Following a stunning redesign, this family-friendly, luxury New Forest hotel and spa continues to set the standard for country-house comfort, romance, fun and superb food.

Anne Boleyn's childhood home, reimagined by William Waldorf Astor as a fairytale moated castle, stands in landscaped grounds with an Edwardian 'Tudor' village, home to this exceptional B&B.

Historic features are seamlessly blended with contemporary styling at this riverside gastropub with indoor, outdoor and waterside dining, and a menu of pub classics alongside more inventive dishes.

An ideal base from which to visit Highclere (aka Downton Abbey) or to spend a day at the races, this dog-friendly, equestrian-themed gastropub has bedrooms in former outbuildings, including the old stables, a wide-ranging menu of pub classics, grills, and imaginative small and large plates.

In the heart of horse-racing country, beneath the ancient Ridgeway, this village gastropub has a choice of very affordable rooms and menus ranging from pub classics to seriously sophisticated fare.

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

With 100 metres of waterfront, river-view bedrooms, casual all-day dining, and plenty to do, this is a fun, casual hotel with a good choice of bedrooms at affordable prices.

Just off the M3, this unpretentious village pub with motel-style accommodation is family friendly and affordable, with a relaxed ambience and a menu of pub favourites, platters and Sunday roasts.

A bus ride from Greater London, in the Surrey hills, this whitewashed former coaching inn is a good mix of friendly local and gastropub with rooms, a good base for walking, cycling and picnics on Box Hill.

Just off the main street of this popular Cotswolds town, this family-run 16th-century former coaching inn is well liked for its three tasteful bedrooms, pub classics done well alongside more adventurous dishes, and an oasis garden at the rear.

Old-world atmosphere and contemporary comforts are in perfect balance at Jeremy Mogford's 17th-century stone country house in the city, handy for all that Oxford has to offer, and with an eclectic art collection, intimate restaurant, walled dining terrace, and immaculate bedrooms, some with outdoor space.

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

Occupying one of Britain's prettiest disused stations and popular with honeymooners, this excellent B&B offers a choice of bedrooms in the station building and restored, mahogany-fitted Pullman coaches, with cream teas served in the waiting room or on the platform, and a locally sourced dinner in the rare Edwardian Pullman dining car, Princess Ena.

A veritable palazzo, this Italianate mansion in National Trust pleasure grounds above the Thames oozes opulence, with bedrooms ranging from doubles to lavish suites, as well as a fine dining restaurant overlooking the parterre, and simpler options in the Astor Grill.

Occupying a row of honeyed-stone 15th-century weavers' cottages, this dog-friendly hotel has an inviting locals bar, individually styled bedrooms that blend contemporary comforts with tradition, and a restaurant serving classics alongside more modern dishes.

Winston Churchill, Charlie Chaplin and Elizabeth Taylor were among notable guests entertained by press baron Lord Beaverbrook at this glamorous Victorian mansion overlooking Italianate gardens, now an opulent spa hotel and treasure trove of memorabilia, with a tempting range of dining options.

Jeremy Mogford's conversion of the old Barclays Bank right in the city centre gets credit for its smartly furnished bedrooms, marble bathrooms, and an art-adorned all-day bistro, Quod, in the old banking hall, with Italian garden terrrace.

Smart hotel accommodation combines with the ambience of a friendly local at this 17th-century country inn, part of Fuller's Cotswold Inns and Hotels collection, where bedrooms mix modern comforts with original features, the restaurant features small plates, Sunday roasts, pub and bistro classics, and your dog can join you in the bar or sun-trap walled garden.

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

On a remote corner of the Isle of Sheppey, this former inn on the Swale Estuary is a birdwatchers' paradise, with smart bedrooms and a waterside restaurant serving highly inventive dishes of locally farmed and foraged ingredients, with produce from the dynamic kitchen garden.

In the quaint and characterful Old Town, this handsome Georgian guest house has a modern, seaside feel, period features, lots of thoughtful extras, and kind hosts who juice fruit and whip up smoothies for breakfast served in the conservatory.

This chic and stylish small hotel, in a beautifully restored Regency building that once hosted the future Queen Victoria, has lovely public spaces for relaxing, drinking or dining, and an enviable clifftop position on a garden square above the sands and Royal Harbour.

Saved from closure by film producer Tim Bevan and his artist wife, Amy Gadney, this honeyed-stone 17th-century village pub reopened in the summer of 2020, with a cosy bar, beautiful rustic-chic bedrooms, very superior pub grub and a full calendar of events.

Amid a wide sweep of Berkshire countryside, this thatched inn is part of the Butcombe Pubs chain, serving imaginative dishes alongside pub classics and with an interesting mix of bedrooms.