Cowley Manor Experimental

Downstairs rambles on in the best country-house way, albeit one with electric-blue furnishings and papier-mâché stags. There are several living rooms to sprawl in, a library for hiding away, a games room for rainy afternoons, a mudroom for mucky boots and wet dogs, all with the signature funk and supreme style. The restaurant, helmed by Jackson Boxer, is an elegant, wood panelled affair that leans hard on Gloucestershire farms and growers, with a streak of French swagger. The spa, meanwhile, has indoor and outdoor pools, a gym, and products made with local plants.

Each of the rooms is a variation on the same playful theme of classical bones, contemporary cheek. Think grand four-posters, limed maple and verdigris green, rattan, and flashes of glossy lacquer. Some look out over the parkland, others across the gardens, and the best have their own private terraces. Bathrooms are generous and characterful, all deep tubs and good light. But it's the extras that really sing: collagen eye masks and minibars stocked with pre-mixed Experimental cocktails. Yes please!

Start in the grounds themselves, enjoying 55 acres of Victorian gardens with cascades, winding paths and a lake to fish in. Stretch your legs and walk to the village pub for lunch, or further up into the hills to relish the view. Beyond the gates lie the honey-stone towns of the Cotswolds (Cirencester is also just to the south) and a mere 15 minutes away, the racecourse and festivals of Cheltenham. Alternatively, do nothing more taxing than carrying a book down to the lake. The team will plan any of it for you, dogs included.