The Big Six: Hotel cookery courses

Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons. Oxford

Raymond Blanc's two Michelin-starred restaurant has held on to its stars for an impressive 25 years. What better place, then, to learn the basics of classic dishes and wine pairing? On the residential food and wine course, would-be cooks create dishes such as coq au vin and moules marinière, culminating in a celebratory dinner and a night in one of the hotel's country-chic bedrooms.

Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons, Church Road, Great Milton, Oxford (01844 278 881; manoir.com ). The food and wine course costs £990 per person, including lunch, dinner and B&B.

Atlantis The Palm, Dubai

Dubai might not be the obvious location to master the art of sushi making, but at the razzle-dazzle Atlantis The Palm Resort, guests have the opportunity for a tutorial at the Middle East's first and only Nobu restaurant. A Saturday morning spent in the restaurant's acclaimed kitchen making sushi, sashimi, tempura – and cheesecake – is followed by a lunch to enjoy the fruits of your labours.

Atlantis The Palm, Crescent Road, The Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, United Arab Emirates (00 971 4 426 2000; atlantisthepalm.com ). Doubles start at 1,074 dirhams (£190), room only; the Nobu cookery class costs 1,250 dirhams (£221) per person, including lunch and champagne.

L'Andana, Tuscany

Aside from a trio of three-Michelin starred restaurants in Europe, Alain Ducasse also has three "Maisons Alain Ducasse" in Provence and Italy. The Tuscan retreat, L'Andana, is a 16th-century palazzo in the Maremma landscape of vineyards and olive groves. Here, the chefs of the hotel's Michelin-starred trattoria offer cookery lessons of Tuscany's renowned cuisine, using the freshest ingredients and accompanied by Tuscan wines.

L'Andana, Tenuta La Badiola, Localita Badiola, Castiglione della Pescaia, Grosseto, Tuscany, Italy (00 39 05 64 944 800; andana.it ). Doubles start at €550, room only. Cookery classes cost €170.

Hotel Ritz, Paris

After being dismissed from The Savoy in London, legendary French chef Auguste Escoffier and hotelier César Ritz opened the Hotel Ritz in Paris in 1898. The chef's pioneering style lives on at the hotel's Ritz Escoffier School. Amateur classes range from lessons for children to a four-hour Saturday workshop.

Hotel Ritz, 15 Place Vendôme, Paris, France (00 33 1 43 16 30 30; ritzparis.com ). Doubles from €550. Cookery classes start at €55.

The Oberoi Rajvilas, Jaipur

This upscale hotel evokes a world of decadent tents, forts and romantic settings. Once inspired by the setting, guests can embark on learning its cuisine, with a market visit and expert tuition.

The Oberoi Rajvilas, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India (00 91 141 268 0101; oberoihotels.com ). Doubles start at Rs16,800 (£245), room only. Cookery classes cost Rs4,500 (£66).

Padstow Seafood School, Cornwall

Rick Stein has an impressive four restaurants in "Padstein". There's also the Seafood School, where you can take a day course learning how to fillet fish, or get stuck in on a longer residential course with recipe's taken from Stein's Far Eastern Odyssey TV series.

Padstow Seafood School, Riverside, Padstow, Cornwall (01841 532700; rickstein.com ). B&B starts at £135. Cookery classes start at £185.