Stanwell House is a boutique hotel in the Regency market town of Lymington, on England's south coast. It's the perfect base for exploring traditional historic England, including the nearby New Forest and Henry VIII's castle at Hurst Spit.

In contrast to its traditional Georgian exterior, Stanwell House's interior design is comfy and contemporary. Romantic couples and families are excellently catered for by the friendly staff, and are well suited to the relaxed yet stylish atmosphere.

The facilities

There's no gym, pool or spa to speak of, simply two great restaurants, a bar and some gorgeous gardens with a terrace and a conservatory attached. The public areas are maintained to excellent, just-so standards, giving a really high-quality feel to the place.

Head to the Bistro for light modern British cuisine, or take advantage of local seafood on offer at the Seafood Restaurant. A champagne afternoon tea is served in the conservatory every day - unmissable for Anglophiles.

The rooms

Stanwell House has 27 rooms, including 4 individually designed suites. Rooms are chintz-free zones, decorated in a gorgeous country-contemporary style with plenty of modern comforts - check out the flat screen TVs, complimentary Wi-Fi and Molton Brown toiletries in the bathrooms.

The Georgian rooms are in the oldest part of the building and are ornately decorated to reflect their original state. Don't worry though - they share the same modern amenities as the rest of the house. But for complete indulgence, splash on on one of the Stanmore Suites, which have private roof terraces; one of which looks out on the gardens, another on the courtyard.