Henry VIII gave the manor of Barnsley to each wife in turn – the old romantic! – before it passed to the Bourchier family, who built this Cotswold stone house in the 1690s. It is today an upmarket hotel and spa with ‘a relaxed feel and lovely setting’. ‘Beautiful bedrooms’, decorated in natural tones, come with biscuits, magazines, mineral water. Some deluxe rooms, overlooking gardens laid out by former resident and garden designer Rosemary Verey, have side-by-side baths and walk-in shower. The Rosemary Verey suite has a private courtyard, conservatory and grotto. The Stableyard suites are ‘not for the old or infirm’: ‘a steep flight of steps’ separates bedroom from bathroom and seating area. A bath ‘the size of a small swimming pool’ was a mobility challenge in itself. In the Potager restaurant, Francesco Volgo’s cooking is inspired by the seasons and produce from the kitchen garden, perhaps chicken breast, sweetcorn pancakes, bacon, sprouting broccoli. Cheaper fare is available in The Village Pub (see Shortlist). Staff are ‘polite, attentive and plentiful’, while an ‘excellent breakfast’ includes free-range eggs from the house hens. Calcot Manor, Tetbury (see entry) is a sister enterprise.