Eight acres of lush countryside on the outskirts of Cheltenham form the backdrop to 16th-century Elizabethan manor The Greenway Hotel, where lavish Elan Spa treatments rub shoulders with intricate dining in a tranquil setting.

The Gloucestershire hotel’s three-AA-rosette The Garden Room Restaurant has views of a sunken garden and ornate lily pond – as the name would suggest. Here, on crisp white tablecloths, top-tier Sunday lunches and luxurious afternoon teas provide equal levels of indulgence.

The à la carte menu deals in modern British classics with the occasional European twist. Examples include cod and herb terrine with homemade penne, mussels, parsley velour and sea herb, and compressed heritage tomatoes with burrata cream, basil pesto and gazpacho. Summer’s dessert of strawberry mousse with vanilla pannacotta, compressed Cheddar strawberries, strawberry consommé and sorbet demonstrates the restaurant’s ethos of building dishes around seasonal ingredients.

The Greenway has been a luxury hotel since it was bought out of private ownership in 1946. In 2011, the polished Cotswolds getaway (which takes its name from the pre-Roman path running alongside its grounds) became part of the prestigious Eden Hotel Collection.

Trencherman’s tip

For a casual lunch, head to the hotel’s Orchard Brasserie and feast on bento boxes inspired by Mexican, Mediterranean and Japanese flavours.