Mr & Mrs Smith

The Temple Spa at Cotswold House – with seven treatment rooms, a hammam, hydrotherapy pool, and manicure bar – will tempt you to stay put, but the hotel can organise all manner of diverting activities, from quad biking and clay-pigeon shooting to horse riding and trout fishing. Cirencester Park Polo Club – the UK’s oldest – is set in gorgeous grounds and offers day membership to visitors; rock up on a Sunday and enjoy a picnic while you watch a couple of chukkas, followed by a few sundowners at the bar (www.cirencesterpolo.co.uk). Archery, quad-biking, hot-air ballooning and clay-pigeon shooting can be arranged through Rob Ireland (+44 (0)1608 650413). For horse riding, try Jill Carenza (+44 (0)1386 584250), Willersey Stables (+44 (0)1386 858189) or Oaklands Riding School (+44 (0)1926 640053). Coarse fishing at the Lemington Lakes (+44 (0)1608 650872) or trout fishing at Salford Trout Lakes (+44 (0)1608 643209). There are several golf courses nearby, too.

A 10-minute drive away in Shipston on Stour, The George (+44 (0)1608 661453) has a relaxed bar with all-day eating options, as well as a more refined dining room. If you crave all-out luxury, hot-foot it to Cheltenham, where, as well as culinary heavyweight Le Champignon Sauvage (+44 (0)1242 573449) and upscale Lumière (+44 (0)1242 222200), there’s The Daffodil (+44 (0)1242 700055), elegantly housed in a converted art deco cinema. Expect a neat line in mouthwatering modern Anglo-Mediterranean dishes. The Noel Arms Hotel (01386 840317) is Cotswold House’s sister property (it’s just across the street), and here you will find a smart restaurant and a snug bar.

In the centre of the village, Eight Bells (+44 (0)1386 840371) is a traditional pub that’s ideal for a Sunday roast after a long walk, or a casual supper. You’ll need to book, unless you're lucky enough to get an alfresco table on the terrace. Also on the Square, The Kings’ restaurant (+44 (0)1386 840256) is brimming with country charm and cheer, and has a ‘greatest hits’ menu of British classics with an experimental streak: try steak and kidney sausages with bubble and squeak. The Feathers at Woodstock (+44 (0)1993 812291) is a well-respected inn and restaurant. Montpellier Wine Bar in Cheltenham (+44 (0)1242 527774) has a lively atmosphere.

March Cheltenham races, including Gold Cup (www.cheltenham.co.uk); polo at Cirencester Park Polo Club (www.cirencesterpolo.co.uk). May–December horse-racing at Stratford-upon-Avon (www.stratfordracecourse.net). June On the first Friday after the Spring Bank Holiday, Cotswold House becomes a major venue for the Robert Dover’s Cotswold ‘Olimpick’ Games, which consist of traditional and offbeat events including running, jumping, cudgel-fighting, shin-kicking and more (www.olympickgames.co.uk). June/July Longborough Opera Festival (www.longboroughopera.com). October Cheltenham Festival of Literature (www.cheltenhamfestivals.co.uk).