Oak House No. 1

Some of our readers no doubt reflexively cringe at the mention of the phrase “bed and breakfast.” It’s not an uncommon affliction. But the apocalypse of chintz and lace that the phrase so often conjures is nowhere in evidence at Oak House No. 1, in the Cotswolds village of Tetbury. Instead it’s a bed and breakfast for the post-boutique-hotel era. It’s chock full of antiques, true, a result of the fact that Tetbury is a veritable antiquing hotbed. But it’s chock full of plenty else as well, from Warhol prints to design pieces to contemporary luxury-hotel fittings — clearly not an inch of its décor has gone un-ruminated-over.

The Oak House’s owners are designers in their own right, and while the result may be panic-inducing for die-hard minimalists, for anyone who wants a bit of character in a country getaway it’s the perfect tonic. The three suites and one bedroom are all different, from the classic Cavalier and Prince’s suites to the Library Bedroom, whose bath looks like something out of a Japanese luxury hotel. You’re two hours outside London, but in England that’s a world of difference — let your hosts pack you a picnic lunch for a day out and you’ll get all the fine wine and seasonal produce you can handle.