Barnsley House

"Among the best of the English countryside’s flock of New Wave country hotels is Barnsley House, a 1697 stone manor with just 18 rooms, each of which is unique, mixing contemporary furniture and modern art with the occasional antique. Among the many wonderful details: mineral water, fresh-squeezed orange juice, and chocolates in the fridge; oversized showerheads; one of the country’s loveliest gardens (laid out in the late 1950s by the renowned Rosemary Verey); and not one but two watering holes—an on-site saloon featuring a bar illuminated from within and the village pub nearby, which pulls in one of the hippest crowds around. Just note that sound travels easily in this old house—so be prepared to keep the sound down to a minimum."