Originally a mediaeval hunting lodge way back in the 13th century, this New Forest manor was reclaimed for royalty by the Duke of Clarence in the 1740s. Since then, Lime Wood hotel has had another extravagant makeover, giving this stately pile an air of perfection, with landscaped grounds, devotedly designed interiors, a super spa and a tantalising restaurant to prove it.

Mirroring the alleyways of this ancient Sussex town, the George in Rye’s gorgeously revamped restaurant, bar and rooms unfurl beneath bowing ceilings and along maze-like corridors. Rooms are a treasure trove, each one very unlike the last; here a tin rolltop bath, there a copper one… here a miniature 17th-century French writing bureau, there some monochrome Florence Broadhurst textiles. Local touches abound, too: reclaimed sails for wallpaper; upcycled madeleine trays for cupboard doors.

Once upon a time, a rector and his 14 children had the original rectory all to themselves – these days, we can all rock up to The Rectory Hotel (praise be). Items worth giving thanks for include: the romantic rooms with their field-and-village views, the excellent restaurant, the al fresco pool and the thoughtful extras, from the relaxed service to the just-baked cakes. Of course, the Cotswolds countryside (and its snug-as-a-bug pubs) isn’t half bad, either…

A grand Gothic getaway on the most noble waterway in the land, Oakley Court may be set in a historic building, but the stuffiness stays at the door. Instead, guests are invited to treat this stately pile as their own – choosing the vinyl for the record player, taking tea wherever one pleases and drinking at any time desired. The riverside has its own micro Soho House, with an ice-rink every winter, mini marquees by the water and heaters to ensure no amusement is curtailed by the temperature. And just in case that doesn’t sound fun enough: in the summer months you'll find a Jeremy Deller-designed bouncy castle the size and shape of Stonehenge (yes, really). The Druids would be proud.

The flint-lined buildings that once housed Langham village’s glass-blowing factory have been shaped into something just as artful: modern-minded North Norfolk hideaway the Harper. Updated by the Cutmore-Scott family, its interiors now have primary-hued velvet couches, flashes of red brick, industrial design elements (a nod to owner Sam’s engineer grandfather) and sleek four-posters in most rooms. And service is as forward-thinking as its style, welcoming muddied dog-walkers and urbane cocktail-clinkers alike. Go ‘gillying’ and coast-walking, play pool in the Den, feast on the best of land and sea, and end your day with English wines by the fire pit in the tree-shaded terrace.

The Bath Arms at Longleat offers the kind of reassuring, ‘get your battery back up to 100 per cent’ break that you leave feeling truly buoyed. They achieve this by selecting the friendliest staff from the area, ensuring the pub inspires warm fellowship between locals and minibreakers, and by plying you with top worldly wines and local brews with a good head on them. And, if you’ve had one too many Butcombes or slugs of the hotel’s own Horning Ale, they’ll spark you back up with a free Bloody Mary come breakfast. Its antiquity has bestowed plenty of character, with the odd creaky floorboard, wonkily shaped room and heritage trees in the garden.