THE FACTS ABOUT BARNSLEY HOUSE

England

Barnsley House, a 17th-century Cotswold-stone manor in a tiny Gloucestershire village, opened as a hotel last July. Set in several acres of grounds designed by the previous owner, gardening doyenne Rosemary Verey, the house is so warm and welcoming you will want to kick off your shoes at the front door. The interiors are uncluttered and contemporary, and all nine bedrooms - six in the main house and three in the adjoining cottage - are huge. The beds are seven feet wide, and there are two plasma TVs, one of which is in the bathroom. The excellent restaurant offers a three-course set menu (including dishes such as baked pasta with Parma ham, porcini mushrooms and truffles) for £39.50. Chef Graham Grafton previously worked at Le Caprice and Chez Bruce in London, and the consultant chef is Franco Taruschio, formerly of the Walnut Tree in Abergavenny. Barnsley House is a great place for walks in the countryside, but it is probably best enjoyed sprawled in front of a roaring fire with a Bloody Mary and an early edition of Oliver Twist (one of many books at your disposal). Either way, there is plenty to keep you occupied between delicious meals. WHEN TO GO Summer for the gardens or winter for cosy evenings by the fire. ROOM TO BOOK Room 7, a three-room suite with a private terrace. Barnsley House, Barnsley, Cirencester, Gloucestershire (01285 740000; fax: 740900; www.barnsleyhouse.com). Doubles from £260; room 7 £450