Cotswold House

THE RAVISHING VILLAGE of Chipping Campden (rated England‘s prettiest by those in the know) is home to Cotswold House, an elegant Regency house built of honey-coloured Cotswold stone, with a soaring spiral staircase that‘s pure Jane Austen. But prepare for some big surprises: this olde-worlde facade hides ultra-chic contemporary interiors.

Gadget junkies will be in heaven here; bedrooms are equipped with state-of-the-art technology. There are Bang & Olufsen entertainment systems, wi-fi, and even plasma TV screens in the bathrooms, so you can soak blissfully (perhaps in rose-petalled water) while watching your favourite soap.

Uncluttered rooms are done up in chic shades of slate, plum and purple, with huge beds and sloping ceilings. Planning to spend your entire stay under cover? Then you‘ll want to study the bespoke bedding menu, which lets you choose from a range of pillows, cashmere blankets and Frette linen sheets. Should you surface, the Bellinis at the bar downstairs are reckoned to be the best outside Venice.

Hot tub heaven

Try one of the ultra-chic Cottage suites; two of these (Hidcote and Longborough) each have a garden with a private outdoor hot tub. Hidcote has everything on the garden level, while the split-level Longborough suite comes with a fire, a private dining room and a bedroom with king-size bed in the eaves.

Slip into something chic at Juliana‘s restaurant for a taste of dishes such as Orkney scallops served with truffled cabbage, mussel cream and lemon confit . Or head for vibey Hick‘s Brasserie, where you can order anything from tempura to burgers. If browsing in Chipping Campden‘s gift shops sounds too tame you can always walk off your excesses on one of the area's many country footpaths.

© Room for Romance