recommended by Lucia Cockcroft

Norfolk has more than its fair share of lovely villages – but for many people, Burnham Market tops the list as the jewel in the county's crown. This unfeasibly pretty place boasts all the...

recommended by Lucia Cockcroft

Spas are two-a-penny these days, and choosing just one for that luxurious break can take a surprising amount of (admittedly not-too-onerous) leg work. SenSpa is nowhere near as well known as Champneys or Ragdale Hall...

recommended by Lucia Cockcroft

Fawsley Hall may only be a 90 minute drive from London, but a more tranquil, tucked away spot this close to London is hard to imagine. Rather like Leicestershire or Suffolk, Northamptonshire – known...

recommended by Lucia Cockcroft

Boutique hotels have been around for a while, the term encompassing an ever-broadening range of establishments calming to slot into this coveted bracket. The myhotel chain aims to go one step further...

recommended by Lucia Cockcroft

Hastings is an unlikely place to find a memorable boutique hotel. The Zanzibar, talk of the town and recipient of some breathless reviews, opened its doors in 2006 and is doing much to breathe new life and fresh hope...

recommended by Lucia Cockcroft

If you're plotting a weekend escape, there’s a good chance that Rutland Water near Leicestershire doesn't make the short list of destinations. A few weeks after staying at Barnsdale Lodge, a few minutes...

recommended by Lucia Cockcroft

Hidden away on the Essex/Suffolk border, in the heart of rolling Constable country, The Crown Inn in Stoke-by-Nayland, Suffolk comes perilously close to hitting the mark as a perfect London weekend escape....

recommended by Lucia Cockcroft

The Cove in Lamorna Cove near Penzance in Cornwall. Combining the comfort of a luxury hotel with the convenience of a top-class self-catering apartment.   Chances are, Cornwall...

recommended by Lucia Cockcroft

For those with a city dweller's yen to stay right on the coast, The Ship Inn in Dunwich, on the Suffolk coast, will be a worthy contender as a breezy weekend escape from London. A...

recommended by Rebecca Wicks

Anyone looking for the quintessential English country garden, or mansion, will have a struggle to find one more perfect than Stoke Place – just a thirty minute drive from the bustle of London....

recommended by Lucia Cockcroft

Since Robert Thompson became chef patron of The Hambrough in August 2008, the accolades for this Isle of Wight hotel have hardly stopped pouring in. After five months, it scooped a Michelin Star, followed...

recommended by Lucia Cockcroft

One online guest review of Eastwell Manor muses that a stay here lends itself to imagining one is a character in an Agatha Christie novel. In many ways, this reference sums up the ambience of this ancient...

recommended by Lucia Cockcroft

When I came across Bath's Halcyon hotel online, the decision to book a two-night stay was a no-brainer: the website promised central, boutique-style rooms without the over-inflated price tag that often...