A jar of cookies in the bedroom is just one of the quirks at this fun, intimate boutique hotel, with bedrooms that mix vintage and modern, contemporary British cooking, great service – and Alnwick Castle a stroll away.

Named in honour of Shrewsbury's famous son, this Grade II* listed Sandford House, moments from the Severn towpath, has evolved into a B&B full of Darwin references, with animal and plant wallpapers, maps and natural history objets.

Steeped in history and dating in parts from Norman times, this extraordinary hotel has antique-filled bedrooms, an oasis rear garden bounded by the city wall, and a fine-dining restaurant.

After a 2020 lockdown makeover and change of ownership, this personable, affordable Belgravia hotel is on good form, with smart bedrooms, a 'secret garden' and breakfast, brunch and lunches on offer in the Buttery.

Much loved by readers, this hotel, restaurant and social hub beside the Great Ouse is justly as popular as ever under its new owners.

Enjoying an ideal location opposite Clifton Down, this twin-bayed Georgian merchant's house B&B sits atop one of Bristol's highest hills, with panoramic views.

There's a huge sense of fun at this stylish hotel, whose logo is Vanity Fair's caricature of the 9th Marquess of Queensberry, Oscar Wilde's Nemesis. Laurence and Helen Beere's hotel, a quirky combination of four townhouses has pugilism-themed jokes throughout; the decor is knockout too.

Fine bedrooms, mixing antique and modern furniture, are named after designers and styled accordingly, at this Georgian-house-turned-pub by the cathedral, with a menu of old favourites and inventive dishes.

A home away from home in the heart of Chelsea is the aim of these red-brick Victorian townhouses, which have been converted into a luxurious hotel of dazzling individuality.

At this Grade I listed Georgian House of Assemblies, where glamorous event spaces drip with chandeliers, you'll find a restaurant, cookery school, and 15 spacious bedrooms, styled with pizzazz and a sense of fun, several with their own garden or lounge.

Jeremy Mogford's conversion of the old Barclays Bank gets credit from a Guide insider for its 'brilliant location, right in the city centre'.

An £80 million makeover of an old coaching inn has resulted in this splendid city hotel, which playfully references Cambridge in its décor, and serves retro classics and more exotic fare in Parker's Tavern.

Cool styling and 'whimsical touches' characterise this Georgian town house with its comforting Yorkshire food, cocooning spa and sunny welcome to all, dogs and children included.

Gorgeous interiors and a friendly, informal ambience are a winning combination at Susan Stuart's beautiful B&B, where every bedroom has a sea view, and breakfast is quite special.

Overlooked by the dramatic landmark of Arthur's Seat, this period gem of a Victorian villa with fine original details and handsome furnishings is a relaxing retreat just ten minutes from the city centre.

'It is a treat' to stay in this 'wonderful B&B', writes a reader of this Georgian house on Newport's main street. It makes an ideal base from which to explore the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and hosts Judith and Michael Cooper, who welcome guests with tea or coffee and home-made Welsh cakes, can advise on the 'fabulous walks nearby'.

You can imagine nodding off in an armchair over the latest issue of Samuel Johnson's Idler, or William Hazlitt's polemics in the Tatler, when you step into this time-warp hotel and close the door on trendy Soho. It was here, on a Georgian terrace in the 1820s, that essayist Hazlitt penned his valediction, and antiques and furnishings keep faith with a bygone age.

Modern mixes with medieval on the ramparts of what remains of Nottingham Castle, with this sleek hotel the perfect place to escape the bustling city.

Enjoying an ideal location opposite Clifton Down, this twin-bayed Georgian merchant's house B&B sits atop one of Bristol's highest hills, with panoramic views.

Fine bedrooms, mixing antique and modern furniture, are named after designers and styled accordingly, at this Georgian-house-turned-pub by the cathedral, with a menu of old favourites and inventive dishes.

Lionel Copley applied his designer's eye and gentle wit to the styling of bedrooms at this chic Georgian rectory B&B, with elegant public spaces, treatment rooms, walled garden, and a breakfast to write home about.

This little piggy, the babe in the litter of Robin Hutson's Pig hotels, is set in a crenellated Georgian house and former pub built into the city's medieval wall.

Art-filled interiors and home comforts make for a soothing ambience at this elegant Georgian townhouse B&B on a cobbled drive in Liverpool's cultural quarter.

In a historic rural park, just ten minutes' drive from the city centre, this Arts and Crafts mansion impresses with its grand interiors, bold design features and first-rate modern British cooking.