Cool, colourful and contemporary, all essentials are covered by well-thought-out facilities and friendly staff. A complimentary Grab & Go breakfast includes hotel drinks, orange juice, yoghurts freshly baked pastries, and fruit.

Next to the 15th-century castle, a hospitable owner and friendly pets provide the warmest of welcomes at this small B&B in a village seven miles W of Leicester. There are two homely bedrooms, a guest lounge, an outdoor pool and a gym.

In the historic quarter, adjacent to the King Richard 111 Visitor Centre. a beautifully renovated Grade II listed Georgian building, decorated in greys, monochrome patterns and pastel pink. Many bedrooms offer unrestricted views of Leicester Cathedral. Reception is in a separate building (St Martins House). Breakfast is not provided, but the area offers a wide choice of coffee shops, tea houses, bars and restaurants.

On leafy New Walk, this welcoming family-owned town hotel is formed from a row of Victorian residences. It is within easy reach of the city and station, the King Richard III Visitor Centre and the University.

Help-yourself home-baking and books galore add allure to Rob and Roberta Aitken’s handsome Victorian house, in an historic mill village near Darley Abbey, on the edge of the Peak District national park.

A rural B&B in a large, quaintly furnished farmhouse with oak staircase, beams and parquet floors, on a working dairy farm. Overlooking fields and pasture, Derby is just a ten-minute drive away. Seasonal produce, and free-range eggs for breakfast.