The Farmhouse at Redcoats, Hitchin, Hertfordshire

There's a great 3-4 hour circular walk nearby, with an excellent descriptive leaflet of the route.

Knebworth House is just down the road, and it's a little further south to Shaw's Corner and Hatfield House.
By car: around 1 hour 30 minutes from London, 2 hours from Birmingham and 3 hours 30 minutes from Manchester. Free parking on-site.
By train: London St Pancras to Stevenage or Hitchin takes under 30 minutes. It's under 10 minutes' drive to the hotel. thetrainline.com

Looking for a countryside break with comfortable rooms, a good restaurant and bar? You'll love it here. The 15th-century rooms are full of character, especially one of the private dining rooms.

The restaurant and bar are both attractive and homely.

• Restaurant
• Bar
• Garden
• Family-friendly
• Free parking
• Free Wi-Fi

Well-behaved dogs are allowed in some bedrooms, as well as the bar and the lounge.

Our Luxury Room was spacious, the walls a restful light grey with a feature wall that was a riot of bright flowers, with a desk, large comfy bed, two 1960s-style armchairs and a bathroom with a walk-in shower and grey marble and pale pink tiling. We loved the plethora of ancient beams in the oldest rooms.

Barns Standard, Farmhouse Stables, Farmhouse Classic, Barns Superior, Farmhouse Signature, Luxury Room
Facilities include: ensuite bathroom with toiletries, hairdryer, tea and coffee facilities, TV, free Wi-Fi

The food is of a high standard, and there's a comprehensive wine list (bottles varied from £24 to £400). The starter of roasted celeriac and parsley risotto, with sautéed wild mushrooms, pickled onion, pecorino and watercress was delicious.

The Restaurant: farm to fork ethos, locally sourced ingredients, seasonal menus. Open daily for breakfast and lunch, Mon-Sat for dinner. Mains from £19.