Free-roaming ponies and donkeys wander past the garden gates of this Arts and Crafts-style single-storey house in the magical surroundings of the New Forest.

For more than 40 years, Raymond Blanc has held two Michelin stars at this beautiful country-house hotel 'and in our opinion, it's a travesty that he hasn't been awarded three', say Guide insiders.

Made over in the Signet Collection's signature style, this country-house hotel in a picturesque South Downs village has a relaxed ambience, chic, affordable bedrooms, a boutique spa, and imaginative brasserie fare with good plant-based options.

Amid 1,000 acres of historically important gardens, pleasure grounds and woodland, this romantic Elizabethan manor house, built by an ironmaster for his bride, forms an impressive backdrop for Michelin-starred cuisine.

Life is attuned to nature at this country-house hotel in a Georgian mansion on a working estate. with walled garden, biodynamic farm, luxury spa, and two restaurants that celebrate seasonality and provenance.

Old meets new in this revived 16th-century coaching inn, now a busy, cheerful pub in a historic Wealden village.

A veritable palazzo, this Italianate mansion in National Trust pleasure grounds above the Thames oozes opulence, with bedrooms ranging from doubles to lavish suites, as well as a fine dining restaurant overlooking the parterre, and simpler options in the Astor Grill.

Hostess Sarah Burgoyne, a Paris-trained cook, will serve a no-choice dinner by arrangement at her Georgian manor house B&B in gardens and grounds with a glamorous swimming pool, where breakfast brings new-laid eggs from the hens, and honey from the hives, and where guests are greeted with tea and cake.

Just five minutes and a world away from Ashford International, Brad and Kristie Lomas's 17th-century manor house in an oasis garden is a fine country-house hotel and foodie destination.

An 18th-century mansion built around an older core, this family-oriented and dog-friendly hotel in the New Forest offers flexible dining, high tea for the little ones, a bistro-style restaurant menu and lounge menu, plus bedrooms mixing period and contemporary styling.

Winston Churchill, Charlie Chaplin and Elizabeth Taylor were among notable guests entertained by press baron Lord Beaverbrook at this glamorous Victorian mansion overlooking Italianate gardens, now an opulent spa hotel and treasure trove of memorabilia, with a tempting range of dining options.

With the emphasis on laid-back luxury, this Regency mansion in parkland, once home to Percy Shelley's mother, is today a country-house hotel that is part of the Signet Collection, offering surprisingly affordable bedrooms, a swish spa, a brasserie and pan-Asian restaurant.

In rose-filled gardens approached by a bridge across a stream, the Wild family's hotel, converted from three 17th-century cottages a stroll from its own quayside, has well-equipped, country-classic bedrooms, and both formal and informal dining in restaurant and brasserie.

A stunning baronial-style Victorian manor house overlooking a red-deer sanctuary in the New Forest, this spa hotel with outdoor pool has been stylishly updated as an adults-only retreat with a well-regarded restaurant offering à la carte, prix fixe and vegan menus of locally sourced food.

In a historic and picturesque South Downs village, this colonial-style Victorian villa with galleried veranda has 16 classy bedrooms and an airy restaurant and dining terrace serving short menus of locally sourced, seasonal, modern British dishes.

Smart hotel accommodation combines with the ambience of a friendly local at this 17th-century country inn, part of Fuller's Cotswold Inns and Hotels collection, where bedrooms mix modern comforts with original features, the restaurant features small plates, Sunday roasts, pub and bistro classics, and your dog can join you in the bar or sun-trap walled garden.

In beautiful, mature, landscaped gardens with views to the South Downs, a few minutes' drive from the coast, this Georgian rectory B&B is a tranquil retreat, with traditional bedrooms that look onto the gardens, two with an antique four-poster.

This good-value B&B in a Victorian farmhouse on the Sissinghurst estate makes the perfect base for a visit to the iconic English gardens laid out in the 1930s by Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson. The largest bedroom looks out to ancient woodland and to the castle's iconic Elizabethan tower.