This part of England is stunning all year round and it is no wonder celebrities choose to buy countryside retreats here. Don't assume you will see any A-listers on your trip though; there are plenty of space to hide in between the hills and valleys in this, essentially, farm area. The Cotswold Hills straddles the borders of Gloucestershire, Warwickshire, Wiltshire, Oxfordshire and Somerset.

BARNSLEY HOUSE
Barnsley House, Barnsley, Cirencester, Gloucestershire GL7 5EE (01285 740000; www.barnsleyhouse.com). This beautiful manor house has 18 rooms (of which 11 are suites), all spacious, stylish and chic. The neutral colour scheme brings attention to the period features and the lovely exterior of the building, which dates back to the 17th century. Split-level suites overlooking landscaped gardens can be found in the adjacent Stableyard building. The restaurant is great, as are the gardens - see Where to Eat and What to See. ££££

BIBURY COURT HOTEL
Bibury, Cirencester, Gloucestershire GL7 5NT (01285 740337; www.biburycourt.com). Housed in an impressive building that dates back to Tudor times, Bibury Court has - despite its size - only 18 bedrooms and is ideal if you are looking for a countryside refuge. The rooms are large, many of the bathrooms have huge Victorian baths, and the staff are on hand to help with special requests. Ask for a room with garden views, and don't miss the hotel's restaurant - see Where to Eat. £££

BUCKLAND MANOR
Buckland near Broadway, Warwickshire WR12 7LY (01386 852626; www.bucklandmanor.co.uk). This Relais & Chateaux property (always a sign of good quality) dates back to the 13th century, although you wouldn't believe it when you see the colourful rooms, which are cosy, opulent and comfortable. The restaurant serves English fare with European influences, and makes use of the manor's very own herb garden. The wine list contains 490 bottles, including some from England. £££

CALCOT MANOR
Near Tetbury, Gloucestershire GL8 8YJ (01666 890 391; www.calcotmanor.co.uk). From the outside, Calcot Manor looks just like any other pretty Gloucestershire manor house, but, as you walk through the front door, you will be greeted by rooms with a minimalist's take on medieval interiors. There are 35 rooms and suites at Calcot, all with luxurious en-suite bathrooms and period features in the form of exposed beams or stone wall posters. The Conservatory Restaurant's menu features modern Mediterranean classics, and the Calcot Spa has a fantastic pool. ££££

COTSWOLD HOUSE HOTEL
The Square, Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire GL55 6AN (01386 840330; www.cotswoldhouse.com). A picturesque Regency townhouse, Cotswold House Hotel is a member of Small Luxury Hotels and is located in the quaint town of Chipping Campden. It has 30 individually-designed rooms in different sizes (and for different budgets) and is definitely the place to stay if you are looking for designer light sculptures, shower lights that change colour, underfloor heating and a great in-room entertainment system. The Grammar School Suite, conveniently located in the old grammar school on the grounds, is quite likely the biggest of its kind in Gloucestershire. ££££

COTSWOLDS88 HOTEL
Kemps Lane, Painswick, Gloucestershire GL55 6AN (01452 813688; www.cotswolds88hotel.com). Marchella De Angelis opened her 18-room creation after a £2 million refurbishment of what had formerly been the Painswick Hotel in 2007, and it is a brave new venture that featured in the Hot List 2008. Within the walls of a Palladian manor, she has dared to juxtapose bold animal and psychedelic prints with retro furniture and grand fireplaces, stone mullions with Murano glass, lilac faux-leather and snakeskin. In the 88Room restaurant, chef Amanda Keller's short but self-assured menu showcases organic local produce - game being especially good - but with unexpectedly delightful Asian and tropical twists. £££

COWLEY MANOR
Cowley (near Cheltenham), Gloucestershire GL53 9NL (01242 870 900; www.cowleymanor.com). This manor house hotel is located within 55 acres of landscaped gardens and parkland, and is ideal for a romantic break. The 30 rooms have each been designed by a young British designer and are arranged in the easy-to-understand categories of Good (a bit on the small side, but with a good bathroom), Better (ask for one of the split-level Better rooms), Great (larger than Better, and comes with lake views), Exceptional (with large sitting areas) and Best (which has a huge bathroom and a private terrace). The restaurant - see Where to Eat - is run under the watchful eyes of Mark Hix, formely of The Caprice Group. £££

LOWER SLAUGHTER MANOR
Lower Slaughter, Gloucestershire GL54 2HP (01451 820456; www.relaischateux.com). Another Relais & Chateaux member, Lower Slaughter Manor is a very English country hotel located in an elegant 17th century manor with stucco ceilings, luxurious guestrooms and immaculate gardens. There are only 10 rooms and nine suites, and services include babysitting, while tennis and golf can be found nearby. Lunch on the terrace is a must on a sunny day. £££££

LYGON ARMS HOTEL
High Street, Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire GL55 6HB (01386 840318; www.lygonarms.co.uk). One of the best budget options in the Cotswolds, The Lygon Arms Hotel is located in a 16th century coaching inn in the middle of Chipping Campden. The interiors are of the traditional countryside kind and the four courtyard rooms, which were completed in 2005, are spacious. The restaurant - see Where to Eat - has a good reputation and serves traditional English fare. The lamb and beef is produced on the family's own farm and the vegetables are sourced from the local area. ££

OWLPEN MANOR
Owlpen, near Uley, Gloucestershire GL11 5BZ (01453 860816; www.owlpen.com). Nestled in the heart of the countryside, Owlpen Manor is a family-run affair with a manor house, garden and restaurant on the estate. Accommodation is found in the lovely holiday cottages, which vary in size and look. The Grade I-listed Court House from 1620 is a good option, with two bedrooms and low ceilings, as is the very pretty Woodwells Farm built in 1820, also with two bedrooms. £££

THE GEORGE
8 High Street, Shipston-on-Stour, Warwickshire (01608 661 453; www.thefabulousgeorgehotel.com). Located in the little village of Shipston-on-Stour, The George has 16 rooms named after food. Oyster is the smallest, while Artichoke and Chocolate are slightly larger. The interiors are very modern, and bathrooms come stocked with Molton Brown products. The on-site restaurant has an ever-changing menu - pop in to find out what is on the blackboard on the evening of your stay - but the standard fare includes pan-friend pigeon breast with raspberry dressing, roast fillet of seabass with crayfish tails, and sticky date and toffee pudding with prune and armagnac ice cream. £££

THE RECTORY
Crudwell, Malmesbury, Wiltshire SN16 9EP (01666 577194; www.therectoryhotel.com). A very ambitious hotel not far from Cirencester with 12 bedrooms, The Rectory is an oasis of calm and soft colours. The beds are made with fine Egyptian bed linen, the baths are deep and the power showers effective. The bathroom products come courtesy of Arran Aromatics, and all rooms have views over the Victorian gardens. The restaurant is also gaining quite a reputation, and the pool is a must. £££

WHATLEY MANOR
Easton Grey, Malmesbury, Wiltshire SN26 0RB (01666 822 888; www.whatleymanor.co.uk). This restored Cotswold manor house is stylish and modern, yet cosy and traditional. You will find roses and yew-lined paths in the 12-acre garden, and the two hotel restaurants are definitely worth a visit - head chef Martin Burge, who has worked at L'Ortolan, Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons and Pied a Terre, oversees both Michelin-starred The Dining Room and the informal Swiss-style brasserie Le Mazot (read more in Where to Eat). The eight suites and 15 rooms are equipped with mod cons from Bang & Olufsen, and all have big, luxurious beds and bathrooms. ££££

RESTAURANTS

BARNSLEY HOUSE RESTAURANT
Barnsley, Cirencester, Gloucestershire GL7 5EE (01285 740000; www.barnsleyhouse.com). Chef Graham Grafton honed his skills at the Caprice, Bibendum and Chez Bruce before coming to Barnsley House to oversee its restaurant, along with the local Village Pub, which shares the same owners. Homegrown produce is at the forefront, and the menu features modern European food with Italian influences. Barnsley House is also a hotel - see Where to Stay.

BIBURY COURT HOTEL
Bibury, Cirencester, Gloucestershire GL7 5NT (01285 740337; www.biburycourt.com). In this Jacobean manor located on the outskirts of quaint village Bibury, a short drive from Cirencester, the Bibury Court restaurant has won several prizes and accolades for its innovative gourmet food. Head chef Anthony Ely was recruited from The Clarence Hotel in Dublin (famously owned by Bono and The Edge from U2) in 2005, and oversees dishes such as linguini with oxtail, red wine and root vegetables, and crisp Bibury trout with herb gnocchi, ragout of wild Fowey mussels and butternut squash. Bibury Court is also a hotel - see Where to Stay.

BUCKLAND MANOR
Buckland near Broadway, Warwickshire WR12 7LY (01386 852626; www.bucklandmanor.co.uk). This is a good place to sample English gourmet cooking. With herbs grown in the Manor's own garden, a calm dining room with a beautiful view and an extensive wine list, you can sample treats such as dill-dressed Cornish crab with jellied plum tomato essence, roasted fillet of pollock with sweet potato puré and free range egg custard tart with garibaldi biscuits. Nothing too adventurous, but both good and hearty. Buckland Manor is also a hotel - see Where to Stay.

COWLEY MANOR
Cowley (near Cheltenham), Gloucestershire GL53 9NL (01242 870 900; www.cowleymanor.com). The Cowley Manor kitchen is overseen by Mark Hix, formely of The Caprice Group (the Ivy, J Sheekey and Le Caprice), and head chef Robin Smith, and together they create menus around local and organic ingredients. It is the place to go if you fancy food along the lines of wild boar steak with black pudding mash, savoy cabbage and apple marmalade, or stuffed saddle of Cotswold wild rabbit with forest mushrooms, butter onions, and tarragon sauce. Cowley Manor is also a hotel - see Where to Stay.

OLIVERS AT THE LYGON ARMS
High Street, Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire GL55 6HB (01386 840318; www.lygonarms.co.uk). Olivers has long been known as a good restaurant serving traditional English food for surprisingly low prices. Special menus are created here to celebrate local produce throughout the year, so expect the freshest herbs and vegetables, along with some good steaks and fish dishes. Olivers is part of The Lygons Arms hotel - see Where to Stay for more information.

WHATLEY MANOR
Easton Grey, Malmesbury, Wiltshire SN26 0RB (01666 822 888; www.whatleymanor.co.uk). A Relais & Chateaux member, Whatley Manor has two restaurants - Michelin-starred The Dining Room and Swiss brasserie Le Mazot. Both are run by head chef Martin Burge, who has won several prizes for his modern interpretation of classic French gourmet food. Unsurprisingly, Burge did time at both Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons and Pied a Terre before moving to Wiltshire. Whatley Manor is also a hotel - see Where to Stay.

TEA ROOMS

BADGERS HALL
High Street, Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire GL55 6HB (01386 840839; www.badgershall.co.uk). Badgers Hall, which is a cosy B&B in picturesque Chipping Campden, has one of the most famous Gloucestershire tea rooms on its premises. Owners Paul and Karen, who bought the house in 1996, serve tea (and coffee) all day long alongside wholesome cakes and pastries made by Paul himself every morning. If something ever was quintessentially English, this is probably it.

TINSANES TEA ROOMS
Cotswold House, 21 The Green, Broadway, Worcestershire WR12 7AA (01386 853296; www.tisanes-tearooms.co.uk). This traditional English tea shop and coffee house is located in a charming 17th century Cotswold house. The teas are great, as are the scones and cakes. Don't miss your chance to try Tisanes' speciality, the coffee and walnut cake.

GARDENS

BARNSLEY HOUSE GARDENS
Barnsley House, Barnsley, Cirencester, Gloucestershire GL7 5EE (01285 740000; www.barnsleyhouse.com). This fantastic Gloucestershire manor house, located on the outskirts of Barnsley just outside Cirencester, features in both Where to Stay and Where to Eat, but even if you aren't looking for a place to eat or sleep, you must go see its garden. It is vast and opulent, but accessible and wild at the same time. Plus, it comes with Prince Charles' stamp of approval

COTSWOLD FARM PARK
Near Guiting Power, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL54 5UG (01451 850307; www.cotswoldfarmpark.co.uk). Cotswold Farm Park, an excellent daytrip destination for both children and adults, was established in the 1970s with aims of conservation and education. Visitors can get close to several British rare breed farm animals, including sheep, pigs, cattle, horses and poultry. Children can ride small battery-operated tractors, while all visitors can have cream tea in the Cotswold Kitchen and stock up on souvenirs in the shop.

HIDCOTE MANOR GARDENS
Hidcote Bartrim (near Chipping Campden), Gloucestershire GL55 6LR (01386 438333; www.nationaltrust.org.uk). This National Trust-run 20th-century garden has a series of rooms, all with different characters and plants. Visitors will find old roses alongside unusual plants and trees from across the world, and the views over the Vale of Evesham are beautiful. The Garden Restaurant serves refreshments.

WESTONBIRT ARBORETUM
Near Tetbury, Gloucestershire GL8 8QS (01666 880220; www.forestry.gov.uk/westonbirt). When the Forestry Commission calls Westonbirt, which is the national arboretum, one of the most spectacular tree gardens in the world, they aren't lying. With over 3,000 trees and shrubs - many rare or endangered - from across the world on 600 acres of land, the arboretum is a fantastic place to relax, inhale some fresh air or learn more about the trees of this world. There are live music concerts often (check the arboretum's website for more information), along with workshops, walks and exhibitions.

HISTORIC HOUSES

BERKELEY CASTLE
Berkely, Gloucestershire GL13 9BQ (01453 810332; www.berkeley-castle.com). If it is a local castle you are after, they don't come much more splendid than Berkeley, which has been inhabited by the same family for nearly 900 years. Built originally in the 12th century, Berkeley has been added to over the years and the result is an impressive Norman fortress with an enclosing wall. There are events at the castle throughout the year, allowing visits to discover it on ghost hunts or candlelit at Christmas.

HAILES ABBEY
Near Winchcombe, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL54 5PB (01242 602398; www.english-heritage.org.uk/hailes). An English Heritage-run ruin, Hailes Abbey was founded in 1246 and was once a celebrated pilgrimage site. The Cistercian abbey was dissolved on Christmas Eve 1539 and its sculptures, stonework and other objects are displayed in the on-site museum. If you find you have time on your hands, you ought to pay a visit to the local parish church, in which you'll find medieval wall paintings.

NORTHLEACH CHURCH
Mill End, Northleach, Gloucestershire GL54. Officially known as St Peter and St Paul, the magnificent parish church in Northleach dates back to the 12th century although most of what can be seen there today is the result of donations from the town's wealthy wool merchants in the 15th century. Don't miss the font in the south aisle, carved by an East Anglian craftsman in the 14th century, or the 15th-century stone pulpit, one of few pre-reformation pulpits left in the county. The stained glass windows are also excellent.

SNOWSHILL MANOR
Snowshill (near Broadway), Gloucestershire WR12 7JU (01386 852410; www.nationaltrust.org.uk). Snowshill Manor is a traditional golden Cotswold manor house set in the village above the Vale of Evesham. The terraced hillside garden is arranged in a number of rooms and is strictly organic, and you will also find work by the eccentric architect and artist Charles Paget Wade there. Fun for both children and adults.

STANWAY HOUSE
Stanway House, Stanway, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL54 5PQ (01386 584469; www.stanwayfountain.co.uk). This Jacobean manor house is very pretty indeed, and it has fantastic histories to discover. The 18th-century water garden has been restored to its former glory (it includes the highest fountain in Britain), and teas, cold drinks and ice creams are served on the grounds. The fountain plays twice a day for half an hour, weather permitting.

SUDELEY CASTLE
Winchcombe, Gloucestershire GL54 5JD (01242 602308; www.sudeleycastle.co.uk). An impressive castle with a good programme of events, Sudeley is a good place for little boys and girls who are fascinated by knights and armour. The castle was once the home to Katherine Parr, the only surviving wife of Henry VIII, and many other royals, including Elizabeth I and Charles I, also stayed there. The castle was restored in the 19th century and has enough gardens to keep you busy for hours.

TEWKESBURY ABBEY
Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire GL20 (01684 850959; www.tewkesburyabbey.org.uk). This former Benedictine abbey, consecrated in 1121, has the highest Norman tower in the country and is, allegedly, the second largest parish church in England, beating stiff competition from 14 cathedrals. It is a fantastic place to visit for history and architecture buffs, as it has medieval stained glass windows, sculptured tombs and chantry chapels, and was the site for a massacre following the 1471 Battle of Tewkesbury. The Refectory serves meals and tea with homemade cakes.

THE ROMAN VILLA AT CHEDWORTH
Yanworth (near Cheltenham), Gloucestershire GL54 3LJ (01242 890256; www.nationaltrust.org.uk). These are the remains of the largest Roman villa in the British Isles, discovered by accident by a gamekeeper in 1864. Don't miss the fine mosaics, and look out for the Living History events that will bring the archaeology to life.

DISCOVER TOWNS AND VILLAGES

CIRENCESTER
The self-proclaimed capital of the Cotwolds is a beautiful town, and it was the second most important town in Roman Britain. The Roman amphitheatre on the outskirts has not been fully excavated, but several remains from Roman, Norman and Saxon times can be found at the Corinium Mueseum on Park Street (01285 655611; www.cotswold.gov.uk) where you can also dress up like a Roman soldier and find out what the Saxons really looked like. Cirencester's parish church, the beautiful St John the Baptist, shouldn't be missed either, although it is currently closed for repairs.

BIBURY
This is a typically picturesque Cotswold village, with honey-coloured stone cottages dating back to the 17th century. 19th-century artist and socialist William Morris thought it was the most beautiful village in England - you will most likely agree.

BURFORD
Burford, in the northwest of the Cotwolds, is a quaint town with plenty of pubs and restaurants. The Burford Garden Company is well known, even beyond the Cotswold's borders, and makes the town a must for gardening aficionados - including locals Kate Moss, Liz Hurley and Kate Winslet.

SWINBROOK
Not far from Burford lies Swinbrook, another sweet-looking village where the church is worth a visit for its Fettiplace monuments. Swinbrook, however, is most famous for its connection with the Mitford sisters, who grew up near the village. Their former home, Asthall Manor, is a must for literature fans.

TRAIN TIME

GLOUCESTERSHIRE-WARWICKSHIRE RAILWAY
The Railway Station, Toddington, Gloucestershire (01242 621405; www.gwsr.com). The GWR is an all-volunteer steam and diesel heritage railway that has operated the short stretches between Toddington, Winchcombe and Cheltenham since 1981. The scheduled service is listed on the GWSR's website.

The local bus service is good, but you will find huge gaps between services in some parts of the county. The easiest way to get around is to travel by car, but the Cotswolds is also ideal for hiking and cycling holidays.

It doesn't matter when you go to the Cotswolds (as long as you don't mind some wintertime rain or even snow), this part of England is beautiful all year round. Visit in spring to see newborn farm animals in the field, in the summer to visit the many gardens, in autumn to see the trees' leaves turn red and yellow, or in winter for a gourmet weekend in front of a fire.

Visit Britain's website (www.visitbritain.co.uk) has a good section on the Cotswolds, listing accommodation, restaurants and activities.