Langar Hall, Langar, Nottinghamshire

The Queen of Romance, the late Barbara Cartland, used to stay in this apricot-washed Georgian mansion set in pretty parkland near Nottingham on her journey south from Scotland.

Fear not: her room is no longer pink, but now has a contemporary look, with silver birch wallpaper. Other rooms range from more traditional styles with four posters to a cosy chalet on the croquet lawn, which is perfect for lovebirds.

There’s fine dining in the elegant restaurant, where Langar lamb and the souffles are among the standout dishes.

■■B&B doubles from £125, langarhall.com

Nestling high in the Himalayas between India and China is the remote Buddhist kingdom of Bhutan. Closed to the outside world until 1974, this mesmerising, dramatic landscape framed by mountains, feels untouched by the modern world.

Less than a million residents live in the lush valleys which are crowned with dzongs (fortresses) and chortens (shrines).

Gross national happiness is more important than gross domestic product and its people reflect this. Traditional dress is still worn (a type of wraparound dress for men and long wraparound skirt for women) and there is only one set of traffic lights (in the capital Thimphu) and limited roads. Its most famous landmark is the Tiger’s Nest Monastery.

Hanging off the side of a cliff at more than 10,000ft above sea level, getting there is not for the fainthearted. It is said that the “Second Buddha” Padmasambhava meditated there for three months when he introduced Buddhism to Bhutan, after arriving on a flying tiger. It’s a two-hour climb along a narrow trail but it’s difficult not to let its religious significance envelop you. The views of the vast landscape of clifftops covered in mist will make you even more light-headed.