The Cotley Inn

When England does things right, it really does things right – and the classy Cotley Inn, on the edge of the Blackdown Hills in Somerset, is Exhibit A. The gorgeous old stone farmhouse, now a boutique inn, dates back to the 17th century and is the quintessential English country pub with rooms, set in rolling farmland amid chocolate-box villages. It's run with a highly personal touch by the latest custodians, Ben and Maddie, who have put heart and soul into making the pub a sustainable part of the community, from sourcing produce from the local estate to growing their own greens and herbs and smoking meat and fish on site.

Four super-stylish en-suite B&B rooms have been carved out of the former stables, and all are luxuriously turned out, from high-thread-count cotton linen and goose-down duvets to smart TVs and Nespresso machines. The Holt is the largest room, set across two floors, with a king-sized bed, roll-top bath and separate living area. As with the other larger room, The Den, the sofa bed can accommodate kids if you've come en famille. The other two rooms are 'dinky doubles', perfect for couples on a romantic break, while dogs are welcome in the larger rooms.

Over at the inn, food and drink are similarly exceptional – with the 'food miles' down to bare yards when it comes to the virtually doorstep-sourced produce and kitchen-garden ingredients. Menus are seasonal, whether it's seafood from the local coast or game from the estate, and we're talking both fancy versions of pub classics (like ham-hock fritter from the local pigs, with apple ketchup) and beautifully presented fine-dining dishes from a kitchen team wedded to a no-waste, nose-to-tail philosophy. Everything is relaxed and unhurried, just as it should be in such a lovely, rustic setting, while warm weather sees the inn's lawns and lavender-edged terrace come into their own. Just note that the inn is closed a couple of days a week, so those nights are room-only.

Out and about, you're on the edge of the Blackdown Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and just half an hour's drive from Lyme Regis and the Jurassic Coast. They'll even pick you up from the nearest station in Axminster (trains from London Waterloo), if you want the full country immersion experience – you could stroll out of the door and into the fields and woods and barely see a soul, until it's time to head back for sundowner drinks, a lazy meal, and one of the quietest, star-filled nights you'll ever have.