with beams, flagstones and open fires, and a restaurant serving modern British cooking at this Cotswolds hotel.