Hartwell House

An equestrian statue of Frederick, Prince of Wales, marks your arrival at this glorious Jacobean-cum-Georgian mansion, a hotel since the late 1980s. ‘A beautiful hotel and grounds, perfect in every way’, it gazes over an 18th-century landscape, with Ionic temple, obelisk, a lake spanned by an arch from the old Kew Bridge. Restored by Historic House Hotels and owned by the National Trust (see Middlethorpe Hall, York, and Bodysgallen Hall & Spa, Llandudno), it is wonderfully presented, with perfectly judged antiques and spectacular original features. ‘The furnishings throughout are superb,’ writes a reader. The accommodation ranges from classic double rooms with coffee machine and home-made biscuits to ‘royal’ rooms and suites, some with a four-poster. There are further rooms and dog-friendly suites in a converted 18th-century riding school. Dress formally to dine on elaborate dishes such as pan-seared fillet of sea bream with saffron polenta or roast breast of duck with artichoke purée and truffle sauce. ‘Catering at the highest level made our stay a real treat.’ The hotel is a member of Relais & Châteaux. (RW)