The 10 best super B&Bs

Larkbeare Grange, Exeter

An elegant farmhouse in the Devon countryside, Larkbeare is a B&B with five-star aspirations. Luxuriously renovated, it has three bedrooms and a suite, all exuding classic-meets-contemporary chic. The Dartmoor National Park is on the doorstep, as is Castle Drogo, the Jurassic Coast’s walking trails, several golf courses and Whimple, from where you can take a trip on an Aerosaurus hot-air balloon.

The owners: Charlie trained at the Savoy Group, and with his wife, Julia, is both highly professional and warmly informal with guests.

What makes it so special? The couple run the guesthouse in an environmentally sensitive way and are members of the Green Tourism Business Scheme.

Where to eat: Dinner is available by arrangement for four or more people, or visit The Jack in the Green Inn (www.jackinthegreen.uk.com; 01404 822240), a nearby gastropub in Rockbeare. Seasonally inspired meals cost around £25 per person.

Cost: Doubles from £88 per room per night for two sharing. There’s a free camp bed and cot for children up to 10 sharing their parents’ room; £15 per night for each extra child or those 11 and over. Visit www.larkbeare.net; call 01404 822069.