Widbrook Grange

Situated in the Wiltshire countryside close to Bradford-upon-Avon and not far from Bath, this boutique hotel offers a quirky take on the country house hotel experience. Its 19 rooms occupy a rather elegant Georgian farmhouse and its outbuildings are set in 11 acres of grounds. It has a restaurant, a bar, pretty gardens and a swimming pool too. So far, so standard country house hotel. But the difference is in the styling: this place is more casual, more contemporary and more cool than many of its equivalents. It’s also more rustic – a nod to its farmhouse roots.

Instead of formal white tablecloths, here you have The Kitchen Restaurant which is described as serving “farmhouse classics with a gastro twist”. Instead of a quiet bar in a former drawing room, there’s a gin bar with more than 150 options to choose from displayed in vintage crates nailed to the wall. The aged effect is one that’s carried through every room in this place, through carefully chosen furniture, prints and objet d’art. Reclaimed, restored and reworked objects find new homes in interesting places. There are gardening tools on the walls of the breakfast room, a bicycle is used as a sink stand and a trumpet in lieu of a lampstand. Rooms and suites are varied and there are options for families and people with dogs. In fact, dogs are especially welcome here – even getting a sausage at breakfast time.

While there’s nostalgia in the interiors, comfort is not compromised. Beds are kingsized (even in the Cosy room), duvets are goose down and bed linen is 400-thread count Egyptian cotton. The TVs are Smart, the WiFi is fast and free, the tea is from Teapigs. There’s a gym to work out in, an 11-metre pool to swim in and grounds to walk the dog around. For more than that, just walk 15-minutes along the canal into Bradford-upon-Avon or hop in the car to explore the Cotswolds or Bath – both less than 10 miles from here.