Affordable splendour in a sumptuous setting

This four-star Victorian mansion is sizzling from a multimillion-pound renovation: rooms are swanky, hallways are redolent of Kensington Palace and you’ll get change from a £50 note when splashing out on afternoon tea for two. Come in summer for the exceptional gardens swooning with camellias and bathtubs that overlook the rose bushes.

Barnett Hill, Surrey

Location 8/10

On an estate hemmed in by redwood pines and rhododendrons. It’s a seven-minute walk to the Blackheath Common side of the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, loved by walkers and horse riders for its ash-tree-framed fields. Guildford Station is 10 minutes’ drive.

Style and character Service and facilities

afternoon tea, preferably on the terrace, with the powdery-purple wisteria that clings to the building as your parasol. Dinner, if not fit for a king, is strong and stable enough for a Prime Minister. It’s served on expensive linen in a woodcladded room. I was happy with my asparagus starter: the spears were cooked to a smooth, fibreless crunch; a Parmesan crisp on top had the bittersweet taste of almost-burnt cheese. Rump of lamb followed, with a pleasing flushed pink centre, and a wild garlic crust. It was served with a boozy, aggressively seasoned gravy and an onion purée. For dessert, don’t miss the rum-soaked sticky toffee pudding. Breakfast lacks variety but the buffet features prune compote and decent cereals.

Rooms 8/10

Think metallic wallpapers, blue-tiled fireplaces and silver leather bedheads that Victoria Beckham would love. All the colour schemes are different and vibrant: scarlet and turmeric yellow in one room, magenta and olive in another. Entry-level rooms are a good size but not overly spacious. Bag a Luxury King Room or above for a huge bathtub with a garden view, and hisand-hers sinks made from rugged rock. Rain showers have L’Occitane toiletries but slippers are of below average quality.

Value for money 8/10

Standard classic king rooms from £120; luxury king from £150. Breakfast costs £15, per person. Free Wi-Fi. Three-course dinner for two with a good bottle of wine costs around £135.

Access for guests with disabilities?

Accessible courtyard rooms which will be available from September 2017.

Family-friendly?

No interconnecting rooms. Children will love the gardens though. Blackheath Lane, Guildford GU5 0RF; 01483 893361; telegraph. co.uk/tt-barnetthill

Barnett Hill has recently undergone an extensive and imaginative renovation