Saved from decay, completely refurbished and fitted out with flair and a sense of fun, this Georgian coaching inn has bedrooms of great character as well as seriously good food.

'Gardez la Foi' reads the Poulett family motto over the door of this thatched village pub, and the trio behind the Beckford group (see The Beckford Arms, Tisbury) have kept absolute faith with their winning concept here. The ambience is friendly and relaxed.

A 14th-century clergy house is home to this hotel, with bright, individually styled bedrooms, and a restaurant serving steaks and burgers as well as highly creative dishes, using locally sourced and home-grown produce.

As much restaurant with rooms as friendly local, this 18th-century village pub, run by a husband-and-wife team, offers smart accommodation and cooking of a very high order.

Readers are unanimous in their praise of the welcoming, helpful staff at this family-friendly hotel at the top of the town, with lovely garden, light-filled restaurant, and glorious views over Lyme Bay.

Everything speaks of respect for nature, provenance and seasonality at Nicholas Balfe's restaurant with beautifully designed and generously supplied bedrooms and a buzzy vibe.

Olive and Hugo Guest's Georgian house on the family's smallholding is run as a guest house and restaurant with beautifully styled interiors, heated pool, tennis court, and an ethos inspired by Italian agriturismo, using home-grown produce for picnics, lunches, Aga-cooked kitchen suppers and gourmet dinners.

High on the cliff top above Chesil Beach, this is an effortlessly hip, relaxed, fun hotel with a Cape Cod vibe, light and airy bedrooms, a bar serving cocktails and seriously good cooking in the restaurant.

Thomas Hardy fans will be in their element at this local watering hole in Dorset, which was the model for 'The Sow and Acorn' in Tess of the d'Urbervilles.

Country-house luxury abounds at this child-friendly, dog-friendly hotel, a Georgian mansion in ‘well-maintained gardens a huge joy to visit’.