Lucknam Park

In the midst of the scenic Cotswolds, Lucknam Park is an old-fashioned country house hotel, on five hundred acres of registered parkland, just six miles from the original English resort town of Bath. The manor itself dates back to 1720, and was in fact a family residence right up until the hotel’s establishment in 1987.

So this is the place to live out your Mr. Darcy fantasy (playing whichever role you prefer), or just to indulge in some industrial-grade relaxation, in the most picturesque of styles. Yes, we know Jane Austen did not approve of Bath, but her loss is literature’s gain — you would not likely get much writing done while soaking in a hot spring, nor will you finish your latest novel at The Spa, Lucknam Park’s new £15M addition.

The gardens and parklands are impressive, just what one would imagine from a period country manor. The estate grounds would be the perfect venue for a bit of horseback riding, if only the stables had dozens of horses and a fully staffed equestrian center for the guests’ use. Which, in a remarkable coincidence, they do.

The hotel’s 29 rooms and 13 suites, newly and massively renovated, are stuffed to the gills with atmosphere and antiques — though more aggressively comfortable than overweeningly opulent, there is no show of restraint in the décor. Larger suites feature four-poster beds, some high enough to require footstools for a step up, and a sitting room where one could entertain suitors or gaze out over the estate and the gardens.

The facilities include the aforementioned equestrian center and spa, as well as an indoor and an outdoor pool, walking trails, loaner bikes, tennis courts, and a five-a-side football pitch. And now, post-renovation, there are two restaurants — the Brasserie, located within the spa complex, joins Restaurant Hywel Jones, a Michelin-starred tour de force of organic ingredients and fastidious technique. Here they’ll teach city dwellers a thing or two about upscale elegance, and that approach extends to every aspect of Lucknam Park. Some country hotels aspire to be just like home — and this one is, if home happens to be an opulently appointed 18th-century manor with an army of attentive servants.

How to get there: Lucknam Park is approximately a 45-minute drive from Bristol Airport and 2 hours from London.