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If travel is about getting away from it all, then a flit to the countryside to escape the grind of modern life definitely fits the bill. Outside of the urban hubs, Britain and Ireland are blessed with country houses that have been transformed into elegant rural hideaways in which to spend the night. As the Good Hotel Guide award winners for 2024 are announced, The Independent can reveal the picks for the best 10 country house hotels in the UK and Ireland. Whether you're after Michelin-starred dinners in Devon or a hearty Cumbrian breakfast to start the day, whether exploring ancient woodlands or lounging beside a pool appeals, there's no shortage of options across this green and pleasant land. To find out more, visit the Good Hotel Guide website. But for now, here are some exceptional hotels that are sure to inspire an escape to the country. Viewfield House Portree, Isle of Skye, Scotland A house-party atmosphere prevails at this 19th-century mansion in 20 acres of woodland garden, home to the Macdonald family for 200 years. Victorian interiors are filled with antiques and paintings, and you won’t find a TV in your bedroom – though it might have dual-aspect windows, a pedestal desk and original fireplace. In a dining room hung with ancestral portraits, guests sit down to a full Scottish breakfast, kippers or a vegetarian option, while at night there is home-made soup, cheese and charcuterie, devilled smoked salmon and vegetarian platters. Mallory Court Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, England Built in 1916 in the romantic Elizabethan vernacular and set within formal gardens and pleasure grounds, Mallory Court welcomes families and their dogs. Described as “sumptuous and relaxing”, bedrooms in the main house blend traditional and contemporary style. Elsewhere, you’ll find places to relax over afternoon tea after a game of croquet or tennis, and in the spa or pool. Dinner in the panelled dining room is formal and fine. Gidleigh Park Chagford, Devon, England A single-track lane leads to this 1920s Tudor-style house, amid 107 acres of gardens and woodland on the banks of the North Teign. It’s home to a Michelin-starred restaurant, tennis court, croquet lawn and putting course. It is family friendly, with picnic hampers available to order and Dartmoor almost on the doorstep. Accommodation ranges from contemporary “classics” to spacious “master” rooms, up to the vast Spa Suite (where guests will find panoramic views of the valley). Chef Paul Eden’s “nouvelle but exquisite” dishes might include steamed turbot, mixed squash, pumpkin seeds, caviar and seaweed. Langar Hall Langar, Nottinghamshire, England This Georgian house in the Vale of Belvoir has been welcoming guests since the late Imogen Skirving was inspired by a dream to open her doors, greeting strangers as friends. Granddaughter Lila Arora now presides over a delightful, faintly eccentric operation. Bedrooms have intense charm; Cartland was a favourite of the late Dame Barbara, and Bohemia, featuring a four-poster bed, has poetry on the walls. Public rooms are filled with antiques and curios. Chef Gary Booth cooks locally sourced dishes, such as assiette of Langar lamb and warm salad of garden beetroot. langarhall.com Enniscoe House Castlehill, County Mayo, Ireland In wooded grounds on Lough Conn, against the backdrop of solitary Mount Nephin, this ancestral home is the very epitome of a Georgian country house in Ireland. Guests are hosted by Susan Kellett and her son, DJ, in a warm, inviting ambience. Bedrooms are spacious, and there is a comfy drawing room with open fire and much-faded Adam wallpaper. Guests meet over drinks before excellent, pared-back suppers cooked by Susan with produce from the organic walled garden. After breakfast, explore the 19th-century pleasure grounds, fish in the Lough, or follow nature trails through ancient woodland. Ty Mawr Brechfa, Carmarthenshire, Wales On the edge of Brechfa Forest in the Cothi valley, this 17th-century country house wins plaudits as “a lovely comfortable hotel”, with individually styled bedrooms, locally sourced food, and great walks from the door. Lastingham Grange Lastingham, Yorkshire, England There is a home-from-home ethos at this former farmhouse on the edge of Spaunton Moor, owned by the Wood family for 70 years, where comforts include tea with scones, a dinner menu that changes each night, and breakfasts of kippers and Yorkshire ham. Warwick Hall Carlisle, Cumbria, England Fishing is popular on the River Eden, which loops around the estate at this dog-friendly mansion, where the day begins with a hearty Cumbrian breakfast, tea is served by the drawing room fire, and guests convene for dinner in the dual-aspect dining room. The Priory Wareham, Dorset, England Four acres of English cottage gardens on the banks of the River Frome surround this former monastery, home to smart and stylish bedrooms and a glass-walled dining room, where chef Stephan Guinebault’s menus draw inspiration from his grandmother’s cooking on her Loire Valley farm. The Old Rectory Martinhoe, Devon, England In a remote hamlet in rolling countryside between Exmoor and the sea, Huw and Sam Rees-Prosser have created the kind of hotel where friends would love to gather, hosting guests for drinks and canapés before they dine from an imaginative nightly menu. oldrectoryhotel.co.uk Read reviews of the best UK hotels Read More Best UK hotels 2022 Best luxury hotels in Scotland for 2022 Family-friendly hotels in the UK for style, location and value Best Isle of Wight hotels 2023 Best hotels in Devon 2023 Best hotels in Europe 2023

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It doesn’t matter how many times an influencer tells you that “courage” is the only thing required to travel – it doesn’t change the fact that you normally need cold, hard cash. Airlines and hotels don’t care about our personal motivations and bucket lists, and travelling is – now more than ever – a luxury. At a time when food banks are bursting at the seams, millions of people have placed travelling in the “maybe next year” category. I’m one of them – I simply can’t afford to go abroad right now. Even a trip to visit my parents in my native Poland must wait till autumn, when Ryanair tickets fall low enough to be within my price range. At the same time, I firmly believe that summer is for fun and making memories. So, one morning in June, I decided to take a day trip from Glasgow to Pitlochry in the Scottish Highlands. I initially planned on using a return ticket, returing home the same evening to cut costs. Then I saw a backpackers’ hostel on the town’s picturesque high street. I couldn’t resist. I had to check-in. Read more on Scotland travel: Take the train for a sustainable Scottish Highlands adventure Best budget hotels in Scotland The best Scotland road trips to travel in your lifetime What comes to mind when you read the word “hostel”? Temporary accommodation for people with no luck? Prison-like conditions? A horror film from 2005? In my case, the answer is community. At the age of 18, I began working in the funky and vibrant hostels of Krakow’s Jewish Quarter. What initially started as a way to escape hellish call-centre work quickly turned into the most fulfilling job I ever had. As a result, my nostalgia-fuelled stay at Pitlochry Backpackers felt magical yet surreal. The pandemic nearly destroyed the industry. Sleeping in one room with multiple strangers simply wasn’t an option at a time when most people were meeting their friends and loved ones in parks for socially distanced walks. Even the award-winning hostels I used to work in didn’t survive, and they were among the best in the world. Hostels aren’t just about a cheap bed; if you choose wisely, yours might be more fun than any fancy hotel. And trust me – I love fancy! But it’s a chance to meet new friends from all over the world, or at least encounter characters you’re unlikely to spot at the local branch of Hilton. The hostels I worked in had a tremendous reputation because the whole team worked hard to provide an unforgettable experience. We showed our guests around the city, partied with them, cooked for them at no extra charge, played games and booked tours together. I’m still in touch with some of my former guests, many of whom I met way back when people on the internet were arguing about the colour of a dress. Nearly a decade later, most of us are scarred after a deadly pandemic and much poorer than we wanted to be. If ever there was a time for a hostel renaissance, it’s now. Hostels aren’t just about a cheap bed; if you choose wisely, yours might be more fun than any fancy hotel I think everyone with a passion for travel should try a proper hostel at least once in their life. There is something harmonious about exploring a new place – whether it’s a Highland forest or the Old Town in Prague – and returning to a communal space filled with personality, where the sound of laughter welcomes you as soon as you cross the threshold. In Pitlochry, I spent the day spotting kingfishers in the forest and listening to Joni Mitchell by the Loch Dunmore. Upon my return, I was greeted by a cheery Australian lad who said we should go for pints later. In the hostel’s kitchen, people were making a casserole together. I ended up solving jigsaw puzzles with two Brazilians at 2am while discussing the Arctic Monkeys and Harry Styles’ newest album. In the digital era, and in the midst of a loneliness epidemic, it’s harder than ever to establish new connections face-to-face. Even asking for a napkin at McDonald’s gives me anxiety. That night in Pitlochry, I was showered with generosity and kindness. Chatting to everyone and learning about their circumstances felt liberating and natural. The process of choosing a hostel is not much different to picking a hotel. Pay attention to reviews; a place with a good rating is likely to be perfectly clean and tidy. A caring management is key. Ideally, you want your hostel to include various references to backpacking and the outdoors. Speaking from experience, if the place is filled with maps, flags, and leaflets, that’s a good start. A hostel should be a warm, authentic place that brings together people who are passionate about visiting new places and learning new things during their adventures. There’s nothing worse than a cold, lifeless hostel with white walls and fragile, aluminium frame beds that squeak and shake every time you take a deep breath. Many hostels offer private bedrooms at prices much lower than budget hotels. Booking one is a best-of-both option for those who would love to experience the social elements of a hostel without having to share a dorm with strangers. If you’re staying in a dorm and the place isn’t fully booked, they will most likely offer to move you to the most comfortable dormitory or bed available. Receptionists are there to tell you about the area, offer recommendations and help you book attractions. In the digital era, and in the midst of a loneliness epidemic, it’s harder than ever to establish new connections face-to-face Pitlochry is a popular Scottish tourist destination, but my stay still cost me a paltry £25. Book a good hostel in Central or Eastern Europe, and you could end up paying half that price. On the other end of the spectrum, some of Europe’s best hostels, such as Majdas Hostel in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, or the House of Sandeman in Porto, Portugal, charge somewhere between £30 and £45 for a night in a dorm during the summer months. That’s still far cheaper than most hotels, for digs that are arguably far superior. Pitlochry Backpackers helped me find a bit of that 2010s joy in me again. Surrounded by board games, DVDs, musical instruments, and quirky posters reminded me that you don’t have to splurge to have memorable, delight-inducing travel experiences. I might be cash-poor, but I now intend on getting out and exploring more of Britain’s nature while staying in cheap and cheerful backpackers’ hostels. I don’t plan on staying home all summer, and you don’t have to either. It’s time to shake off your British reserve, channel your inner extrovert and swap buttoned-up luxury for the hotel’s more affordable, cooler cousin. Read more of our best Scotland hotel reviews

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After a great meal, it can be a trial to stagger out of the restaurant and back to your digs for the night. Enter these 20 hotels around the world, each of which is home to a Michelin-starred restaurant, for a sweet stay -- in every sense.