The Mount Edgcumbe Hotel

Royal Tunbridge Wells, England

The great British common, where picnickers, ramblers, cricketers, dog-walkers and Wombles seek solace. In Tunbridge Wells, Kent, it’s home, too, to a stately Grade II-listed building dating to 1738, The Mount Edgcumbe, where the Arctic explorer Admiral Party stayed in 1839, between his travels. These days, its six bedrooms are flled with urbanites sniffing out good food in tranquil surrounds. The decor is rich in antiques and curios, like dragonfly door knockers and gold luggage trunks. Bring a big appetite to the family- run dining room. Start with homemade sausage rolls with a pastry so delicate, it’s worth a Paul Hollywood handshake, or the chilli-salted squid, which carries just the right amount of crunch. For mains, try the blushing lamp rump. Breakfast is equally indulgent: poached eggs swimming in Hollandaise atop pillowy, just-baked muffins. Add on a couple of local sausages, and worry about walking off the excess on the green afterwards.

Doubles from £95.