If you’re considering a country hotel or rural B&B for a weekend getaway this autumn or winter look no further. The best hotels for autumn or winter getaways offer great food, tastefully decorated rooms, roaring fires and plenty of cosy nooks to relax in.

Choosing an award-winning hotel starts with the Good Hotels Guide which has just unveiled its César Award winners for 2019. The self-described ‘Oscars of the hotel industry’, the guide roots out the loveliest lodgings from across Ireland and the UK, and have done every year since 1986.

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The hotels may have changed over the years, but the judging criteria hasn’t. “The test of good hotel remains the same,” says co-editor Adam Raphael, “great hospitality, attention to detail, and friendly, attentive service.”

Here are our favourite of their favourites, from a converted cider mill in Shropshire to a former harbourmaster’s residence in Galway. All perfect for a cosy getaway this autumn or winter.

Top 5 cosy getaways for autumn and winter 2019

B&B of the year: Underleigh House, Derbyshire

Underleigh House
Good Hotels Guide/PA
Underleigh House interior
Good Hotels Guide/PA

Ensconced in the heart of the Peak District National Park, this farmhouse-turned-guesthouse is all about cosy creature comforts. A log fire burns in the heath of its heavily arm-chaired lounge, while an Aga sits on standby to dry your all-too-often soaked clothes.

Three of the four bedrooms are fully-fledged suites. A set of French doors open onto a garden overlooking the postcard-perfect Hope Valley, and the owners use local produce to rustle up the heartiest of breakfasts.

Rooms from £110 per night.

Country house hotel of the year: Old Downton Lodge, Shropshire

Old Downton Lodge
Good Hotels Guide/PA
Old Downton Lodge interior
Good Hotels Guide/PA

An oasis of rural tranquillity reached by winding country lanes, this former cider mill still houses a ‘museum room’ in a nod to its 18th century industrial heritage. The 10 uniquely decorated rooms house antique writing desks, flagstone floors, and rickety four posters, all set around a flower-filled courtyard.

The wine list has been widely awarded, and the stone brick, Tudor-style dining room is a treat.

Rooms from £115 per night.

Irish B&B of the year: The Quay House, Co Galway

The Quay House
Good Hotels Guide/PA
The Quay House
Good Hotels Guide/PA

Formerly the house of the local harbourmaster, owners Paddy and Julia are devoted auction hoppers, and have burnished many of the rooms with their unusual finds. One is decorated with portraits of Napoleon, another with a frieze of scallop sea shells, and all come with period furniture, and a balcony looking out over the bay.

The pillows are fluffy, the fires roaring, and the surrounding area crammed with outdoorsy pleasures like fishing, sailing, riding and golf.

Rooms from €135 per night.

Welsh hotel of the year: The Angel Hotel, Monmouthshire

The Angel House
Good Hotels Guide/PA
The Angel Hotel interior
Good Hotels Guide/PA

A family-run townhouse with a Georgian facade, this central Abergavenny hotel exudes elegance and class. Dining takes place in the Oak Room, walls coated with contemporary art, while wining occurs in the Foxhunter Bar

Be sure to make it back in time for afternoon tea, as the hotel has its own bakery that churns out delectable pastries and cake. Endowed with an Award of Excellence from The Tea Guild since 2008, expect at least 20 different loose leaf teas and infusions.

Rooms from £95 per night.

Inn of the year: The Pipe and Glass Inn, Yorkshire

The Pipe and Glass Inn
Good Hotels Guide/PA
The Pipe and Glass Inn
Good Hotels Guide/PA

A former coaching inn in the wilds of East Yorkshire, the Pipe and Glass serves up levels of luxury far beyond the reach of the average guesthouse. Take your pick between five boutique garden rooms, a private dining suite, and a traditional beamed bar, set amid the leafy expanse of the Dalton Estate.

The headline act is the restaurant, which manages the extremely rare dichotomy of being both Michelin-starred and child-friendly. The vegetarian options in particular will impress picky palettes, and guests can dine in the gardens where every plant is edible.

Rooms from £200 per night.

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