Howard’s House

This place is the Wiltshire country retreat par excellence. From the idyllic hamlet location to the relaxed country-style décor in a Grade II-listed house, Howard’s House offers ultimate escapism. A 17th-century house built of honeyed stone and set in beautiful gardens, it’s not so much a hotel as a home from home, in which to loaf before an open fire in the lounge or dawdle over breakfast in lovely gardens. There are ten rooms in all, each one different, but all with tea- and coffee-making facilities, flatscreen TVs, ultra-comfy beds and en-suite bathrooms with both bath and shower and luxury toiletries.

Seclusion is the word here, accompanied by warmth and comfort, and the in-house restaurant just completes the picture, serving sensational modern British cuisine using local ingredients that include fruit and veg from the hotel's garden. The centre of Salisbury is just 15 minutes’ drive away and a network of good walks in the lovely Nadder Valley is right on your doorstep. In short, the perfect Wiltshire weekend for walkers and foodies.