For romantic getaways in the UK, contemporary countryside retreats and cool city hideaways abound. But good places to stay don't come cheap. So we asked the experts at Mr and Mrs Smith hotel guidebooks where to head for an unforgettable escape without blowing the bank.
Compiled by Juliet Kinsman of Mr and Mrs Smith
Alias Hotel Barcelona
Young and quirky bolthole in Central Exeter
Housed in a converted eye hospital, this hotel from the outside reveals its previous incarnation. But chandeliers, Venetian mirrors, retro furniture and young friendly staff inject colour and breathe new life into the place that won Design Hotel of the Year 2002. Kino, the hotel's bar and club is one of the best spots for miles for live music and cocktails, and their restaurant Café Paradiso is a buzzy setting in which to enjoy delicious Mediterranean cuisine. A great time to go is for Exeter Festival in July when there's a packed schedule of theatre, music and comedy events (01392 213161; www.exeter.gov.uk/festival).
Rates: £115-£135; consult the website for special offers
Recommended rooms: Specify a large room with a view of the Victorian walled garden; the Old Theatre
Address: Magdalen Street, Exeter (01392 281000; www.aliashotels.com)
The Bell at Skenfrith
Great gastro in green and grassy Monmouthshire
Tucked between a swell in the gentle Welsh hills, the 13th-century Skenfrith village and the river Monnow, this former coaching inn has found new life as a comfortable and relaxed gastro hotel. The rooms are relaxed, rural contemporary, and enjoy either a delightful view of the river or the pretty cottage garden and tufty hedgerows of the local hills. The food and wine at the Bell is a major draw, and while a lie-in may be tempting, breakfast alone is almost reason enough to stay. To burn off some of those calories (in other ways, we mean), fishing, cycling, riding and hang-gliding can all be arranged - that's if you can bear to leave the cosy comfort of the Bell itself.
Rates: £105-£185, including breakfast
Recommended room: Whickham's Fancy or Tups Indispensable, the four-poster suites
Address: Skenfrith, Monmouthshire, Wales (01600 750235; www.skenfrith.com)
Drunken Duck Inn
Top-notch traditional pub in the stunning Cumbrian Hills
This 19th-century inn is hidden away in idyllic countryside 10 minutes from Lake Windermere. Each room has its own personality - they are modern in decor with antiques here and there, and leisure touches abound including VCRs and shelves of books. Fresh air and the great outdoors is the lure, but once you're here you may find it hard to leave the pub or its garden. A small, traditional hops-decorated inn, the Duck has its own brewery and people flock for miles for a pint of Cat Nap bitter or a Chesters Strong and Ugly Ale. Also irresistible is the food; an adventurous take on traditional British favourites, the restaurant is always booked up, although the hotel wisely reserves tables for its guests.
Rates: £95-£225, including breakfast
Recommended room: Room 17 (the Garden Room) and Room 10 for the view; rooms 15 and 16 have their own patios
Address: Barngates, Ambleside, Cumbria (01539 436347; www.drunkenduckinn.co.uk)
Kilgraney House
Georgian Elegance and Irish imagination in County Carlow
The drive to Kilgraney House through beautiful rolling fields is enchanting, but little prepares you for the elegant hotel itself. Its interior has been decorated by the owners and the paintings and objects give the place a well-travelled and individual feel. These surprising touches are mostly relics from the Philippines where your hosts (and cooks) Bryan and Martin used to work, and help enhance the feeling you're houseguests rather than paying visitors. Adding to the convivial atmosphere is the choice of dining as a couple or communally; while you might be tempted to dine a deux, eating with your fellow guests is the fun, sociable option.
Rates: €85 - €120
Recommended room: The Buddha Room for the big bed; The Philippines overlooks the garden; Church has the best bathroom
Address: Bagenalstown, County Carlow, Ireland
Rick's
Cool cocktail bar in the heart of Edinburgh
Rick's isn't exactly a hotel - it's a designer bar with 10 contemporary rooms. Low ceilings and coloured mood lighting give it a cosy, intimate atmosphere; brown banquette seats, burgundy leather cubes and giant cacti create sexy surroundings. The rooms complement the bar perfectly, and while there's no view, the mod cons are all there. There's even a very well-stocked mini-bar (which includes a disposable camera, Illy percolator, condoms and a toothbrush so you barely need bother packing). But with one of the most impressive cocktail lists imaginable beckoning from below you'll find it hard to resist spending most of your time in the bar.
Rates: £110 plus VAT
Recommended room: All the rooms are very similar, but we like 5, 8, 9 and 10 most.
Address: 55a Frederick Street, Edinburgh, Scotland
Royal Oak
Modernist country comfort in rural West Sussex
From the outside it looks the very image of a quaint old pub; inside is a cosy atmosphere with a modern feel. The design ethic which unites contemporary style with rustic comfort applies throughout the Royal Oak - a rare treat from a countryside local. In other words you get the style, service and quality of a city hotel with the friendliness and charm of the Sussex countryside; perfect for a dreamy escape à deux. Staff can advise you about the best walks, then when you've worked up an appetite, the perfect ending to any day is a top-drawer gastropub-style dinner by the log fire in the open-plan dining area.
Rates: £90-£150
Recommended room: Flint Cottage at the back of the pub; Room 5 is the largest in the main house.
Address: Pook Lane, East Lavant near Chichester, West Sussex
Prices and details are correct at time of publication.
Mr & Mrs Smith: UK & Ireland Collection is published by Spy Publishing (£19.95; www.mrandmrssmith.com). Edited by Juliet Kinsman and Sophie Dening and designed by Bloom, it features photography by Adrian Houston.
Mr & Mrs Smith: European Cities Collection, out in November 2004, features hotel reviews from style leaders such as Stella McCartney, Giles Coren and Dylan Jones. Mr & Mrs Smith's Something for the Weekend CD compilation provides the perfect soundtrack to any trip away, also out in October.