The hotel reputed to be England's oldest has welcomed guests since it opened for business in 1220. Almost 800 years on, it has completed an extensive refurbishment. The Old Bell in Malmesbury, Wiltshire now offers guests a choice of two restaurants and 31 individually decorated bedrooms. Standing next to the medieval abbey in the centre of the town, the hotel's first visitors were guests of the abbot. Now the luxurious hotel provides a perfect base for exploring the Cotswold Hills and nearby cities of Bristol and Bath.

Malmesbury is 95 miles west of London and enjoys many claims to fame; it was England's first capital in 925 AD; Abraham Lincoln's mother came from the town and George Washington's family lived just two miles away. Room prices start at £110 per night. For reservations, tel: 01666 822344 (Old Bell Hotel, Abbey Row, Malmesbury, Wiltshire SN16 0AG).

For more information, visit www.oldbellhotel.com