3 British boltholes for a last minute Bank Holiday escape

Next Friday the great British public will set off en masse for a three-day weekend — make the most of it at one of these beautiful boltholes...

Shepherd House, Faversham

Bland whites, be gone: the colour palette of this cosy Georgian townhouse is set defiantly to bright, with walls glowing yellow, orange and turquoise, and kitschy velvet armchairs galore. The vibe is that of staying with (very cool, very wealthy) old friends.

Bottles are left in the walled garden so you can mix your own sundowner after you’ve had a long, wonderfully selfish soak in your room’s stand-alone bathtub, while your morning eggs and bacon are all locally sourced. If the smell of the home-made bread doesn’t get you up in the morning, nothing will. Don’t fill up too much though — one of the main attractions of this beautiful patch of Kentish coastline is the Michelin-starred The Sportsman down the road, a site of pilgrimage for foodies.

JK Double rooms from £140 (shepherdhouse-faversham.com)

No.15 Great Pulteney, Bath

This is the latest boutique opening making a splash in Bath. Tucked between the smart Georgian housefronts of Great Pulteney Street (Jane Austen was a former resident), inside it’s all about modern conveniences. The 39 rooms (created by Martin Hulbert Design of Chewton Glen fame) come fully kitted out with Dyson beauty gadgets and cashmere blankets.

Although the bar can attract a more raucous crowd on a Friday, the charming service and quirky interior touches (you’ll find your minibar cloistered inside a vintage doll’s house) more than make up for it.

DA Double rooms from £149 (no15greatpulteney.co.uk)

Daylesford, The Cotswolds

Tucked away in the rolling fields of the Cotswolds, Daylesford is the perfect tonic to the bustle of urban life. A wealth of rural skill-honing activities is on offer, from a cooking masterclass in nose-to-tail butchery, to floristry workshops for that perfect British bouquet (either that, or take in a treatment at the luxurious Bamford Haybarn Spa instead).

There’s also the award-winning Daylesford Organics farmshop, whose exquisite produce forms the basis for the on-site café and restaurant menus, and attracts fans from near and far: spot Elizabeth Hurley or Kate Winslet shopping for their groceries, and sample Alex James’s dairy creations.

RK Cottage sleeping five from £1,300 for a weekend (daylesford.com)