Old Swan

With its quaintly crooked, moss-carpeted roof, ancient timber frame, and pretty floral and ivy-clad stonework, the postcard-perfect Old Swan & Minster Mill is the archetype of a country inn. Its pastoral grounds stretch across 65 acres of weeping willows, scented purple lavender, and daisy-dotted lawns, suggesting a scene of idyllic English countryside little changed since the property's construction in the 16th century. Inside, the spell is sustained, with wood-beamed ceilings, crackling log fires, crooked flagstone floors, and an assortment of rustic and medieval-themed ornaments and curios. The newer "Minster Mill" side of the property is a more modern, but similarly styled building with contemporary rooms. It looks out over a slow-running river and the gardens where the resident ducks, Betty and Eddy, can often be spotted.

The hotel is located down a winding country road in the picturesque, 900-year-old village of Minster Lovell in West Oxfordshire. Its location in the heart of the picturesque Cotswolds makes it ideally situated for country walks and for visiting other villages in the region. It's just a few minutes from the A40 freeway,which leads to London in around 90 minutes. The city of Oxford is about a 30-minute drive away.

The hotel's 60 rooms are spread between the old inn -- with traditional decor, original beams, and heavy dark-wood furnishings -- and the modern annex, which has rooms finished in a fresh, country style with modern furnishings and contemporary flair. All rooms have flat-screen TVs and free Wi-Fi as well as some unexpected extras such as a decanter of sloe gin, homemade fudge, and hot water bottles in the winter. Beds have Egyptian cotton sheets and bathrooms have luxury toiletries and bathrobes. Some garden rooms open to patios with wood stove heaters.

The Old Swan’s restaurant and bar comprises a collection of alcoves and low-ceilinged sitting areas made even more cozy by low oak beams and open log fires. The restaurant grows some of its own produce and collects eggs on-site, which they use to create a menu of upscale gastropub fare. Leisure facilities include a tennis court and a smallish gym, and fly-fishing can be arranged in the river. There are numerous walking paths in the area (though beware of bulls). The hotel's Garden Spa provides a range of treatments and features, including an indoor pool, sauna, ice fountain steam room.