Details of The Cottage in the Wood,Holywell Road, Malvern Wells, Worcestershire WR14 4LG ref 7037

Three buildings and a family form this glossy little hotel perched, very privately in seven wooded acres, high above the Severn valley and with a superb vista across to the Cotswolds thirty-something miles away (binoculars provided). There are bedrooms in all three buildings, taking the hotel over our usual size for this guide; but the smartly furnished Georgian dower house at its heart is so intimate, calm and comfortable that we always relent. Apart from its food, the restaurant (modern English cuisine) has two other substantial qualities: windows that let you see the view and a wine list that lets you roam the world. Walkers can get straight out on to a good stretch of the Malvern Hills and for tourers the Pattins provide leaflets giving concise notes on everything that's worth visiting for 50 miles (80 km) around.