‘There’s lots of room to play and run around’ at this ‘pretty, rambling manor house’ in ‘fantastic grounds’ on the edge of the Cotswolds. Part of Nigel Chapman’s Luxury Family Hotels group, the hotel is run with ‘care and empathy, and scores of considerate touches that make it perfect for parents of young children’, say trusted Guide correspondents this year. In the ‘cosy sitting rooms’ in the Jacobean mansion, there are wood fires, squashy sofas, a hidden glockenspiel, books, magazines and Rex, the resident King Charles spaniel. The staff are ‘laid-back and relaxed’, the children, ‘thrilled’. Individually styled bedrooms come in scores of different configurations. ‘Ours, in the old laundry, was ideal for our family, with a large bed downstairs and two camp beds in the living room upstairs.’ Flexible meal options include children’s high teas, early family suppers, and grown-up candlelit dinners. ‘The food was good – simple and hearty – but the service, though friendly, could have been sharper (long waits).’ Read the morning newsletter over an ‘excellent breakfast’ to discover the adventures dreamed up for the day ahead.