Flore House, Flore, Northamptonshire

Flore is a five-minute drive from the M1, making it extremely easy to reach by car. It's also only ten minutes by taxi from Northampton Station and is a lovely place to come without a car, with country walks galore from your doorstep and places to eat in the village. The White Hart in the village serves good food and is only a three-minute walk away.

By car: Flore House is 1 hour 45 mins from London and 2 hours 30 mins from Manchester. Parking is avaible on-site.

By train: the hotel is 10 mins in a taxi from Northampton station which has direct links to London Euston. Book trains to Northampton.

Flore House is essentially a grand private home with a separate wing given over to guest rooms that are fashioned in a contemporary style - with white walls and floorboards, cast-iron beds and extremely spacious bathrooms. Everything is done with the flair and style of a trained florist.

The manager is usually around to dispense advice or answer questions but are also happy to leave people to their own devices. There is parking for your car, and you'll receive a breakfast-cum-welcome pack in your room consisting of fresh bread, milk, cereals, butter, homemade jam, tea, coffee, water and biscuits. Flore House also offers occasional floristry workshops, using flowers from the gardens.

• Terrace
• Gardens
• Free parking
• Free Wi-Fi

The rooms - Bramble and Bayberry - are decorated in a bright, light, contemporary style, with white walls and floors and cast-iron bedsteads. Bayberry is the slightly larger of the two but both have the same level of facilities - king-size beds, Smart TVs, Roberts radios and good wifi - and spacious en-suite bathrooms with rainfall showers and free-standing baths, robes and toiletries.

Room types: Bramble, Bayberry

Key amenities: ensuite bathroom with luxury toiletries, tea and coffee facilities, biscuits, breakfast hamper, TV, kitchenette, free Wi-Fi

Flore House provides a breakfast hamper. For the evenings, head to the White Hart in the village for some decent pub grub, or the Cross Roads at the bottom of Flore Hill has great service and an extensive menu. Finally, the Narrowboat Inn by the canal serves excellent steaks, burgers, pizzas and much more, along with great Brunch and Sunday lunch menus.

Breakfast: breakfast hamper includes a selection of breakfast cereals, muesli, bread for toasting, butter, preserves, teas, coffee, fresh milk and mineral water.