BEST OF THE REST

Hotel No.131 was already 131 HOUSE, CHELTENHAM racing ahead when it came to thoroughbred lodgings in Cheltenham, but with the March arrival of this eight-room townhouse extension, the boutique pad has widened its lead. Ash windows and ottomans juxtapose art from the likes of Tracey Emin and Banksy for the win. Doubles from £160. no131.com

One of the newest

THE DIXON, TOWER BRIDGE properties on our list – open since last December – The Dixon earned its spot with its devilish design details. The 193-room converted courthouse has reclaimed holding-cell benches as tables and, in the lobby, a 1.8m chandelier with handcuffs cheekily hung from its core. The sharp bedrooms with mod cons aplenty ensure you won’t mind being held captive for a night or two. Doubles from £120. thedixon.co.uk

This lavish 39-room bolthole

L’OSCAR, HOLBORN makes our list for its unapologetically hedonistic approach. Inside the Grade II-listed former Baptist church, open since last June, everything from the crockery to the candles has been custom-made by London’s finest artisans. Lather yourself in the bespoke his ‘n’ hers scents by Roja Dove before painting the town red. Doubles from £333. loscar.com

Welcoming the well-refined,

THE TALBOT, MALTON the rogues and the rascals since its coaching-inn days in the 1700s, The Talbot has recently been made-over into a chic country abode. Four-poster beds, dreamy tubs and roaring fires are standard in the 26 rooms, but what really stands out is the food. Menus burst with English classics such as double bone-in rib of Yorkshire beef. Doubles from £150. talbotmalton.co.uk

Opposite page, clockwise from top: the Jazz Age-inspired Kimpton Fitzroy; Whitworth Locke; one of the aparthotel’s kitchens; going green in Manchester; from cotton mill to urban bolthole. Clockwise from top: Cheltenham’s 131 House; The Dixon’s Courtroom Bar; a Fife Arms bedroom; scallops at Vintry and Mercer; home comforts in the City