It was nearly Howard's end in 2015 before two local families stepped in to restore the fortunes of this traditional village pub, which 'makes a great base for exploring the Cotswolds' with its 'upmarket pub food, good service and excellent breakfasts'.

With beams, cottage-style bedrooms and beautiful gardens running down to the River Stour, this 16th-century Cotswold manor house in pretty South Warwickshire countryside not far from Stratford upon Avon makes a charming B&B.

A short stroll from the Swan of Avon's birthplace, this 15th-century inn is now a Fuller's pub with some very characterful rooms, serving real ales, pub classics and more imaginative dishes.

'Foodie heaven with the bonus of nearby culture,' was a Guide insider's verdict on this restaurant-with-rooms a short spin by loan bike from Stratford-upon-Avon.

Behind adjacent shopfronts on the marketplace, this vivaciously styled, open-all-day restaurant-with-rooms wins high praise for its generously equipped, affordable, beautifully presented bedrooms and short, exciting seasonal menus, with dishes from the charcoal grill.

In leafy Edgbaston, a whitewashed Victorian villa is home to this colourful boutique-style guest house, its modern bedrooms furnished with some antique and retro furniture, with a bright sitting room, and a sister gastropub next door.

Hosts Janet and Stuart Baldry cook a splendid breakfast at their wonderfully wonky, flower-festooned 15th-century house and characterful B&B by the entrance to Warwick Castle.