I’ve stayed in thousands of British hotels and this is my favourite, according to Hotel Inspector, plus my other favourite UK picks, from country manors to a cosy pub.

There are hotels, and then there are resorts (or hotel complexes) that offer everything you could want without leaving the resort and a little more.

Estelle Manor in Oxfordshire falls squarely in the latter group, with around 3,000 acres of prime Cotswolds parkland on its doorstep.

For those of us not accustomed to opulence at every turn, this lavish project takes the cake. First, there’s the long, wide driveway; then, bright young men in tweed insisting on parking the car and carrying the luggage, after which a kind of welcoming committee makes it clear that it’s okay to feel good.

This majestic neo-Jacobean building (formerly the Eynsham Hall Hotel) was built in 1908 and over the years has served as a maternity hospital and police training academy.

Sharan Pasricha and his wife Eiesha, daughter of Indian billionaire Sunil Mittal, took over the resort in 2017 and began taking guests late last year. But the sprawling Romanesque spa complex has only just opened, along with paddle tennis courts, a large gym, axe throwing, archery, foraging, falconry, bike rides and even mini electric Land Rovers for children, along with a kids’ club of the sort you might find in London’s Mayfair.

Estelle Manor is a stately neo-Jacobean building (formerly Eynsham Hall Hotel) that was built in 1908.

The hotel has just opened its Romanesque thermal complex

You might think this is a theme park, but you’d be wrong. This is a multi-layered triumph where no expense has been spared. There are 108 rooms of various shapes and sizes, some in the main house, others surrounding the orchard and in the converted stables.

Ours, overlooking the terrace (I love the parasols) and the heated pool, has a colonial feel, with a four-poster bed, armchairs and sofas, exquisite antiques and wood panelling. It’s probably the prettiest room I’ve ever stayed in, and the marble bathroom isn’t too shabby either.

Soho Farmhouse is nearby and there is a membership element here too, albeit a pricey one (£3600 per year, with a £500 joining fee), whereby you get access to a special members’ area, which includes a Japanese restaurant and its own lively bar.

We had a spectacularly good meal in the Brasserie (we could have opted for the Chinese restaurant or the Glasshouse in the middle of the orchard), although my wife thought her steak was a little tough – until a waiter politely pointed out that she was holding her knife with the dull edge facing downwards.

The high-ceilinged lounge, which overlooks the library, is a sensual feast. Its glamorous bar invites you to sip a gimlet cocktail in a beautiful glass. There is dazzling modern art and a general sense that the Pasrichas (owners of the Gleneagles resort in Scotland and the Hoxton hotels) are setting a new benchmark for high-end hospitality.

It’s a given that you need a lot of money. Even if you’re staying (and not a member), you have to pay £95 to enjoy a “thermal trip” at the Romanesque Eynsham Baths, which feature a huge tepidarium and then a series of hot and (very) cold pools.

We stay as long as we can and finish with a fabulous lunch at the Glasshouse. Heading back down the road and back into our normal orbit is not going to be fun.

Double rooms from £450 b&b (estellemanor.com)

…and other UK hotels that have earned the Inspector’s five-star rating:

Narberth Forest, Molleston, Pembrokeshire

This fabulous family-run hotel is nestled in a hollow behind a pond, surrounded by ancient woodland and sky-blue hydrangeas. There are no ugly posters, no framed AA Rosette awards, no brochures. Just a beautiful, slightly quirky house, parts of which date back to the 14th century. The restaurant has a Michelin star.

Double rooms from £201, grovenarberth.co.uk

The Nici, Bournemouth, Dorset

Miami Beach comes to Bournemouth in the form of this stylish hotel, which has just been renovated with £25m. You’ll be delighted to enter the sunny art deco lobby, with palm tree-themed artwork and fun details such as a Playboy pinball machine and table football.

Opt for a room with an ocean view and don’t miss the spa in the basement. The outdoor pool, flanked by cabanas, quality loungers and sunken fire pits, is as chic as any Miami has to offer.

Double rooms from £155, thenici.com

Callow Hall Wild Beehive, Ashbourne, Derbyshire

Since opening two years ago, Wildhive Callow Hall, on the edge of the Peak District, has received all kinds of praise. And rightly so. It is very modern, with Penny Morrison fabrics, Robert Kime wallpaper and Fermoie lampshades. The house dates back to the 1850s and the cedar tree near the front door is 800 years old. A fabulous glass box at the back of the building houses the bar and restaurant.

Double rooms from £224, wildhive.es

The Olive Branch, Clipsham, Rutland

Ben Jones, who worked at Hambleton Hall and Gravetye Manor, bought this closed pub in 1999 and then acquired the pretty little house opposite, which now houses six rooms. The atmosphere is welcoming (Ben’s father worked in the antiques trade) and the food is absolutely delicious. A perfect stay. Excellent value for money.

Double rooms from £175, elpubdelaramadeoliva.com

The Bell, Charlbury, Oxfordshire

It’s easy to scoff at Lord and Lady Bamford’s sprawling empire in Daylesford, but this newly renovated 12-room pub won’t disappoint. Every nook and cranny works. There are at least three roaring fireplaces; wood panelling and artwork (including a wall of pressed flowers and herbs) convey a sense of place; the staff are all friendly. The food is fabulous.

Double rooms from £176, The beautiful charlbury.com

Lime Tree Hotel, Ebury St, London

This exceptional B&B in a two-fronted Belgravia townhouse is one of London’s best kept secrets. It has 27 rooms, all refurbished in the last three years.

It has a private country-house feel, with plush sofas, brightly coloured cushions and a pretty walled garden. The only thing missing is a golden retriever lying in the hallway. Breakfast is served in the buttery next door, where residents get a 10 per cent discount.

Double rooms from £220, limetreehotel.co.uk

Grantley Hall, Ripon, Yorkshire

It is such a lavish project underway (reportedly £100m) that house prices in the area have apparently risen by 20 per cent. It is ostentatious, with five restaurants, including Shaun Rankin’s Michelin-starred venue; a nightclub; the fanciest gym of all (plus an underwater treadmill); a cryotherapy chamber; a motorsports simulator; a lifestyle adviser; an indoor-outdoor pool at the Three Graces Spa; a “snow room”; a gift shop; a Japanese garden, etc.

Double rooms from £500, grantleyhall.co.uk

The Village Pub, Barnsley, Gloucestershire

The Pig group’s latest project, and it’s a charmer. It has just six rooms (only one has an ensuite). It has exquisite antique and quirky furniture, with three fireplaces, plus an outside space for al fresco dining. Look out for the high-backed wooden banquette at a table set for six. Lovely staff. Excellent food.

Double rooms from £215 B&B, elhotelcerdo.com

Locanda on the weir, Porlock Weir, Somerset

There are only four rooms, three of them with sea views. The building is set back from the main street, which attracts visitors throughout the summer. It was bought six years ago by a former Italian merchant from the city and his designer partner. The dining is the key: fresh, creative and tastefully presented.

Double rooms from £225, locandaontheweir.co.uk

Roxburghe Castle, Kelso, Scotland

From the outside it looks like Balmoral, albeit with a huge newly built spa at the back of the building. It was owned by the Duke of Roxburghe before being sold to a German company.

Fabulous rooms with high ceilings, antique furniture and two restaurants. Locals say some £50m has been invested in this resort hotel in the Scottish Borders. And it shows.

Double rooms from £194, hotel-schloss-roxburghe.com

The Bottle & Glass Inn, Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire

This is a small thatched pub in the Chiltern Hills, which has been extended to create a large dining area and three rooms in an adjoining building. You come here for the atmosphere and the food. And also for the good value for money.

Double rooms from £120, bottleandglassinn.com

Middleton Cottage, Richmond, Yorkshire

A Georgian house designed by John Carr is the centrepiece, but there are rooms scattered throughout the converted stables, dairy, orchard and wall garden. You’re minutes from the A1(M) near Scotch Corner, but you feel like you’re in Provence.

The staff are very friendly, the food is locally sourced and the wines are carefully selected and reasonably priced. Some rooms have their own wood-burning stove. Take a stroll through the gardens before you leave.

Double rooms from £245 b&b, middletonlodge.co.uk

The Lamb Inn, Shipton-under-Wychwood, Oxfordshire

Arriving here, amid the chatter of happy diners scattered across various nooks and crannies, with flagstone floors, a creaking bar and five discreet rooms, is a life-enhancing experience. It’s also good value for money. Two thirtysomethings, Peter and Tom, are in charge and offer an excellent menu (don’t miss the anchovy toast). Antique furniture and sumptuous bed linen await when it’s time to say good night.

Double rooms from £99, elmbshipton.com

Children’s home, Ashford, Kent

It’s not the most salubrious of areas, but once you’re holed up in this fabulous Jacobean house (built by Thomas and Margaret Boys in 1616), all is well.

The rooms are large and elegant, some with separate bathrooms. The restaurant is a converted barn at the back with a large open fire. There are no televisions, except for one in the pub, hidden away in the main lounge.

There are currently seven rooms, but more are planned, some in garden cabins.

Double rooms from £180, boys-hall.com

Trewornan Manor, Wadebridge, Cornwall

This Grade II listed mansion near Cornwall’s spectacular north coast was in a terrible state when the owners bought it in 2014.

Today, it’s a fantastic B&B, with a generous ethos (free cakes at teatime), an honesty bar and 25 acres of grounds. All the rooms are named after local beaches. It’s not cheap, but it’s always cheerful.

Double rooms from £180, trewornanmanor.co.uk