Farlam Hall

‘With a tradition of service that’s second to none, this is one of the finest country house hotels – if not “the” finest – in England,’ raves a regular Guide reader this year. In ‘beautiful’ grounds where ‘magnificent mature trees’ stand sentry, the Quinion family has welcomed guests to their creeper-clad sandstone retreat since 1975. Come in: ‘It’s like slipping into a pair of cosy slippers the moment you cross the doorstep.’ The lounges have a Victorian feel, with original fireplaces, comfy sofas and objets d’art; settle in for morning coffee and biscuits. Bedrooms are large, traditional, eclectically furnished, with patterned wallpaper and a substantial bathroom. ‘Dress smartly for dinner.’ In the elegant dining room, its floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking garden and ornamental lake, Barry Quinion’s ‘excellent’, short daily-changing menus (‘no excessive portions’) might include timbale of West Coast crab and avocado; loin of local lamb, roasted parsnips, rosemary, red onions. The area calls for days out – there are ‘castles galore’; Hadrian’s Wall is easily accessible. ‘We had a fantastic stay.’ (Chris Savory, EM Arnold, and others)