The Daily Telegraph - Saturday - Travel
‘A cosy nook, a good dinner, a comfy bed… and character’
Fiona Duncan introduces our expert selection of British boltholes with a touch of class – and a price tag to please
I’m tired of luxury. If that sounds spoilt, it isn’t meant. Hear me out. When it comes to British hotels, in particular the sort of hotels that stressedout urbanites long to visit for a therapeutic weekend away, we have a long and proud history of producing independent, individual bolt-holes all over the land.
In the past, there was something for everyone price-wise, but in recent years, while luxurious, high-profile country house hotels have proliferated, often courtesy of deep-pocketed multi-millionaire owners, mid-price addresses have had more of a struggle. Some have declined along with their ageing owners. Others have appeared too formal and stuffy for today’s laidback guests, with names like “The Something Manor, Hall or Castle”, says Robin Hutson, who brilliantly called his country house hotels Pigs in order to underline their informal quality.
This diminishment of weekendfriendly addresses comes at a price for those of us whose pockets are shallow. I am very often asked to recommend places for a short break that won’t break the bank and a couple of decades ago, I could reel off plenty; now it’s harder. The Pigs (we have picked out just one, but they all do very well) are beacons of affordability, style and charm, but there are other gems too, both deep in the countryside and in popular but expensive destinations such as Bath and Edinburgh. Some of our picks, such as Nanteos and
Askham Hall, are proper country houses, glorious ones. Others are inns but, like The Inn at Whitewell, The Felin Fach Griffin, The Drunken Duck, The Pheasant Inn, The Rose & Crown and The Gunton Arms, are done with such soul and character that they are just as enjoyable as fully fledged hotels.
And that’s what the best affordable British hotels will give you: soul and character. I may miss out on a flunkey to park my car and a snow room in the spa, but give me a cosy nook, a convivial atmosphere, a comfy bed, a good dinner, a long walk and a bill that doesn’t make me gasp and I’m just as happy – actually, between you and me, happier. You can keep luxury – let’s get
back to reality.
STYLISH SHEEP DROVERS’ INN PHEASANT INN, BERKSHIRE
Arrive well before dinner, because this pub is a delight to linger in – serving everything from espresso martinis to its own Pheasant Ale. The owner, Jack Greenall, is an affable and hardworking host. Each of the 11 rooms is unique – with plush headboards, patterned wallpapers and high-quality linens. Looking out across the Berkshire Downs, you’d barely believe junction 14 of the M4 is less than a mile away – a boon for Londoners looking for an easy mini-break.
Doubles from £115; telegraph. co.uk/tt-pheasantinn
SMART, FOODIE, VILLAGE PUB ROSE & CROWN, CO DURHAM
A country inn that has smartened up while maintaining its village pub credentials: country-comfortable rooms, and horse brasses and dogs in the bar. Surrounded by the sheepdotted fields and moors of the North Pennines, you come to eat, relax and then walk it off. Twelve bedrooms are spread between the main inn, the mews-style building and a cottage. The modern British menu shows confident cooking that lets the ingredients shine through: ham hock terrine with saffron-pickled carrots, hake and pea fishcakes or local Teesdale lamb.
Doubles from £105; telegraph.co. uk/tt-rosecrowncodurham
LORD OF THE
MEDIEVAL MANOR ASKHAM HALL, CUMBRIA
At the medieval family home of the Earls of Lonsdale, there’s no reception, no flummery; instead, antiques, frayed rugs on stone flags, piles of books, a haphazard scattering of well-worn sofas, garden flowers and modern art mixing with old photographs. Outside there’s a small, heated pool, but the real joy is the gardens, with lawned terraces, colourful borders, vast topiary, a tangle of woodland and a kitchen garden. Richard Swale’s three-AA-rosette cooking conjures startling flavours from unusual combinations.
Doubles from £130; telegraph. co.uk/tt-askhamhall
QUIRKY, CONTEMPORARY – AND OWN-BREW BEER DRUNKEN DUCK INN, LAKE DISTRICT
Quirky, contemporary-country style with a real sense of place. Food is serious but unpretentious and locals love the bar, with its own-brew beer. The menu might include treacleglazed beef shin to start, then hake with pickled samphire and fennel jam. There is complimentary afternoon tea for guests. The inn is at a crossroads in the middle of nowhere with glorious fell views, yet is just two and a half miles from bustling Ambleside.
Doubles from £125; telegraph. co.uk/tt-drunkenduck
FEET UP BY THE OPEN FIRE
FELIN FACH GRIFFIN, BRECON BEACONS
Sheer bliss after a long day’s ramble. Put your feet up and enjoy a pint next to a fire in the beamed pub, the heart of things, all soft lighting, chunky country-cottage tables and squidgy leather sofas in mustard and teal.
Food is sourced locally, allowing the ingredients to speak for themselves in deceptively simple dishes.
Doubles from £135; telegraph.co. uk/tt-felinfachgriffin
RURAL CHIC IN THE GROUNDS OF AN ABBEY CIDER HOUSE, DEVON
Wake to the dawn chorus, enjoy home-cooked breakfast with zero food miles, and experience rural chic in the grounds of 13th-century National
Trust property Buckland Abbey. B&B guests can explore the grounds outside of public opening times (10am-5pm). Inside, there’s natural beauty in the details – from bumblebee coasters to botanical wallpapers. Many rooms retain stone-mullion windows, each with views over the gardens. The hosts serve up home-made lemon drizzle cake on arrival, and will book a table at a local gastropub for dinner.
Doubles from £140; telegraph. co.uk/tt-ciderhouse
BOHO ON SEA
ARTIST RESIDENCE PENZANCE, CORNWALL
There are only glimpses of sea – but this place is all about the bohemian life of the town. The hotel is also popular with walkers – the South West Coast Path runs along the seafront. Each of the original rooms is designed by a different artist: you might have a mural of Penzance, Damascene furniture or a door decorated with Penguin Classics book covers. The restaurant has its own smokehouse – dishes range from the delicious smoked chicken croquette starter to smoked lobster or sirloin.
Doubles from £85; telegraph. co.uk/tt-artistresidencepenzance
FELL VIEWS AND WALKS BY THE WATER YAN AT BROADRAYNE, LAKE DISTRICT
A smartly converted former sheep farm, and well placed too: Grasmere is a 20-minute walk away while Windermere, Coniston and Keswick are within a 30-minute drive. Rooms are surrounded by fields and fells, and several walks start from the doorstep. European-style classic dishes are given tasty twists: mozzarella and tomato salad with roasted figs and saffronflavoured potatoes; the home-made beef burger with a pulled pork salsa.
Doubles from £100; telegraph. co.uk/tt-theyan
RURAL WALES MEETS URBAN SOPHISTICATE LLYS MEDDYG, PEMBROKESHIRE
A stylishly intimate base for rambles on this glorious stretch of coast. The look is part rural Wales, part urban sophisticate, with art, a palette of muted greys, greens and charcoals, local slate, and lots of characterful reclaimed wood (revamped at the family sawmill). Owner Ed delicately smokes slow-raised Scottish salmon (try it on rye bread with pickled cucumber and sea beets). Or go for Solva crab with confit yolk, pickled kohlrabi and coriander. The hotel runs hedgerow and shore foraging courses.
Doubles from £100; telegraph. co.uk/tt-llysmeddyg
DOWN ON THE 16TH-CENTURY FARM SALTMARSH,
EAST SUSSEX
Switch off, slow down and re-set at this restored 16th-century farmhouse off the South Downs Way. There’s a wholesome café and six serene rooms; outside, the Cuckmere river meanders to the sea and Seven Sisters cliffs. The owner describes it as “the whole Kinfolk look”: exposed beams, wooden floors, muted tones, soft linens and sofas, fresh flowers and art books. Breakfast includes roasted cauliflower steak; supper, left in a hot pot, might be chilli con carne or red lentil dahl.
Doubles from £150; telegraph. co.uk/tt-saltmarsh
OVER THE FIELDS AND FAR AWAY BROWNBER HALL, CUMBRIA
Brownber Hall has a fine outlook over fields across to the Howgill Fells. The location makes for superb walking and
There are gems, both deep in the countryside and in popular but expensive destinations
is within easy reach of the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales and North Yorkshire Moors. When they took on the handsome house, built in 1860, owners Peter and Amanda set about painting, wallpapering (there’s a William Morris print in the main hall) and knocking down a wall so that the ground floor has become a series of interconnecting rooms. Breakfast, featuring Peter’s home-made sourdough, is a feast of local produce.
Doubles from £100; telegraph.co. uk/tt-brownberhall
OH BABY BABY IT’S A WILD WORLD
WEEKE BARTON, DEVON
Owned by two ex-east Londoners, this guesthouse, in a medieval longhouse on the edge of Dartmoor, melds rustic comfort with urban cool. Although only 20 minutes west of Exeter, Weeke Barton has a wild, away-from-it-all feel. There are four acres of grounds, with gardens, lawns, a field, stream, pétanque pitch and decked terrace
Jwith a wood burner. The rustic-chic feel continues in the five bedrooms, each of which has pretty views. Breakfast is a convivial affair, and every other evening, owner Jo cooks a two-course communal dinner.
Doubles from £125; telegraph. co.uk/tt-weekebarton
SEASIDE CHIC WITH SHELLFISH FEAST NORTH HOUSE,
ISLE OF WIGHT
The Grade II listed town house, dating from the 1850s, retains many original features (such as fireplaces) and has a seaside-chic vibe (think shellembossed Farrow & Ball wallpaper). Even the entry-level Cosy rooms are a good size and some boast views over Cowes. An in-house forager keeps the menu fresh and local: go for the shellfish platter.
There is a small heated pool.
Doubles from £145; telegraph. co.uk/tt-northhouse
TURRETS, TOWERS AND VIEWS OF THE LOCH KNOCKDERRY HOUSE, ARGYLL, SCOTLAND
Set in manicured lawns on a tranquil peninsula in the Firth of Clyde, its views over Loch Long to the Cowal Hills are of the kind that inspired Sir Walter Scott. Scottish baronial architecture is reflected in finely crafted interiors of dark wood panelling, stained glass and ornate fireplaces. Activities include walking, boat trips, sea kayaking, horse-riding, and visits to a whisky distillery. Scottish breakfast options include Stornoway black pudding and Arbroath (haddock) smokies.
Doubles from £110; telegraph. co.uk/tt-knockderry
SHEDS AND HUTS AND ROCK ‘N’ ROLL THE PIG AT BRIDGE PLACE, KENT
The sixth Pig hotel in the litter has transformed a Grade II listed house. This was Kent’s foremost rock’n’roll venue in the Sixties and Seventies and the vibe has been preserved with a decadent, velvety feel: think Anita Pallenberg, Marianne Faithfull, Biba. All the Pig elements are in place, including the kitchen garden, two Potting Shed treatment rooms and the garden oven. For extra romance, choose a Hop Pickers’ Hut beside the Nailbourne stream.
Doubles from £145; telegraph.co. uk/tt-pigatbridgeplace
SAY CHEESE AND HEAD FOR THE GREEN HILLS LA FOSSE, DORSET
A peaceful bed and breakfast with a popular restaurant, run by a husband and wife, this simple retreat embraces both modern and traditional and feels as far from the madding crowds as possible. Downstairs feels like a boutique country home, with pine floors and an exposed brick fireplace. The six rooms – named after local cheeses – have been individually designed. Owner-chef Mark is a true locavore, sourcing as much from in and around the village as possible. The cheeseboard has won awards.
Doubles from £75; telegraph.co. uk/tt-lafosse
FOUR-POSTERS AND VICTORIAN BATHS INN AT WHITEWELL, LANCASHIRE
The hotel, part of the Duchy of Lancaster estate, sits in a secluded spot beside the river Hodder in the Area of Natural Beauty-designated Forest of Bowland. Four of the 24 rooms are in the manor house; the rest are in a 17th-century building. Eleven are river facing and all are individually designed, with antique furniture, four-poster beds and restored Victorian cabinet baths. In the restaurant, corn-fed chicken comes from Goosnargh, beef from Bowland and Lonk lamb from Burholme.
Doubles from £120; telegraph.co. uk/tt-innatwhitewell
CLASSY ARTWORKS AND MASSIVE ANTLERS THE GUNTON ARMS, NORFOLK
Owned by art dealer Ivor Braka, this flint-built estate hostelry-with-rooms is not just packed with original artworks, but artworks by some of the biggest names: butterflies by Damien Hirst, neon works by Tracey Emin and an etching by Lucian Freud. Designer Robert Kime has combined eye-catching fabrics with standout antiques and striking artwork in bedrooms. Reserve a table in the Elk Room to watch chef Stuart Tattersall cook slabs of meat on an open wood fire under the massive antlers of an ancient, fossilised elk.
Doubles from £95; telegraph. co.uk/tt-guntonarms
SQUAT LOBSTERS
AND WILD SWIMS KYLESKU HOTEL, HIGHLANDS, SCOTLAND
Assynt is a beautiful region of the Highlands, perfect for those who love hillwalking, wild swimming and birdwatching. A recent redesign has pulled this complex of buildings together to give a contemporary feel. Panoramic windows in the bar and restaurant offer wraparound loch views, while well-curated fixtures and furnishings (bare wood beams, copper pendant lighting, a minimalist stove) are coolly understated. The restaurant showcases the best of local produce: crab, “spineys” (squat lobster), mussels and lobster from the loch.
Doubles from £110; telegraph.co. uk/tt-kylesku
DIVINE INSPIRATION AT THE CHAPEL, SOMERSET
A 12th-century chapel repurposed as an eight-bedroom hotel in the arty village of Bruton. A rotation of artworks lent by nearby Hauser & Wirth hang on the walls, while people – tapping away on Macbooks over cappuccinos, or sipping pre-dinner negronis – sit in moss-green Sergio Rodrigues dining chairs, sourced by the owners from the Brazilian embassy. Rooms are different but share features such as cowhide rugs, butterfly chairs and monastic marble bathrooms – all but two have oval baths. A brasserie-style menu features fresh West Country produce.
Doubles from £125; telegraph. co.uk/tt-atthechapel
BARN ENHANCE FIVE ACRE BARN, SUFFOLK
The ultimate contemporary B&B in the grounds of a converted barn in Aldringham village. The building has been shortlisted for various architectural awards: think jagged roofs, soaring ceilings and polished concrete floors. Local artwork is for
sale and there’s a touch of retro in the Ercol furniture. The views are English country garden. There are five rooms, four with mezzanines. Two have baths and all have patios overlooking the garden. Breakfast is informal and sociable, around a large table.
Doubles from £100; telegraph.co. uk/tt-fiveacrebarn
HYGGE ON A SEAGRASS CARPET BECKFORD ARMS, WILTSHIRE
The Beckford Arms is clad in creepers and set above a lake in the Nadder Valley. With open fires and a bar decorated with bushels of hops, it offers a warm welcome in a romantically lonely spot, as all good inns should. Bedrooms are compact but comfortable with hygge-inducing textures: natural seagrass carpets, tweedy blinds and thick Welsh blankets. The kitchen produces high-quality food and breakfast is a particular boon: fluffy croissants, a Bloody Mary station, cereals and pots of creamy yogurt and fruit compotes.
Doubles from £95; telegraph.co. uk/tt-beckfordarms
WE ARE MOST DEFINITELY AMUSED PARISI HOTEL, YORK
The red-brick Victorian vicarage off Walmgate – built to serve the medieval church opposite – gives little clue to the light, bright and welcoming rooms inside. Its confident style mixes retro, antique and contemporary: modern art, bright Ercol sofas, colour-block walls and Victorian tiling. In the rooms, a yellow four-poster bed might sit against eau-de-Nil walls, a sea-blue Fifties armchair next to a green Anglepoise lamp. There’s a sittingroom with quality magazines, a wall of books and a wood-burning stove.
Doubles from £79; telegraph. co.uk/tt-parisi
SPANISH TAPAS VIA MIDCENTURY KENT THE WIFE OF BATH, WYE, KENT
One of chef Mark Sargeant and Josh De Haan’s portfolio of Kentish restaurants with rooms. Midcentury modern furniture and a subtle white and grey palette keeps the focus on the period features of the Grade II listed building, yet a subtle Spanish theme permeates in the bustling tapas bar. Expect impeccable Spanish fare: juicy scallops with spicy chorizo and earthy morcilla; honey-sweet melon smothered in Serrano ham; succulent Galician steaks with creamy aioli and fiery paprika potatoes.
Doubles from £90; telegraph. co.uk/tt-wifeofbath
GLAM ROOMS AND MOUNTAIN BIKES HARBOURMASTER, CARDIGAN BAY
Beach chic comes into its own at this forget-me-not-blue boutique hotel on Aberaeron’s harbour. And you won’t likely forget it, what with its killer sea views, glam rooms and imaginative menus. Mountain bike hire is free – ask the owners for tips on routes. Otherwise, it’s all about sea gazing, brisk coastal walks and perhaps a cocktail in the bar. The restaurant has a serious foodie bent – Carlingford oysters, Welsh fillet steak, chocolate fondant – and rarebit for breakfast.
Doubles from £120; telegraph.co. uk/tt-harbourmaster
BIG IS BEAUTIFUL TALBOT INN, SOMERSET
Rooms at The Talbot Inn are big enough to dance around in: and with DAB radios, phone docks and quaffable wine downstairs, you well might. A down-to-earth dinner menu can include peppery grilled wood pigeon breast with sweet radish and tarragon crème fraîche, and posh baked Alaska. Breakfasts are hearty, featuring the likes of eggs Benedict or a hash of black pudding and chorizo. Films can be shown on a large screen in the lounge for guests on request.
Doubles from £100; telegraph. co.uk/tt-talbotinn
A GENTLEMAN
AND A FARMER
THE CLOSE, COTSWOLDS
This 16th-century manor house, built for a gentleman farmer, became a hotel in the Seventies. It’s a comfychic haven filled with arty flourishes: bold feature wallpaper here and there, gorgeous lights and lampshades, and striking art. It’s a hub for locals for coffee and lunch; you’re in with Tetbury café society here. The 20 rooms have been individually styled according to shape and natural light.
Doubles from £115; telegraph.co. uk/tt-theclose
BETWEEN A ROCK AND A SUBTROPICAL PLACE MOUNT HAVEN, CORNWALL
On the edge of Marazion, overlooking the sweep of Mount’s Bay and St Michael’s Mount. A four-mile walk away (or 10-minute drive) is Penzance – the coastal path offers a leisurely walk along Long Rock beaches. The hotel’s inspiration stems from the coastal landscape and subtropical garden of St Michael’s Mount: lots of wood and glass, and a terrace overlooking a rock garden. Expect adventurous, modern-British plates: smoked mackerel doughnuts, beef tartare and wild sea trout with lobster.
Doubles from £100; telegraph. co.uk/tt-mounthaven
AMAZING GEORGIAN GRACE
DUKES, BATH
This upmarket B&B is spread over two interconnected Georgian houses on Great Pulteney Street. Creaky floors abound, and furnishings are largely in keeping with the Georgian era. Rooms on the lower floors typically have high ceilings and long sash windows, while those on the top floor are cosier. Breakfast (pancakes, porridge, kippers and more) is taken in an elegant, golden-yellow basement room.
Doubles from £90; telegraph. co.uk/tt-dukes
LIVING THE DRAM JOHN O’GROATS BY TOGETHER TRAVEL
A high-end design hotel in a remote, wind-battered location, known for its seascapes and natural beauty rather than its style. The main building looks across the Pentland Firth to Stroma and the Orkneys. The simple, colourful Scandinavian-style extension is an instantly recognisable landmark, and the interior is bright and beautifully designed. A concierge service will recommend local activities (including whisky-tasting and boat trips) over the phone between 8am-7pm. Rooms range from straightforward doubles to stand-alone lodges.
Doubles from £160 or £108 for a stay of three nights or more; telegraph.co.uk/ttjohnogroats
COUNTRY VICARAGE TURNED JAZZY B&B STOW HOUSE, YORKSHIRE DALES
Next to Aysgarth village in Wensleydale, in its own grounds, the house has sweeping views of the valley. Several walks are on the doorstep. Rooms have been brightened to show off their proportions and furnished in an understated way: pale-washed walls, big sash windows and chunky school radiators and an intriguing mix of modern art, fashion photography and retro furniture. Some rooms have open beams; others claw-foot baths.
The honesty bar includes gins
Jand vodkas infused with garden fruit.
Doubles from £110; telegraph.co. uk/tt-stowhouse
FAMILY FAVOURITE WOOLLEY GRANGE, WILTSHIRE
Little ones are royally entertained at this 17th-century, multi-gabled house. Its two lounges have chests full of wooden toys and books, while outside are a static tractor, a pig, chickens, a giant tree swing and a fairy garden. It’s excellent value given the free services (two hours of creche time, in-room essentials and baby-listening) and a poolside playpen means you can steal a few laps while watching the baby.
Doubles from £120 a night; telegraph.co.uk/tt-woolleygrange
A DASH OF THE ORIENT THE MALABAR,
LAKE DISTRICT
A converted 18th-century barn at the base of the Howgill Fells, edging the wild, whisky-coloured River Lune, and a starting point for walks in the western Dales. Wooden beams and woollen furnishings fit in among the rugged fells but are enlivened with sari-bright patterns and colours and Chinese and Indian furniture collected by the owners. Afternoon tea and breakfast are taken around a communal table, which is the place to share tips on walks and dining out.
Doubles from £140; telegraph. co.uk/tt-themalabar
EGYPTIAN COTTON AT THE COACHING INN THE GURNARD’S HEAD, CORNWALL
This coaching inn, sandwiched between the Penwith Moors with views out across the Atlantic, dates back to the 1800s. Bold colours envelop guests in the Georgian-esque building, which has a rusticcountryside aesthetic. The hotel’s approach is built on the maxim that a night’s sleep will only be as good as the bed itself – expect Vispring beds, Egyptian cotton linens, warm Welsh blankets and stacks of books. The menu is in tune with the lay of the land and local suppliers.
Doubles from £125; telegraph.co. uk/tt-gurnardshead
MUSIC, MAESTRO NANTEOS, ABERYSTWYTH
A harmonious Grade I listed Georgian country manor, built to impress. It’s borderline palatial, with tall sash windows framing the view, a grand staircase curving up to chandelier-lit rooms with spectacularly high ceilings. Most lavish of all is the powder-puff pink music room, as intricate as a Fabergé egg. Days involve muddy rambles, lavish afternoon teas in the salon and G&Ts in the library bar.
Doubles from £120; telegraph.co. uk/tt-nanteos
SMOOTH AS VELVET IN THE OLD RECTORY THE RECTORY, WILTSHIRE
The hotel has been thoughtfully refurbished: the lovely proportions now speak for themselves, the rows of handsome windows overlooking the garden left unadorned. There are two elegant sitting rooms, an airy, unstuffy restaurant and conservatory, wooden and herringbone brick floors, big velvet sofas, shelves of paperbacks and lovely lamps. The heated pool in the garden is an added bonus. Rooms have pretty velvet headboards in striking colours and unusual bathroom tiles.
Doubles from £120; telegraph. co.uk/tt-therectory
CLOISTERED COURTYARDS STANBROOK ABBEY, WORCESTERSHIRE
While a small wing is Georgian in style, most of the hotel originated as a priory for an order of Benedictine nuns, a role it filled until 2009. Children and adults will love the underground Games Room and Snooker Room, while, above ground is a serene walled garden. Go for fine dining at Sister Charlotte’s or a less formal dinner in George’s Bar.
Doubles from £84; telegraph.co. uk/tt-stanbrookabbey
DAIRY DELIGHTS
THE MILK HOUSE, KENT
The Milk House, dating to the 16th century, is named after the street it sits on. There is a light-hearted dairy theme throughout, with fresh flowers in milk pails and an intimate dining area separated from the restaurant with plaited hazel hurdles. Virtually all the ingredients served in the restaurant and pub are sourced from a 20-mile (32km) radius, and the seasonal menus focus on fresh
Kentish meats, seafood and vegetables.
Doubles from £80; telegraph.co. uk/tt-milkhouse
AN INN OF TWO HALVES DEVONSHIRE ARMS AT BEELEY, PEAK DISTRICT
This 18th-century coaching inn is owned by the Chatsworth Estate. Walk through the park to Chatsworth House, or hike up to Hob Hurst’s House, a Bronze Age burial mound. The bar has a country pub feel, with wooden beams and wood-burning stoves, while the brasserie is a contemporary space, full of light and brightened by pops of colour. The menu changes seasonally and often features produce from the estate farm shop or other local suppliers.
Doubles from £99; telegraph. co.uk/tt-devonshirearmsbeeley
ON TREND IN THE THICK OF THINGS EDEN LOCKE, EDINBURGH
New York architects Grzywinski+Pons has used pale oak floors, pastel and mustard colours and quirkiness to create an on-trend feel. The 72 studio apartments have big beds and grey and copper kitchens. Hyde & Son serves decent coffee, (mostly) local spirits and mixers, a shortlist of wines and craft beers. George Street can’t be faulted if you want to be in the thick of it; you’re surrounded by some of the city’s most swish bars and shops. No proper restaurant, but plenty nearby.
Doubles from £69; telegraph. co.uk/tt-edenlocke
Contributions by Ros Belford, Gavin Bell, Suzy Bennett, Sophie Butler, Jade Conroy, Fiona Duncan, Martin Dunford, Cal Flyn, Lisa Johnson, Harriet O’Brien, Suzanne King, Gabriella Le Breton, Linda Macdonald, Belinda Maude, Fred Mawer, Natalie Millar-Partridge, Caroline Mills, Natalie Paris, Benjamin Parker, Helen Pickles, Hazel Plush, Anna Turns, Kerry Walker and Tina Walsh