Three glorious countryside hotels for a summer staycation

Lime Wood, New Forest

Lime Wood, a handsome 18th-century sandstone hotel in the New Forest, is the perfect mix of chic and cosy. In the forest suite, a fire is ready to light and a book on foraging mushrooms is by the bedside. The Herb House spa is first rate, with separate steam and sauna areas and an outdoor plunge pool. The gym is well-stocked with TRX suspension equipment, a pilates area and wonderful views of the kitchen garden. The salmon is cured in the in-house smoke house by Angela Hartnett and served at dinner and breakfast (along with fun boil-your-own quail’s eggs and squeeze-your-own orange juice). Rooms from £295, limewoodhotel.co.uk

Beaverbrook, Surrey

Set in 400 acres of rolling Surrey countryside, Beaverbrook — the former home of media tycoon Lord Beaverbrook — is striking for its debonair good looks and majestic history. Referencing its past and reflecting its owner's character, interiors are decorated with Beaverbrook's photos, paintings and books in the library. The house's 18 rooms are also named after and nod to his illustrious guests, including Elizabeth Taylor (above), Rudyard Kipling and Winston Churchill. Roaring fires and discreet service make guests feel completely at home. Rooms from £315, beaverbrook.co.uk

Lympstone Manor, Exmouth

The exterior is imposing, sturdy and white — the car park of Range Rovers and Jaguars hinting at the clientele. Inside, deep white carpet is not welly friendly, but the rooms are made for cosiness: there are L’Occitane goodies, a capacious St John shower and an aperitif tray with Fevertree tonics and Williams gin. The main lure of this hotel is, of course, the food, so opt for the tasting menu: quails egg tartlet is a delicate morsel, with onion confit, black truffle and smoked bacon, and the langoustine cannelloni with braised fennel and shellfish sauce is gossamer thin and melts in the mouth. There are no duff notes — it is prize cooking, and well worth the pilgrimage. Rooms from £238, lympstonemanor.co.uk