Wander through the ‘extravagantly and sumptuously furnished’ rooms at this stately mansion – it’s not hard to imagine being a member of the court of Louis XVIII of France, who lived here, in exile, in the 19th century. Today, run by Historic House Hotels for the National Trust, it is a ‘special’, ‘blissfully quiet’ place to stay.

‘Classy, comfortable and tasteful, the house has kept its period character without being “old hat”; the rooms are elegantly furnished without being pretentious,’ say trusted Guide correspondents in 2016, of this ‘special’ country house hotel.

Arrive, as did Guide readers this year, ‘in perfect time for sitting on the terrace and being wonderfully spoilt’.

Admirers of Sue and James Murray’s ‘characterful’, ‘beautiful old manor’ continue to sing its praises. ‘It is uniformly excellent, with high standards of hotel-keeping, comfort and service,’ says a guest this year.

‘Old-fashioned hospitality and exceptional cuisine’ come together at this ‘intimate’ luxury hotel.

Intrigued by the idea of an antique four-poster bed so high you need steps to get into it? Fascinated by the notion of a Victorian steampunk bath right in the bedroom? Look no further.

‘Friendly, efficient’ staff, ‘very comfortable’ rooms and ‘excellent’ food draw visitors to this 17th-century coaching inn ‘with a modern twist’.

There’s a great atmosphere at this privately owned country house spa hotel (Relais & Châteaux), unstintingly luxurious yet completely family friendly.

With ‘exceptional’ food, ‘exemplary’ housekeeping and ‘staff who are a real pleasure to be among’, this ‘delightful’ creeper-clad coaching inn finds favour among our readers.

Gary and Donna MacRae have refurbished and revived this 1840s stone house, approached via a ‘sweet little stone bridge’ across a stream.

Visitors new and old continue to award gold stars to the Francis family’s characterful hotel, in a star-shaped, 16th-century castle above Hugh Town, with ‘stunning views’ over the islands.

Family owned, family run, exuberantly family friendly, Keith Makepeace’s ‘welcoming’ hotel stands in rolling countryside above a valley running down to the shore.

‘The 21st-century’s answer to staying at Downton Abbey’, this ‘elegant’, ‘well-run’ William and Mary mansion continues to win accolades from guests who deem it ‘superb’.

‘It’s like going home,’ writes a regular Guide reader this year, who considers Jean-Pierre Mifsud’s country house hotel ‘a regular haunt’.

‘On our umpteenth-plus-one visit, we found it as wonderful as ever,’ a devotee writes this year.

‘Pretty well perfect’, Toby Ashworth’s seaside hotel on the Roseland peninsula, founded nearly 30 years ago by his grandmother, continues to please.

‘Expensive but worth every penny,’ say guests seduced by the ‘beautiful’ grounds, ‘stunning’ bedrooms, ‘superb’ meals and ‘attentive, personable’ staff at this history-rich Italianate mansion on the River Thames.

‘Friendly’, ‘informal’ and ‘welcoming’, James Moffett’s ‘characterful’ hotel is well liked by walkers and dog owners, who come for the ‘reasonable prices’ and the ‘marvellous Derbyshire Dales setting’.

In well-kept gardens reaching to the River Derwent, where wild trout dart through the water, this stylish 17th-century manor house is run with ‘high standards’.

A ‘lovely’ country welcome awaits at Anne Young’s ‘outstanding’ small hotel. It stands in a ‘very special’ garden filled with ‘a treasure trove of wild flowers’.

‘Well-appointed’ bedrooms, a ‘gem’ of a restaurant and ‘exceptionally helpful’ staff combine at this ‘very comfortable’ countryside hotel.

‘Lively, comfortable, informal, stylish – at the top of its game.’

In a ‘gorgeous’ setting, ‘blending into the hillside’ just yards from the Welsh border, Miles and Audrey Hunter have run their ‘lovely’ small hotel for nearly 30 years.

‘Our favourite small hotel – simply the best run we’ve ever stayed at.’ The Cunliffe family’s ‘great’ country house hotel continues to please Guide readers.