Posh country retreats in the UK

Bailiffscourt Hotel
Climping
West Sussex
Tel: 01903 723511
www.hshotels.co.uk/bailiffscourt-main.htm

The scene: Gothic architectural fantasy with olde worlde comfort
Ideal for: Would-be princesses and faux Medieval brides

With its mullioned windows and distressed oak beams, Bailiffscourt Hotel exudes the mystery of the Middle Ages, yet it was actually built in 1927. A spit from the sea and set in 30 acres of parkland and walled gardens where peacocks strut their stuff, the hotel has 31 luxurious bedrooms, most with four-poster beds and open log fires. The Music Room is licensed for civil wedding ceremonies so you can tie the knot on your weekend away. How romantic is that?

Lucknam Park Hotel
Colerne
Chippenham
Wiltshire
Tel: 01225 742 777
www.lucknampark.co.uk

The Scene: Erstwhile family manor house where antiques and chintz abound
Ideal for: Horsey types lording it up on their time off

This 41-room Palladian hotel near Bath sits in 500 acres of listed parkland and has been carefully restored to the style of the past era. Some might find the heavy furnishings a tad claustrophobic, but this place is a dream for horse lovers who can let off steam at the impressive on-site equestrian centre. Giddy up!

Whatley Manor
Easton Gray
Malmesbury
Wiltshire
Tel: 01666 822 888
www.whatleymanor.com

The scene: Ersatz social sophistication near Stonehenge
Ideal for: Keeping up with the Smytheson-Jones's and moguls cutting deals

This restored manor house sits in 12 acres of landscaped gardens and flowering meadows and has been converted into a 23-room hotel with two restaurants, a cinema and underground spa. It's original, bordering on the pretentious - but with the classic French cuisine, cinema and boardroom, it's the ideal place to cajole your film industry cronies into financing your latest movie project.