This week the 25th edition of the Good Hotel Guide, featuring some 600 hotels in Britain and Ireland, is published with a separate volume carrying 1,000 recommendations for Continental Europe to be published later. The key elements of the Guide have not changed since 1978. The Guide look for hotels of character and quality; often they are small and most are family-owned and managed. Few belong to a chain though, as the designer section shows, some well-managed mini-chains have been established.

Guide readers are closely involved. They write to tell of their experiences at existing hotels or to make new recommendations. These reports are monitored carefully and anonymous inspections are made where necessary.

This is the crucial factor: the Good Hotel Guide does not accept freebies and unlike some rivals, hotels do not pay to be listed.

For this Guardian selection, I have chosen 10 hotels each in five categories. These are only bite-sized descriptions and inevitably will lack the depth of the entries in the Good Hotel Guide itself. The prices range from low to high season and are "rack rate for one-night" visits. Always ask about special rates for longer or weekend stays.

Stylish city hotels

A new wave of designer hotels has opened across Britain. While Malmaison, which started the trend - offering cutting-edge style at reasonable prices -has faltered (the Guide lists only three of the group because of poor feedback on the errant two), two new mini-chains are thriving.

McCausland Hotel, Belfast
Two Victorian warehouses near the Lagan have been converted into a luxury hotel: oak beams, cast-iron pillars and ornate sculptures are preserved. Modern bedrooms, some designed for women. Contemporary Irish cooking in bistro.

028 9022 0200, mccauslandhotel.com. Room: single £120-£150, double £120-£170, suite £190. Breakfast £12, dinner £18.95.

Hotel du Vin & Bistro, Birmingham
At last a decent hotel, part of a mini-chain, in the centre of Birmingham. A red-brick Victorian eye hospital has been artfully converted (trompe l'oeil stonework). Huge beds, dramatic bathrooms. Good Mediterranean food in bistro - and excellent wine.

0121-236 0559, hotelduvin.com. Room: single/ double £110, suite £175, breakfast £8.50-£11.50, dinner £35.

Hotel Kandinsky, Cheltenham
First in Alias chain (see Hotel Barcelona below). Regency building revamped in mix of old and new: spotlights and chandeliers, chrome and timber, art deco and antique. Italian menu in Café Paradiso and U-bahn nightclub in basement.

01242 527788, hotelkandinsky.com. Room: single £60-£70, double £60-£85, suite £110-£150. Breakfast £7.95-£10.95, dinner £35.

Hotel Barcelona, Exeter
Our designer hotel of the year is another Victorian eye hospital. The second Alias hotel is no beauty outside, but the interior is dazzling with psychedelic posters and a hint of Gaudi. Terrific "foodles" (like garlic king prawns) in bar, hand-rolled pizzas in café, and nightclub.

01392 281000, hotelbarcelona-uk.com. Room: single £70, double £80-£90. Breakfast £3.50-£10.50, dinner £30.

Malmaison, Glasgow
Most attractive in chain. The core building was a Greek Orthodox church with a magnificent art nouveau central staircase. Bedrooms in bold colours and stripes, huge beds, good showers. Italian Café Mal in atrium, informal brasserie/bar in vaulted basement.

0141-572 1000, malmaison.com. Room: single/ double £110, suite £150-£165. Breakfast £8.75-£10.75, dinner £14.95-£30.

42 The Calls, Leeds
Pioneer townhouse hotel, 1991 conversion of corn mill on the River Aire in central Leeds. Original paintings, smart public rooms, handmade beds, lavish bath rooms. Brasserie 44 serves Mediterranean food, Pool Court at 42 restaurant has Michelin star.

0113 244 0099, 42thecalls.co.uk. Room: single £105, double £138, suite £195. Breakfast £8.95-£12.50, dinner £28-£32.

Halkin Hotel, London
Georgian façade conceals postmodern Italian chic. Friendly staff dressed by Armani at reawakening sister to the celeb Metropolitan. Minimalist bedrooms reached along curved black-walled corridors. Top Australian chef David Thompson is famed for his Thai cuisine.

020-7333 1000 , halkin.co.uk. Room: single/ double £285, suite £425-£625. Dinner £50-£60.

Eleven Didsbury Park, Manchester
Irish owner Eamonn O'Loughlin combines informality with minimal modern style in Victorian town house. White walls, steel-framed mirrors and coffee tables made of old trunks in public rooms: extra large beds but small wardrobes. Interesting breakfast.

0161-448 7711, elevendidsburypark.com. Room: single £99.50-£115.50, double £105.50-£125, suite £135-£155.50. Breakfast £8.50-£10.50.

The Lace Market Hotel, Nottingham
Two redbrick Victorian buildings (one once a former lace factory) turned into easy-going hotel: colours are brown, yellow and olive. Hint of feng shui including vases of goldfish. Restaurant has brasserie menu and all-day Sunday brunch.

0115 8523232, lacemarkethotel.co.uk. Room: single £69-£89, double £89-£115, suite £145-£169. Breakfast £2.95-£10.95, dinner £30.

The Old Bank, Oxford
Striking conversion of three buildings (including a former Barclays bank) on the High, opposite All Souls. Clean modern design, Stanley Spencer prints in bedrooms. Lively Quod restaurant hung with contemporary oil paintings from graduate shows.

01865 799599, oxford-hotels-restaurants.co.uk. Room: single £135, double £155-£225, suite £255-£300, breakfast £8-£11, dinner £25.

Gourmet hotels

Readers sometimes complain that we devote space to describing meals at the expense of other facilities. But the meal is the crucial part of a weekend away.

Summer Isles Hotel, Achiltibuie, Highlands
Modest-looking hotel up a single-track road north of Ullapool has unrivalled views across to the Hebrides and some seriously good food. Guests socialise before the five-course no-choice dinner, but the dissection of a spiny lobster can reduce the dining room to unnatural silence. Try spiny lobster.

01854 622282, summerisles hotel.co.uk. B&B: single £69-£150, double £104-£130, suite £180-£220. Dinner £41.

Little Barwick House, Barwick, Somerset
Tim and Emma Ford, who met while working at Sharrow Bay, are gaining recognition for the quality of his cooking and of the service at their peaceful Georgian house near Yeovil. Ask for roasted sea bass with baby fennel and girolles.

01935 423902 , littlebarwick house.co.uk. DB&B: £66.50-£73.50. Dinner £28.95.

Fischer's Baslow Hall, Baslow, Derbyshire
Max and Susan Fischer score a Michelin double at their Peak District manor house. Café Max has a Bib Gourmand for good food at moderate prices while the restaurant has a star. Try pig's trotter stuffed with chicken and morel mushrooms.

01246 583259. B&B: single £100, double £150. Dinner £48.

Lettonie, Bath, Somerset
Latvian chef/patron Martin Blunos cooks with wit and imagination (two Michelin stars) at his restaurant with rooms in a Georgian gentleman's residence outside Bath. Two cheaper compact rooms at front, valley views at the back. Try lamb cutlets with individual shepherd's pie.

01225 446676, lettonie.co.uk. B&B: double £95-£150. Dinner: £47.50.

The Old Rectory Country House, Llansanffraid Glan Conwy, Gwynedd
Wendy Vaughan is the only Welsh woman to hold a Michelin star. Her Georgian guest house has lavishly decorated bedrooms and fine views over the Conwy estuary. No choice but interesting menu. Try Welsh lamb with spinach parcels.

01492 580611, oldrectorycountryhouse.co.uk. B&B: single £99-£129, double £109-£199. Dinner: £34.90.

Mr Underhill's, Ludlow, Shropshire
The only one of the three Michelin-star restaurants in Ludlow with bedrooms. Six simple rooms, charming atmosphere below castle beside river Teme. Modern flavourful cooking: no choice until the stunning desserts. Try rice pudding ice cream with rhubarb lemon tart.

01584 874431, mr-underhills.co.uk. B&B: single £60-£90, double £75-£120. Dinner: £27.50.

The Seafood Restaurant, Padstow, Cornwall
Book well in advance for Rick Stein's popular restaurant. The rooms vary greatly in price, comfort and view. Hotel service courteous but variable. The food, however, is faultless with the freshest of fish. Try fish and chips.

01841 532700, rickstein.com. B&B: single £35-£50, double £50-£170. Dinner £40-£50.

The Narrows, Portaferry, Co Down
The Brown brothers turned their father's former home at the mouth of the Strangford Lough into an engaging, stylish yet unpretentious hotel. Danny Millar, another Co Down man, serves contemporary meals with seafood a speciality. Try mussels with bacon and garlic.

028 4272 8148, narrows.co.uk. B&B: single £57.50, double £85. Dinner: £27.

McCoys, Staddlebridge, North Yorkshire
The three McCoy brothers are an institution at their stone house on the edge of the moors: cheerful higgledy-piggledy furniture, busy bistro with blackboard menu, loud 1940s music, eclectic dishes, restaurant opens at weekends. Try black pudding with olive and basil focaccia and tomato jam.

01609 882671, mccoysatthetontine.co.uk. B&B: single £75, double £95. Dinner £14.95-£16.95.

Winteringham Fields, Winteringham, Lincolnshire
Germain Schwab has two Michelin stars for his Humberside restaurant with rooms. Fresh fish from Grimsby, cheese trolley a revelation. Meals begin with array of appetisers and are punctuated by interesting titbits. Try tournedos of monkfish with purée of fennel and orange and rosemary jus.

01724 733096, winteringhamfields.com . B&B: single £75, double £100-£160, suite £120-£170. Dinner £36-£85.

By the seaside

We all like to be beside the seaside, but not every strand has a sympathetic hotel. You will be able to pack your bucket and spade for many of these places.

Porth Tocyn Hotel, Abersoch, Gwynedd
The Fletcher-Brewer family have run this family-friendly place, set peacefully above the popular yachting village, for more than 50 years. Chintzy lounges, small children's sitting room, cottagey bedrooms. High teas for the small, good varied menu in restaurant.

01758 713303, porth-tocyn-hotel.co.uk. B&B: single £52.50-£68.50, double £70 -£128. Dinner: £29.50-£32.

Burgh Island, Bigbury-on-Sea, Devon
A fantasy world recreating the 1920s, this white art deco building stands on a private island cut off at high tide. Cocktails served in the palm court, dinner in the ballroom. Forget the bucket and spade, take your dancing shoes.

01548 810514, burghisland.com. DB&B: £124-£150, dinner £38-£45.

Raffles, Blackpool, Lancashire
We have been criticised for not featuring any of Blackpool's myriad hotels. Here's one with character: a flower-fronted bay-windowed building near the centre. Graham Poole and Ian Balmforth are cheery and helpful hosts. Rooms are small but cleverly designed. Great five-course dinner.

01253 294713. B&B: £21-£28. Dinner: £9.50.

Balcary Bay Hotel, nr Castle Douglas, Dumfries and Galloway
You can't sleep much closer to the water than at this family-run hotel on the shore of Balcary Bay. Charming public rooms and well-furnished bedrooms. Children welcomed by friendly staff: they can have portions of any of the imaginative dishes.

01556 640217, balcary-bay-hotel.co.uk. B&B: £54-£61. Dinner: £25.75.

Moonfleet Manor, Fleet, Dorset
Civilised comfort for adults in a child-friendly environment is the aim of the Luxury Family Hotels group. It is best achieved at this Georgian mansion overlooking Lyme Bay with play areas but fine dining. Indoor pool.

01305 786948, moonfleetmanor.com. B&B: single £75, double £95-£200, suite £200-£280. Dinner: £28.

The White House, Herm, Channel Islands
Perfect peace at this small car-free island with a wonderful family hotel created from an old house. Swimming pool by the sea. Hotel has its own oyster bed. Good beaches.

01481 722159, herm-island.com. DB&B: £59-£85. Dinner: £20.

Rosturk Woods, Mulranny, Co Mayo
Friendliest of Irish welcomes from Louisa and Alan Stoney at small civilised guest house by a sandy shore on Clew Bay. Sea views from the three comfortable bedrooms. Sound cooking with freshest of produce. Good for families with beach close by.

00 353 98 36264. DB&B: I£60-£70. Dinner: £25.

Port Gaverne Hotel, Port Gaverne, Cornwall
Marjorie (Midge) Ross runs a relaxed regime welcoming families, children and dogs at her white-walled old inn in a secluded cove near Port Isaac. Simple, delicious seafood; safe bathing at nearby beach.

01208 880244, chycor.co.uk/hotels/port-gaverne. B&B: £35-£45, DB&B £50-£60. Dinner: £30.

St Martin's on the Isle, Isles of Scilly
Built in the style of fishermen's cottages, an upmarket hotel on the peaceful car-free island looking across to Tresco. White beaches and perfect castle-building sand. Superb food. Expensive but special.

01720 422090, stmartinshotel.co.uk. B&B: £75-£125, DB&B £85-£320. Dinner: £35.

The Nare, Veryan, Cornwall
Traditional family hotel in blissful hideaway with subtropical gardens on the Roseland peninsula above Carne beach. Inter-communicating rooms for families, direct access to beach. Lots of local fish on menu. Hotel's 22ft boat Maggie O'Nare can be chartered.

01872 501111 , narehotel.co.uk. DB&B: £86-£245. Dinner: £35.

Ten of the best

Only seven of the 600 hotels listed in this year's Guide have featured in every edition since 1978. To complete this role of honour, I've added two hotels which were listed in the first edition and were only omitted on the odd year when we had no feedback, and another established in 1980, which has been included in every edition since.

Rothay Manor, Ambleside, Cumbria
One of those rare hotels that combines friendly ambience, haute cuisine and an exhilarating location, we said in 1978. This still holds true. The Nixon brothers and their wives offer efficient but relaxed service with high-quality traditional cooking.

015394 33605, rothaymanor.co.uk. B&B: single £65-£76, double £110-£137, suite £150-£172. Dinner: £25-£32.

The Cavendish, Baslow, Derbyshire
Eric Marsh, described in 1978 as a young enthusiastic manager, wins a César award from us this year, for the high standards at this traditional hotel overlooking Chatsworth park. Readers find him ever-charming and the service delightful. More modern cooking, too.

01246 582311, cavendish-hotel.net. Room: single £95-£115, double £125-£145, suite £195. Breakfast £12.55. Dinner: from £22.45.

Hambleton Hall, Hambleton, Rutland

Tim and Stefa Hart entered the Guide in their first year of operation in 1980 and have stayed in ever since thanks to their benign and alert stewardship. Impeccable service, glorious setting, sophisticated décor and Michelin-star cooking.

01572 756991, hambletonhall.com. B&B: single £150-£175, double £200-335, suite £450-£600. Dinner: £35-£55.

Lastingham Grange, Lastingham, North Yorks
As good as ever, say loyal followers of Dennis and Jane Wood's homely, peaceful country house on the moors. The nominator in 1978 had been visiting for 11 years and the regulars continue to come. Traditional if not fuddy-duddy food.

01751 417345, lastinghamgrange.com. B&B: single £85-£89, double £160-£168. Dinner: £32.75.

The Connaught, London
Duncan Palmer is only the sixth general manager in the hotel's 104-year-old history which may explain why a Savoy Group establishment has a family feel. Discreet and attentive service. Regular guests were asked for their views on a recent makeover of the rooms.

020-7499 7070, savoy-group.co.uk. Room: single £280-£345, double £390-£425, suite £695-£1,670. Breakfast: £16.50-£22.50. Dinner: £58.

Chewton Glen, New Milton, Hampshire
Martin and Brigette Skan have been setting standards of excellence since 1978 at their hotel with health and sporting facilities on the edge of the New Forest. They have attract an international clientele. Michelin star for modern cooking with a light touch.

01425 275341, chewtonglen.com. B&B: single £250-£275, double £250-£405, suite £480-£720. Dinner: £55.

Currarevagh House, Oughterard, Co Galway
The fifth and sixth generations of the Hodgson family to own this mid-Victorian country house have been applauded for their warmth for 25 years. On the edge of Lough Corrib, it is comfortable rather than smart. Second helpings offered at dinner.

00 353 91 552312. B&B: single I£55-I£80, double I£115-I£130.Dinner: I£25.

Ballymaloe House, Shanagarry, Co Cork
Myrtle Allen runs a true family enterprise at her handsome Georgian house, nominated in 1978 by Len Deighton. Excellent Irish country cooking - the cookery school is widely known. Head chef Rory might well lead Irish singing after dinner.

00 353 21 465 253 , ballymaloe.com. B&B: single IR£85-£115, double I£140-£200. Dinner: I£38.

Sharrow Bay, Ullswater, Cumbria
Founder Brian Sack still presides over the original English country-house hotel he founded in 1948 with the late Francis Coulson. Guests continue to be pampered in opulent rooms at a spectacular lakeside setting. Six-course dinner remains a highlight.

017684 86301, sharrow-bay.com. DB&B: £115-£210. Dinner: £47.25.

The White House, Williton, Somerset
Dick and Kay Smith work together unaided in the kitchen of their restaurant-with-rooms (they take a long winter break to recharge their batteries). Kindly, gentle place; unfussy but sensational dishes, good house wines, warm atmosphere

01984 632306. B&B: £42-£66. Dinner: £34.

For romantics

There is no better way to seal a new relationship or repair a bruised one than by taking a weekend away from the cares of day-to-day life. These hotels offer in varying measures those romantic necessities of attractive settings, intimate spaces, sexy food and special rooms.

Three Chimneys, Colbost, Isle of Skye
Enjoy fresh Skye seafood on the shores of Loch Dunvegan in these converted crofters cottages with candles, dark beams and white walls. Then slip across to the House Over-By and one of its six split-level suites with large beds and luxurious bathrooms.

01470 511258, threechimneys.co.uk. B&B: single £100-£130, double £107-£130. Dinner: £35-£43.95.

Fermoyle Lodge, Costello, Co Galway
Secluded among trees and heather in wild Connemara, this former hunting lodge beside a lake provides intimate hospitality with space and privacy. Other guests will usually be gone fishing. Three-course set dinner. Bedrooms have antiques, original prints and romantic views.

00 353 91 786111, fermoylelodge.com. B&B: I£45-I£75. Dinner: I£25.

The Priory, Wareham, Dorset
Former priory with immaculate gardens, full of hidden corners, leading down to river Frome. Country house atmosphere with modern cuisine. Ask for a four-poster in the Boathouse, a converted barn on the river bank.

01929 551666, theprioryhotel.co.uk. B&B: single £85-£140, double £110-£230, suite £265. Dinner: £27.50-£32.50.

Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, Great Milton, Oxfordshire
Raymond Blanc, a great romantic, has created a country house hotel with sensual undertones. The food is magical, though the rich menu gourmand could dampen the ardour. Ask for a room like Dovecote, a two-storey love nest with candles in the bathroom.

01844 278881, manoir.co.uk. B&B: single/ double £245-£395, suite £395-£750. Dinner: £89.

Bolebroke Mill, Hartfield, East Sussex
A Domesday watermill with an Elizabethan barn and millhouse sits in an idyllic setting beside a tree-lined stream. There are five bedrooms, some up steep loft ladders, with cottagey charm. Ask for the Honeymooners Hayloft with a four-poster in the barn. Good breakfast. Eat out for dinner.

01892 770425, bolebrokemillhotel.co.uk. B&B: single £60-£73, double: £66-£79.

Portmeirion Hotel, Gwynedd
Guests are well-protected from the tourists in Mediterranean-style gardens at this Italianate fantasy. Miles of paths to secret beaches. Excellent modern Welsh cooking. Ask for the Peacock Room in the main house with four-poster and sitting-room facing the estuary.

01766 770000, portmeirion/village.com. Room: £115-£180, suite £145-£230, breakfast £11, dinner £35.

Lea Hill Hotel, Membury, Devon
Tranquil setting on a Devon hilltop for this medieval thatched longhouse with wide views of woodland and meadows. First-class food in beamed dining room. Ask for a bedroom in one of the converted barns with a private garden.

01404 881881, leahillhotel.co.uk. B&B: £54-£68. Dinner: £27.

Chateau La Chaire, Rozel Bay, Jersey
Terrace gardens have views of a pretty fishing village at this small and stylish hotel. Inspired cooking with emphasis on seafood. Restful atmosphere. Ask for a first-floor room with balcony.

01534 863354, chateau-la-chaire.co.uk. B&B: single £90-£115, double £120- £200, suite £210-£240. Dinner: £28.50.

Charlton House, Shepton Mallet, Somerset
Roger and Monty Saul, founders of the Mulberry label, have created a theatrical style at this Domesday manor house, whose interior is a showcase for their products. The Mulberry restaurant has a Michelin star. Ask for the Adam and Eve room with a headboard depicting the naked couple and a huge cast-iron bath.

01749 342008, charltonhouse.com. B&B: double £155-£250, suite £250-£355. Dinner: £38.50.

Holbeck Ghyll, Windermere, Cumbria
Lord Lonsdale's former hunting lodge has been transformed into a luxurious hotel with stunning views across the lake to Langdale Falls. Beautifully presented dinners with irresistible desserts. Ask for a lodge bedroom with a balcony overlooking lake.

015394 32375,holbeckghyll.com. B&B: single £110-£130, double £140-£220, suite £200-£240. Dinner: £45.

Desmond Balmer is joint editor, with Caroline Raphael, of the Good Hotel Guide 2002, Great Britain & Ireland, which is published by Ebury Press.
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