Four Seasons Hotel, Hook, Hampshire

You feel in the heart of the English countryside here, and yet you're actually just five miles from the M3.

This countryside hotel is perfectly placed for visiting Highclere Castle and Jane Austen's house.
By car: 50 minutes from Southampton, 1 hour 40 minutes from London. Just over an hour from Oxford and just over 2 hours from Birmingham. Free, accessible parking and electronic car parking is available on site.
By train: Hook, Winchfield and Fleet stations are a 10-minute drive from the hotel, with services from Basingstoke (10 minutes), London Waterloo (1 hour) and Portsmouth Harbour (1 hour 30 minutes). thetrainline.com

Well-heeled families looking to pop on their Hunter wellies for the weekend will love it here. The floristry throughout the hotel is breathtaking, with large floral set pieces in all the main public areas and extra displays in corridors.

The Italian staff in the restaurant are warm and friendly. Sandro the sommelier will give excellent and interesting wine recommendations to pair with your food.

• Restaurant
• Bar
• Outdoor pool
• Indoor pool
• Thermal suite
• Spa
• Kids club
• Family activities
• Family-friendly
• Pet-friendly

The 55-inch "wallpaper" TVs lie flat against the wall and are ultra high definition, with Chromecast for streaming from your devices. We love the spacious Belvedere suite with dual aspect floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over the parkland.

Manor, Grand Manor, Heritage, Garden and Mews Rooms, Suites, Speciality Suites, Accessible Rooms
Facilities include: Wi-Fi, daily newspaper, spa access, 24-hour in-room dining, safe, ironing facilities, hairdryer, ensuite bathroom, luxury bath products, thick terry bathrobes, down duvets and pillows

The vegan menu has three options for each course, including wild mushrooms with hazelnut and truffle on sourdough, and vegan korma or whole roasted broccoli. Breakfast is a veritable feast with an extensive buffet and menu including frittata with spinach, sun-dried tomatoes and feta cheese.

Wild Carrot: Chic brasserie-style restaurant. Seasonal, locally sourced ingredients. Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Mains from £16.
Café Santé: Bright, airy glasshouse setting overlooking spa and grounds. Relaxed, healthy.
The Bar at Wild Carrot: Classic craft cocktails and artisanal concoctions inspired by seasonal ingredients found in the Hampshire countryside.
The Library: Plush and cosy. Serving afternoon teas from 11am-6pm during the week, from 9am at weekends.