Mr & Mrs Smith

Fat Fowl (+44 (0)1225 863111; www.fatfowl.com) on Silver Street is a casual café by day, jazz-loving restaurant by night. Tapas and modern international dishes (gnocchi with walnut pesto, pigeon breast with honey-glazed figs, and the ilk) are served in the cosy dining room and out on the terrace. Stay on the same street for the Bear Inn (01225 862356; http://thebearinn.vpweb.co.uk), worth visiting for its seafood specials and elegant Gallic menu. Set in a beautiful historic building, the Three Gables (www.thethreegables.com) prides itself on its wine list and Mediterranean food. If you’re craving something a little more exotic, head to Thai Barn (+44 (0)1225 866443; www.thaibarn.co.uk) and sample top-notch Thai offerings. Dress up – both food and staff are glamorous. Gascoyne Place on Sawclose (01225 445854) has a traditional restaurant upstairs, and two bars downstairs. Good pre-theatre and à la carte menus feauring good solid steaks, fish and so on.

The recently refurbished King William (+44 (0)1225 428096) occupies a small corner site at 36 Thomas Street in Bath and has real ales and a French-style gastropub menu featuring British produce.

Blackstones Kitchen(01225 338803), opposite the Queen Street restaurant of the same name, is a great deli with fantastic snacks and meals to take away.

Horse riding, golf and fishing can all be arranged nearby the hotel. The many attractions of Longleat House and Safari Park (+44 (0)1985 844400; www.longleat.co.uk), including mazes, an adventure castle, a butterfly garden and miniature trains, are a 30-minute drive away. The house is open daily all year round, but check days and times in advance if you want to see the safari park: it closes in winter and the opening hours depend on the time of year.

For a slightly more adult afternoon, you only have to travel eight miles to explore Bath's historic Roman waterworks, Abbey and Museum of Costume – and try its restuarants and bars. Stonehenge is a short drive away, too.

March Bath Literature Festival (www.bathlitfest.org). Last weekend of JuneTaste Festival of Bath is a four-day food festival dedicated to the produce and flavours of southwest England. Visitors can sample dishes from the region's finest restaurants, and local producers have stalls showcasing their wares. September Bath Festival of Children's Literature (www.bathfestivalofchildrensliterature.co.uk).