The Falkland Arms, Great Tew, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire
Blenheim Palace, tick. The Cotswolds, ditto… Now you want first-rate grub and somewhere atmospheric to stay. Look no further than the Falkland Arms – a classic country pub in one of the region’s prettiest villages. Period detail abounds in honey-coloured stonework, thatched roofs, low beams strung with ceramic jugs, and flagstone floors. And the food is top-notch; pub fodder mixing with cheffy additions, such as Jerusalem artichokes with crispy sage, or Asian-themed grazing boards. A staircase leads to eight charming bedrooms, many with oak beams and wooden doors dating back to the 16th century.
Doubles from £113 B&B, falklandarms.co.uk
The Bull, Ditchling, East Sussex
Yes, there’s the Star at Alfriston – Alex Polizzi’s newsworthy revamp just up the road – but for affordable character, look no further than Ditchling’s Bull. Lots of plus points here: affable locals, Sussex ales, a brace of oak-beamed wonky ceilings… And it’s genuinely ancient – it dates back to 1560. Upstairs there are six guest rooms decorated with contemporary pizzazz. The grub is unpretentious – cracking steaks and fish and chips (all locally sourced). Ditchling is one of East Sussex’s prettiest villages, lying beneath the hike-worthy South Downs National Park.
Doubles from £100 room only, thebullditchling.com
The Acorn Inn, Evershot, Dorset
You’re slap in the heart of Thomas Hardy country here. In fact, this historic coaching inn seeded the Sow and Acorn in Tess of the d’Urbervilles. Sure, it’s been tweaked since the author drank here, but not beyond recognition: those flagstone floors and oak beams are the real deal. The pub area, alongside its skittle alley, is a favoured spot, and the restaurant serves up comforting nosh like cottage pie and braised ox cheek (don’t miss the delicious homemade bread). Upstairs, there are 10 quirkily decorated bedrooms, many with four-posters, named after characters or locations from Hardy’s beloved Wessex.
Doubles from £110 B&B, acorn-inn.co.uk
Gunton Arms, Norfolk
Situated within Gunton Hall’s sprawling 18th-century deer park, this flint-built hostelry is no ordinary pub with rooms. Owned by art dealer Ivor Braka, its interior comes packed with big-name artworks (Gilbert & George, Tracey Emin, Damien Hirst and Lucian Freud) all set within a gloriously shabby-chic decor. Play pool alongside boho regulars, then grab a table in the Elk Room to watch chef Stuart Tattersall (ex-Mark Hix) flame-cook hunks of meat on an open fire. Try the sharing rib of beef, venison sausages, or fresh seafood and mussels caught by local fishers. The 16 elegant, antique-stuffed bedrooms all have stunning park views.
Doubles from £95 B&B, theguntonarms.co.uk
The Cow, Dalbury Lees, Ashbourne, Derbyshire
For Peak District lovers, The Cow at Dalbury Lees is right on the national park’s doorstep, and ideal as a base for a weekend of country walking. It has an authentic rural farming feel with milk churns and tractor seats standing in for stools and a butcher’s block doubling as a table. The grub comprises locally sourced tapas-style dishes like roasted Mediterranean-style veg, or ham hock scotch eggs. Upstairs, soothe sore muscles in the swish bedrooms featuring deep baths.
Doubles from £148 room only, cowdalbury.com
The Bell at Skenfrith, Monmouthshire
Pubs rarely come as peaceful as this Welsh beauty. Just a stone’s throw from Abergavenny, the Bell is a 17th-century coaching inn set astride the River Monnow, beneath wooded hills. Inside, you can enjoy all those pubby essentials: polished flagstones, local ales (alongside the best wine list in Wales), oak beams and crackling fires. Upstairs, 12 boutique-standard bedrooms, some with four posters and rolltop baths, feature fabulous bedding and snug Welsh blankets. Spend your downtime scoffing garden-grown produce and hearty dishes like Hereford steak or slow-roasted pork belly. Then explore the inn’s six circular walks, or try canoeing and trout fishing on the Monnow.
Doubles from £150 B&B, thebellatskenfrith.co.uk
Bushmills Inn, County Antrim
Bushmills Inn is a riot of comfy nooks, peat fires, wood-beamed ceilings and glinting amber bottles of its eponymous tipple. To stay here is to get drawn into the whole convivial shebang: the spirited craic around the gas-lit bar, live folk music on a Saturday, the odd American accent from tourists keen to trace their Irish roots – it even has its own 30-seat cinema, showing new releases every Thursday. Head to the multi-roomed restaurant for treats like Cullen skink, or an amazing roast dinner, amazing roasts and a stellar wine list, then retire to one of 40-plus bedrooms. And if the whiskey appeals, visit Bushmills’ picturesque distillery up the road – it’s the world’s oldest.
Doubles from £130 B&B, bushmillsinn.com
St Tudy Inn, Bodmin, Cornwall
Set within Bodmin Moor, St Tudy Inn provides an idyllic pub-with-rooms retreat for both walkers and food lovers alike. This characterful 17th-century inn has been exquisitely converted: think four simple bedrooms decorated in a pared-back New England style, alongside a convivial bar carrying homely touches: books, garden flowers, beer-keg stools and open fires. Unwind with a glass of homebrewed St Tudy ale and a bar snack, or head to the Michelin-awarded dining room for delicate game and seafood dishes decorated with flowers and micro-herbs. There’s the Camel Trail for invigorating bike rides on the doorstep, or simply soak up the moor’s inimitable atmosphere.
Doubles from £135 B&B, sttudyinn.com
The Bonnie Badger, Gullane, East Lothian
Surrounded by endless sandy beaches, and with a Michelin star for its chef and patron, Tom Kitchin, the Bonnie Badger has become a favoured weekend retreat for Edinburgh dwellers. This characterful coastal bolthole offers stunningly executed seasonal menus from three eateries – and as expected, fish and seafood dominate. Enjoy sure-fire staples like hand-dived local scallops, North Sea halibut with roast fennel and seafood butter sauce, or plaice wrapped in pancetta. Adjoining the bar and restaurant at this characterful coastal bolthole are 12 gorgeous bedrooms, one suite and two cottages – all with a Scandi-meets-Scottish decor and Hypnos mattresses – a superb spoiling treat.
Doubles from £195 B&B, bonniebadger.com
The Duke William, Ickham, Kent
Local ales, wines and gin; fantastic food and just four vintage-styled bedrooms – the historic Duke William is the perfect bijoux stay. Set in an idyllic Kentish village, the pub is a pleasing blend of contemporary and original detail: moody colour schemes and fur throws meld with open fires, low beams and wooden benches. Bedrooms are named after owner Mark Sargeant’s chef heroes, who inspire an upmarket menu – there’s his own locally sourced dishes like Folkstone crab as well as vegan and veggie options. The pub has a genuine local feel with live music and regular wine tastings.
Doubles from £100 B&B, thedukewilliamickham.com
