My mum needs a peaceful place to relax after a year of disasters

QDo you know of a hotel in a pretty countryside setting (ideally in the south of England) that would suit my mum, who is 72? My dad died in March, and since then, there has been a steady stream of family disasters with which to cope. I am desperate to send her somewhere for a few days to relax once the current restrictions have ended.

– DF (name supplied)

AMy first suggestion would be the Hotel Endsleigh in Devon (telegraph.co.uk/tt-hotelendsleigh), a petite, Regency-era country house hotel with rolling views of the Tamar Valley, which she can take in while having breakfast when the weather is warmer. The hotel also has glorious Grade I listed gardens, designed by

Room with a phew: put your feet up and enjoy looking out at the garden at Hotel Endsleigh

Humphry Repton, in which she can lose herself for hours – and afterwards, she can settle down in the pretty lounge and enjoy afternoon tea. Olga Polizzi, the owner, has a real knack for making hotels seem homely but special, and the staff here are friendly but unobtrusive.

If your mother prefers a sea view, the Alexandra Hotel and Restaurant (telegraph.co.uk/tt-alexandra) overlooks Lyme Bay and offers cliff gardens, beach and harbour walks, and its own small chapel. Both hotels cost from about £180 to £200 per night.

For something less expensive (from about £100 a night) the Master Builder’s is one of our top small country hotels. It’s in an idyllic spot – Buckler’s Hard – on the Beaulieu river in the New Forest (telegraph.co.uk/tt-masterbuilders).