A cosy beamed pub is the warm heart of this hotel, in the shelter of wooded, red sandstone cliffs that reminded the young Queen Victoria of 'a ballet or a play where nymphs appear'.

Family run, dog-friendly and beloved of readers, the Reynolds's small country-house hotel is praised for its comfort, service and ambitious cooking.

Birdwatchers and bon vivants beat a path to Tracy and Galton Blackiston's Michelin-starred restaurant with rooms in a flint farmhouse with Blakeney nature reserve on the doorstep.

A Baroque Victorian mansion in five-acre grounds above the Fowey estuary is home to this relaxed but stylish hotel, offering fun for all the family (not forgetting the dog), flexible dining, and comfortable, contemporary bedrooms.

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

Amid gardens, native woodland and meadow, this 16th-century manor house is today a family-friendly spa hotel with luxury accommodation, a choice of pub food and more sophisticated dining, and plenty to keep the kids amused.

A dog and child-friendly hotel above Chesil Beach, this Georgian manor house is dedicated to family leisure and pleasure, with plenty to keep tots and teens amused, while the restaurant serves light bites by day, bistro-style dishes at dinner.