Mr & Mrs Smith

Stourhead, Longleat and Wilton are all short drive away, but bang on your doorstep is the enchanting Old Wardour Castle. This 14th-century fortress was the setting for Robin Hood Prince of Thieves – it hosts lots of fairs and events for children; check out the English Heritage website for details. And if Shaftesbury’s famous Gold Hill looks familiar, it’s because you’ve probably seen it in the Hovis ads. If you like gardens, you'll want to go visit Heale Gardens near Wilton. Sport and leisure wise, you can pay and play at Rushmore Golf Club which is only 10 miles away and near a great eatery, the Musuem Inn (see the listing below). The estate also has an equestrian centre at Tollard Royal, access to two good tennis courts on the nearby Pythouse Estate (though you must speak to a member of the Smith travel team in advance so as to be given access and booking details), alternatively you can play (and swim) at Port Regis near Gillingham, and if you like hills Dorset is also great bike-riding country.

If you’re used to hard water at home you'll love showertime here. Your skin may feel a little slippery at first, but thanks to the water-softening system you'll go home feeling like you've been at a spa. Not our most glamorous tip, but you know at Smith we're as much about practicalities as pampering, so it's also worth noting that you can use a lot less soap and detergent when washing.