A shining example of all that is best in rural England, The Wild Rabbit in the Oxfordshire village of Kingham recently opened its doors after a superb renovation that shows off the buildings heritage, while offering a thoroughly modern experience – both for drop-in restaurant diners, or those who want to take advantage of the 12 rooms and explore the surrounding countryside.

Having said that, visitors don’t need to leave the premises to see one of the areas most famous attractions – during the revamp the building’s plaster was stripped back to reveal the golden yellow stone that oozes Cotswold character. The new construction and furniture have been well thought through and enhance, rather than interfere with, the characterful core by employing pale shades and natural materials – but always with a hint of decadent luxury and urbane modernity, one that nestles in well with its country surroundings. There’s a family friendly, Beatrix Potter-ish feeling at The Wild Rabbit nurtured by the accommodation – each room is named after a different animal and has different design characteristics accordingly, such as The Hedgehog, with bunk beds for the kids, and the four rooms accessible from the garden offer beds for dogs. We mentioned earlier it was modern; there’s Smart TVs and iPod docking stations in all rooms. The best of both worlds.