The Lygon Arms Hotel

Worcestershire

There are few things better than a restorative countryside escape, and few better places to get ensconced than this historic hotel in the Cotswolds. Fresh off the back of a revamp, the 16th-century inn is every bit a British affair – previous guests include King Charles I, Oliver Cromwell and Evelyn Waugh – though the modern- luxe design brings it up to date. Low-slung original beams frame labyrinthine snugs filled with log fires and plush velvet sofas made for soothing afternoons over the weekend’s papers. Doubles from £225.