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Affordable chic: 6 romantic hotels

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)

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