Barnsley House is a beautiful little boutique hotel in the Cotswolds, formely the home of Rosemary Verey. Unsurprisingly then, the gardens are a draw in themselves; a riot of quintessential Englishness, with rose hedges, classical herbaceous borders and gorgeous views of the surrounding countryside. Built in the 1600's of mellow Cotswold stone, it makes for an ideal rural retreat.

The facilities

An integral part of these manicured grounds are the walled kitchen gardens, which provide a never-ending supply of fresh home-grown produce for the restaurant. Chef Graham Grafton serves up modern European cuisine with an Italian influence, beloved by guests and locals alike. And if traditional ales and fine wines tickle your fancy, look no further than the nearby Village Pub, owned by Barnsley House. It also does a great line in traditional British fare, such as lamb sweetmeats, roasted halibut and potted rabbit. Most of the produce here comes from the kitchen garden, too.

To truly unwind, head to the rather dreamy spa, designed to complement to natural landscape of the Gloucestershire countryside. There are six treatment rooms, a steam room, sauna and a hydrotherapy pool, as well as holistic treatments. Worth a mention also are the gorgeous REN products used throughout.

The rooms

Just nine bedrooms make up Barnsley House. They are spacious and sophisticated, with luxurious touches like complimentary handmade chocolates and champagne on arrival, gorgeous views over the garden and plasma screen TVs. The bathrooms are the ultimate in decadence, candlelit by night with twin soaking tubs, jacuzzis and more flatcreen technology. It is the ultimate in rest and relaxation.