The dinner rotation is an unspoken, yet essential schedule. Most of us have five or six reliable recipes tucked away in our back pockets, ready to be pulled out at a moment’s notice. Sometimes this means cooking the same dishes week in, week out. Venturing outside this routine should be an exciting prospect. Maybe you’ve been inspired by a travel documentary or a new cookbook caught your eye. It doesn’t look that hard, right? But hunting down the right ingredients can feel like a minefield when you don’t really know what you’re looking for or even where to find them. Shopping well is crucial for success in the kitchen. God only knows the number of times I’ve come home with the wrong thing or given up because I was overwhelmed by the supermarket aisles. What if I end up wasting money on a new meal that turns out catastrophic? Some cuisines are more daunting than others. Japanese food has such a reputation for perfection that the idea of making anything other than a katsu at home terrifies me. But it wouldn’t be so scary if I had a real-life expert to walk me through the supermarket shelves, show me what to look for and demonstrate that I could indeed be churning out beautiful sushi, delicious broths and other Japanese dishes from my humble kitchen. Enter: cookbook author and teacher, Atsuko Ikeda, who has offered to take me to an Asian cash and carry to teach me how to shop for Japanese ingredients. We meet at Tazaki, a major distributor of Asian ingredients in the UK that has a warehouse in North Greenwich. It was previously owned by SeeWoo but was acquired by Tazaki last year and is currently in the process of revamping stock. However, it still carries just about everything you need to get started on a Japanese culinary adventure. Ikeda, who has authored three cookbooks on Japanese small plates, comfort food and sushi, is a frequent visitor. We begin by perusing the fresh ingredients, like daikon (white winter radish), whole lotus root and mustard greens. The whole lotus root can be sliced thinly and fried to make crispy lotus chips, while the snow-white daikon can be grated into sauce or cubed and added to soups. But we’re starting simpler. Ikeda picks up shimeji mushrooms, small round cap fungi with medium-length stems that grow from a single base. These have an earthier flavour and are denser in texture than regular button or chestnut mushrooms, which means they retain their size and shape a little better. Spring onions, avocado and carrots also make it into the basket, common vegetables that can be found in any supermarket. We move onto carbs and delve into the rice section. As Ikeda is teaching me how to make sushi later, she explains that it is made with Japanese short-grain rice; it has a more glutinous, starchy texture than long-grain rice, which is more popular in the UK. This starchy quality of short-grain rice makes it stickier, an essential feature to make sure sushi rolls and nigiri bites don’t fall apart. A trusted brand for most Japanese ingredients, including sushi rice, is Yutaka, which can be found almost anywhere – I’ve seen it stocked in my local fishmonger. Plenty of other brands abound, with some supermarkets even providing their own brand products, but Ikeda’s recommendation goes straight into my basket. She points out a variety of noodles, and we’re talking much more than udon. There are bouncy shirataki noodles, almost transparent noodles made from konjac yam that can be eaten hot or cold. You can purchase frozen ramen noodles if you’re experimenting with making your own ramen, but Ikeda winks as she tells me she usually just goes to her favourite ramen shop when she’s craving it. Soba noodles, which can be bought dried, are perfect for the summer when tossed into a cold peanut sauce with an assortment of vegetables. The list goes on and on, but Ikeda reassures me that most noodles are versatile and it mainly depends on what type of texture you’re going for rather than flavour. Next is the condiments aisle, where miso resides (can miso be considered a condiment? I’m not so sure). Miso is, of course, a must-have staple. Ikeda points out three types: white miso, sweet rice miso and barley miso. Later, when we taste them, I’m surprised to learn how vastly different they taste from one another. The white miso, which is the most common type used in recipes, has a slight tang and a savouriness that makes your mouth water, while the barley has a deeper, maltier flavour that is mcuh more comforting. I highly recommend buying different types to taste for yourself. Ikeda also introduces me to yuzugosho, a spicy, tart condiment containing the yuzu fruit and fiery green chillies. It brought a tear to my eye, both from the heat and delicious flavour. Ikeda also teaches me that most commercial wasabi contains more horseradish than wasabi, so buyer beware: if you’re seeking the real deal, you may have to be prepared to shell out more money than you initially think. Some brands are 100 per cent horseradish, marketed as wasabi, so checking the label is essential. The same goes for mirin, a Japanese sweet rice wine which varies in alcohol content. A good rule of thumb is that the cheaper the mirin, the lower the alcohol content. Soy sauce is another staple for most Asian cuisines, but there are differences. Ikeda prefers to use tamari soy sauce, which is thicker and, I find, not as intensely salty as the soy sauce you usually get in tiny fish-shaped plastic bottles from takeaways. At home, I’m a Kikkoman soy sauce fan, but Ikeda recommends Yutaka’s organic tamari soy sauce for a more mellow, sweeter flavour. In terms of proteins, it depends on what dish you want. We’re focused on fish, particularly sushi-grade salmon, which you can buy from Tazaki or most fishmongers. This is where I’m especially nervous, because it’s easy to get the cut wrong. However, knowledgeable fishmongers are your best friends when it comes to choosing the cut, so ask plenty of questions. Ikeda shows me how to slice the salmon for different types of sushi rolls and nigiri, as well as how to steam the fish in a baking parchment parcel, slathered in miso and accompanied by the shimeji mushrooms we’d purchased earlier. You can also add fish roe or masago caviar to your Japanese dishes. The bright orange spheres add a unique saltiness and a satisfying texture to sushi, but can also be used to top rice dishes or stirred through Japanese-inspired pastas. A reliable brand is Elsinore, which can be found in Waitrose. I still find the idea of making sushi daunting, but the supermarket aisles no longer feel so intimidating now that I have a clearer idea of what to look for. It reminds me of how fun it is to try something new in the kitchen and, armed with cookbooks from the experts, the delicious results will keep me coming back for more. Read More Grace Dent’s quick and easy recipes that only require the microwave Forest Side, review: Cumbrian produce elevated to Michelin-starred proportions Showstopping BBQ main dishes for a hot grill summer 7 TikTok food hacks that actually work Saltie Girl in Mayfair will make you happy as a clam – as long as you can afford it Chef Ravinder Bhogal: Vegetables are the secret to saving money

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Wondering where to hot foot it to for an autumn break? As well as two fresh openings in Margate – bursting-with-colour boutique number, Margate House, and the first seaside opening from boutique hitmakers GuestHouse – there’s a smart family-friendly resort with a cluster of eco-friendly cabins and more activities than you can shake a stick at in Devon, and just-opened city break options in Manchester and London. And the capital’s luxury hotel opening boom continues with the arrival of ultra luxe The Peninsula London in Belgravia and The BoTree in Marylebone. Meanwhile, the Cotswolds ramps up its accommodation roster with historic inns and manor houses sporting fresh new looks. Whatever your preference, this slew of new UK arrivals promises the most stylish of staycations this winter. Read on to discover the best in show. Read more on UK travel: Best holiday cottages in the UK for a rural retreat The best Airbnbs in the Lake District The Swan hotel review Margate House, Margate Following in the footsteps of The Albion Rooms’ gothic glamour, and the artsy revamp of Fort Road Hotel, Margate’s hotel scene continues to bloom. Cutting a dash on Dalby Square in Cliftonville (about a 20-minute walk from Margate station and Dreamland) is adults-only, nine-room boutique hotel Margate House. Originally built in 1820, by then mayor-of-Margate Thomas Dalby, the formerly rundown Victorian townhouse has been renovated by property developer Will Jenkins. Set to be catnip for creative types, decor – dreamt up by Jenkins’ pal, designer Charlee Allan-Quinton – is all-out bold, with skirting boards to ceilings drenched in warm pink, terracotta and burgundy in the downstairs lounge, where casual check-in over a glass of wine takes place. Blush and flushed-cheek colours continue in bedrooms, dressed with scallop-edged La Lumiere Studio raffia pendant lights, fun scarlet-striped cushions and film-inspired artwork (Dumbo through to Mystic Pizza). Snack drawers reveal retro sweets and an involved-with-the-community approach means rainfall showers are stocked with Haeckels toiletries (the shop is two minutes away), much of the bespoke furniture – including the lounge’s bold crimson papier mache bookshelf - has been made by Kristin Vicari, owner of Margate concept store L’Absurde Objet, and artwork from the likes of Kavel Rafferty (who lives round the corner) hangs on the walls. GM Coral is happy to set up the lounge for suppers if guests fancy a stay-in takeaway and hangout at home, and simple coffee, fresh OJ and bake-of-the-day from Staple are delivered to rooms each morning. For something more spoiling, The Good Egg’s challah french toast with blueberry syrup and honeycomb and falafel pittas can be ordered ahead-of-time for breakfast. From £115 B&B; book now Read more on the best Margate hotels No 42. by GuestHouse, Margate Another head-turning Margate opening comes from GuestHouse, who’ve garnered a reputation for breathing artsy hotel appeal into historic buildings. The former Sands Hotel – on the High Street, just over the road from Margate Main Sands – has interiors by Emma Montier that nail grown-up seaside style. Many of the 18 rooms and three suites look straight out to sea and sand, and some have dinky terraces. Design is delicate, creamy tones paired with pale fern wooden floors and herringbone terracotta tiles. A kettle and coffee machine are tucked into a beach hut-shaped minibar, and a free-form line resembling conch-like curves sweeps across the wall, providing the backdrop for a shell-shaped ceiling lamp. As well as a Crosley record player – to spin vinyl curated by local record store Ghost Pepper, including the likes of Uncle Louis’ I Like Funky Music – hammam towels in sorbet peach, white and sky blue, a Thermos flask and Teapigs teabags ensure down-at-the-beach comfort. Staff are full of verve, and drinks and dining outlets capitalise on the plum seaside location; at Pearly Cow there’s fresh seafood, parmesan spelt risotto, and innovative, seasonal desserts. Think white peach and lemon verbena eggless pavlova served in grand surrounds, thanks to original Victorian columns and stained glass windows, while the ocean-facing rooftop bar is the spot for gooseberry G&T sundowners. Handily, if you’re coming by train the hotel offers a by-bike luggage pick up, so guests can make the most of exploring from the get-go. From £130, room-only. The Mole Resort, Devon Another impressive reimagining is taken place in North Devon, where 58 lodges have been added to the former Highbullen Hotel, which sits in 125-acre grounds in the picturesque Mole Valley. As you’d expect from L+R Hotels – who have Chewton Glen and Cliveden House and Spa in their stable – every part of the resort is just-so. The two-to-four bedroom wooden lodges are slicker-than-your-average; built by Evoke Architects, they deliver cabin cool and eco smarts, with living green roofs and solar PV panels. Each is easy to relax into instantly, thanks to comfy slate-coloured sofas, black and copper bowl lighting, tree stump tables, and an open-plan dining and living space meets mod-conned kitchen with induction hob, dishwasher and a washer/dryer. Cosseting bedrooms with whitewashed walls have Hypnos beds and photography of sun-kissed hills, and are stocked with L’Occitane soap, conditioner and shampoo bars. Bifold glass doors open to sweeping outdoor decks with hot tubs for soaks with meadow or Mole Valley views. Order-ahead hampers of locally sourced produce (Devon Pork Chipolata Sausages, Green’s of Glastonbury Twanger Cheese) make group entertaining a breeze. Or there’s Cellars Bar & Restaurant in original Arts and Crafts manor Highbullen House for the likes of rosemary and quince honey-roasted camembert, retro prawn cocktail, and paneer and jackfruit rogan josh. As for what to do, there are activities in abundance, from nest box making to target shooting, led by an effervescent-with-enthusiasm team. It’s impossible for kids – or big kids – to get bored thanks to tennis, golf and pickleball courts, an indoor and outdoor pool, playground, and games room. Plus, live music takes place in the main balconied lodge at night, bringing more than a touch of stateside mountain resort – think Kellerman’s of Dirty Dancing – to Devon. From £206 per lodge, per night (sleeping eight), £45 for eight-person breakfast packs, £50 for four-person BBQ packs; some activities incur an additional cost. Read more on the best Devon hotels Forty-Seven, Manchester Kro Hospitality – behind the sultry Velvet Hotel on Canal Street – has just opened up Forty-Seven inside a former shipping warehouse on Manchester’s Peter Street. Upstairs, 32 richly decorated bedrooms – including some duplexes – channel slick urbanite with Inky blue ceilings, tactile velvet headboards, psychedelic Timorous Beasties wall panels, exposed brick details, and, in larger suites, which have a lounge area, teal couches, mini kitchenettes and ironing boards hidden behind wall mirrors. Luxe touches come in the form of L’Occitane Verveine toiletries, which line egg-shaped bathtubs, and soft dressing gowns to laze in. Set to suit business types looking for a smart place to stay to unwind – it’s close to the Manchester Central Convention Complex – bedrooms have been designed in partnership with pro ‘sleep fixer’ Kerry Davies, with blackout blinds and secondary glazed windows to help ensure a good night’s sleep. Downstairs, there’s well-established Indian restaurant Asha’s for authentic feasts of crispy paluk chaat, creamy paneer makhani and pomegranate and lime Kohinoor cocktails. There’s also touch-of-intrigue The Peterman Bar, where cocktails – such as the delicious Diamond Dan of Didsbury (Didsbury Gin Manchester tart, lemon, raspberries and egg white) – are served in surrounds nodding to the area’s history of safe crackers, including ‘vault’-like bar back design details. From £225, B&B. Read more on the best Manchester hotels Ember Locke, Kensington, London The star of aspirational aparthotel brand Locke Living continues to ascend, and latest to arrive is their sixth London property, with 121 apartments in the heart of Kensington and Chelsea. Locke’s first west London foray sits on Cromwell Road, just moments from The V&A, Science Museum and Natural History Museum. Apartments are designed to suit long and self-catering stays, with a home-away-from-home feel; the largest have full kitchens and space to work. Decor is retro-bohemian with licks of coral and teal paintwork giving a wrapped-in-colour feel, ramped up by geometric patterned bedspreads, curved mirrors and Biba-inspired draped curtains dividing sleeping and working spaces. Leafy communal spaces are similarly appealing, dressed with plenty of potted plants, and there’s a co-working conservatory plus cafe-meets-Mediterranean restaurant EVE, where a menu from Chef Talia Prince (ex-The Fat Duck and Le Gavroche) features fattoush salads and ZFC (zhoug mayo fried cauliflower or chicken). Plus there’s a laundry room and cute garden for when warmer weather hits. From £229 per night, room-only. Read more on the best London hotels Ruby Zoe, Notting Hill, London Another new West London stay, 173-room Ruby Zoe has a brilliant location on Notting Hill Gate, not far from Portobello Road’s indie shops and secondhand stores. Design inspiration nods to west London’s Caribbean community, and the bright colours of Carnival. A cafe meets bar and vinyl shop, with furniture in tutti frutti shades, from rattan, rocking numbers to squishy leather couches. Kooky suspended trumpet chandeliers, and even a forest green retro car, will appeal to co-workers who enjoy laptop tapping in quirky surroundings. While there’s plenty of design flourish, in line with Ruby’s ‘Lean Luxury’ ethos, don’t expect any unnecessary fuss – speedy self-check in is done via a tablet in under a minute, there’s no lunch or dinner offering, and bedrooms, which range from Nest up to Wow, are bright and functional, with wood wall panelling details and glass-fronted rain showers. Much to the delight of musos, as well as regular live performances in the bar, all rooms have a Marshall speaker, and an electric guitar can be hired from reception should creativity strike during a stay. From £225, room-only. The Peninsula London, Belgravia, London Thirty years in the planning and seven in the building, finally, The Peninsula – a hotel icon in Hong Kong for nearly a hundred years – has made its debut in Belgravia. By all accounts, it’s been worth the wait. A discreet, off-street cobbled courtyard lined by a fleet of cars – including Rolls-Royce Phantom IIs – sets the tone to hushed luxury from the off. Inside, afternoon tea is served by a personable team outfitted by Jenny Packham in a high-ceilinged, columned lobby where chandeliers shimmer, a pianist performs and a leafy de Gournay mural reflects the between-Hyde-and-Green-Park setting. As for the 190 bedrooms, designed by Peter Marino, the mood is next-level London pied a terre with silver-birch-bark-like wallpaper, British landscape-inspired art (by alumni of The Royal Drawing School) and honey onyx stone bathrooms stocked with woody toiletries by perfumier Timothy Han. Everything is just so; a valet box so shoes can be shined without disruption, a nail dryer tucked in each mahogany-panelled dressing room, a QR-code giving access to a 24-hour digital concierge, many rooms with views out to Wellington Arch and the parks (with electric curtains for privacy). Attention to detail continues throughout: leave your spectacles in-room during supper, and on return a soft Peninsula lens cloth will have appeared. At lively top-floor Brooklands Bar, Art Deco-style curved banquettes which riff on Bentley carriage seating rubs up against motoring memorabilia from Brooklands museum and cocktails of varying ‘mach levels’ (the orange blossom liqueur-based Aldrin is already earning cult status). Next door, Claude Bosi-helmed Brooklands restaurant is inspired by supersonic icon Concorde, with an aluminium aircraft model swooping above tables topped with cloud-adorned damask. Here, thrilling multi-course modern British culinary romps span creamy celeriac nosotto with black lime and coconut, Racan guinea fowl stuffed with Scottish razor clams, and an apple dessert resembling a gilded orb. There’s also ground floor restaurant Canton Blue, for exquisite dim sum served in booths separated by a rainbow of porcelain teacups, and apothecary-feel cocktail bar Little Blue. Plus, a stonking spa with a 25m swimming pool, and a retail arcade, featuring Asprey London, will open by Christmas. From £1,300, room-only, with flexible check in time. Read more on the best luxury London hotels The BoTree, Marylebone, London Bringing a burst of energy to Marylebone Lane is The BoTree, the 199-room debut from new hotel collection Place III Hotels, the latest venture from hotelier Rishi Sachdev. On arrival, roving staff members in the chalet-feel lobby, which features a 3D-printed tree sculpture made from recycled coffee cups, get guests checked in via tablet over a glass of fizz, before escorting them to their floor where a ‘host’ (essentially a private butler) is on hand to unpack luggage or steam glad rags during a stay. A member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts’ Legend Collection, the hotel’s slick service standard has been set from off with general manager Eva Mount (ex-Firmdale and The Guardsman) bringing heaps of five-star experience to proceedings. Uplifting bedrooms, entered through a hallway and dressing area, nail residential allure, swapping desks for comfy seating areas, with sliding wood panels separating spaces, ikebana-style fresh floral displays by Peckham-based Sage, and vibrant panels patterned with violet, rose and sunshine yellow blooms. A ‘conscious luxury’ ethos is reflected in energy-saving PIR sensors which turn off lights and heating when rooms aren’t occupied, eucalyptus Tencel bedding, and Jo Loves amenities (a mix of large refillables, and smaller bottles made with OceanBound plastic). Downstairs at the first UK outpost of LAVO restaurant (long a celebrity favourite Stateside), it’s all about more-is-more Italian fare, with unashamedly decadent signature dishes including cacio e pepe pizza, Wagyu meatball with whipped ricotta, and a 20-layer peanut butter and chocolate cake. For nightcaps with a going out-out feel, there’s the BoTree Bar, which has a glowing ceiling, teal marble bar and a packs-a-punch cocktail menu, including Bees by The BoTree, which combines honey, saffron and lemon with Seven Tails XO, and Champagne. Next year, a nightclub, gym and wellness centre are set to arrive. From £660, room-only. 1 Hotel Mayfair, London After a mammoth glow up, a former Holiday Inn in swanky Mayfair has been transformed into the first European opening from sustainability focused 1Hotels – a brand already wildly successful in the US. From its greenery-draped living facade and domed entrance chandelier, combining rattan panels and hundreds of cascading air plants, to a reception desk made from naturally felled wood from Sussex, the cappuccino and cream-hued aesthetic here is underpinned by strong eco principles. Eighty percent of the building’s existing structure was repurposed, it is rated BREEAM ‘excellent,’ and succulent-lined corridors lead to bedrooms with flooring made from fallen timber, moss-lined water filtration units to top up refillable aluminium bottles, and rattan artwork. As well as packing earthy allure, luxe touches come in the form of full-sized Bamford toiletries in shower rooms, Dyson hair dryers, and Daylesford Bourbon Old Fashioneds in the minibar. Downstairs, a coffee spot-meets-lounge is hung with poignant artwork ‘Flow’ by marine plastic artist Steve McPherson, and restorative massages take place in smudged-with-sage Bamford Wellness Spa treatment rooms, where therapies are followed by cups of green mate and lemongrass-infused tea. For something stronger to sip, there’s Dover Yard Bar, which has tree-slice tables and flickering fireplaces to hunker down by while sipping Green Park swizzles. Another draw? Dovetale restaurant, from Tom Sellers of Restaurant Story fame, for Cornish crab with chopped egg, capers, lemon and brown crab crumpets from the raw bar, and leeks vinaigrette with black truffle and soft boiled egg, served in a dining room aglow with mushroom-shaped pendant lighting. Best of all are the supersized, build-your-own sundaes from the pink-and-white Knickerbocker Glory trolley, which wows adults with its designed-by-space engineers glass freezing tech, while kids whoop at the tableside theatre of it all. From £500, room-only. Cowley Manor Experimental, Cheltenham For their first UK property outside London, mixology maestros Experimental Group have transformed the much-loved Cotswolds hotel Cowley Manor. While the 17th-century manor house just outside Cheltenham Spa has long been renowned for its design, top-notch spa and sprawling 55-acre grounds (home to lakes, waterfalls, and a secret fernery, said to have inspired Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland), Cowley 2.0 looks better than ever. Designer Dorothée Meilichzon has added her je ne sais quoi interiors flourish, with wallpapers adorned with duck-headed canes, licks of terracotta and cornflower, and 36 sultry suites where statement beds have modern-fairytale canopies or flamboyant headboards. Everything has a touch of magic: showers with cheery stem-patterned tiles are stocked with L:A Bruket toiletries, minibars nod-to-Wonderland with chequerboard fabric-wraps, and look closely and you’ll spot a dinky fairy door detail here and there. A games room, living rooms, bar and lakeside terraces offer nooks-a-plenty for cocktail-sipping (the Horlicks Milk Punch, a blend of Cotswolds single malt, lemon, and clarified Horlicks which pays homage to Cowley’s once-upon-a-time malted milk entrepreneur owners, is an ideal nightcap). While charming staff (most of the original team have stayed) and a lightly refreshed C-Side Spa for unknotting massages and dips in two pools (one 17m indoor with forest views, another 14m outdoor, parasol-fringed number) add appeal, the trump card’s the grand wood-panelled restaurant. Here, Jackson Boxer’s menu is the biz – think pretty plates of courgette slivers dressed in sunflower miso and elderflower champagne, moreish taglioni with smoked butter and black pepper, and coconut sorbet with redcurrant granita. From £250, B&B and spa access. Read more on the best Cotswolds hotels The Bell at Charlbury, Chipping Norton Bringing more of Daylesford’s signature Scandi-meets-British countryside allure to the Cotswolds, joining the likes of The Wild Rabbit and The Fox at Oddington in the newly launched Daylesford Stays collection, is The Bell at Charlbury, a characterful 17th-century pub sporting a fresh new look. Reception, lit by geranium leaf scented candles, sets the tone to calm and convivial. Downstairs are a series of appealing drinking and dining spaces, where tankard-lined fireplaces, exposed Cotswolds stone and crimson and white-striped bistro curtains rub up against wooden settles and Windsor chairs (one particularly lovely snug has wall-to-wall with framed flower pressings). As for food, head chef Nik Scarpellini turns out feel good gastropub fare, packed with Daylesford Organic produce. Think heritage beets with salsa verde, on-point penne with San Marzano tomatoes – reflecting his Italian roots – and roasted plums with lime-ribboned mascarpone and biscotti. Upstairs and in an adjacent barn, 12 bedrooms have woodland-inspired names, and are rich in natural touches, with caramel, burgundy and inky blue accents, bloom-patterned pelmets, and some with four-poster beds with beech branch posters. Bamford bathroom goodies and in-room dreamtime tea give stays a wholesome, touch-of-spa feel. Another restaurant, The Barn, will open soon, and come spring, the orchard garden – which slopes down to a river – will come into its own, with wellness sessions in a bunting-adorned gazebo. From £195 B&B; thebellatcharlbury.com The Bull, Charlbury Adding even more staycation pull to Charlbury is another historic pub-with-rooms relaunched, The Bull. In a real return to their roots, Phil Winser and James Gummer, who both hail from the Cotswolds, have have put their stamp on the pub where Phil had his first pint, a gorgeous inn dating back to the 1500s on the corner of Sheep Street. Behind a facade dressed in swathes of Boston ivy, the bar has been rejigged to allow more space for over-a-pint nattering and regulars – and their pooches – lounge by open fires after walks through the surrounding countryside. Ten bedrooms – in the pub and barn, all of which are dog-friendly – nail serene elegance. Stripped right back, licked in milky tones with natural sisal underfoot, contemporary four posters, warm-glow lighting and dried floral arrangements complement the building’s higgledy-piggledy charm and original beams. There are The Bull-branded OS maps for keen walkers, and some rooms have freestanding bathtubs lined with a spoilt-for-choice Neal’s Yard bubble bath, oil or salts. Another space which has come into its own is the back garden, with cosy snug sections hung with conical shades, and heaps of pretty planting. Food wise, British produce sits front and centre (local suppliers often pop in for a chat to discuss the day’s best produce) and the likes of muntjac meatballs and monkfish with samphire are already pulling in the punters. While small plates of leeks with creamy Lincolnshire Poacher and crispy rosemary potatoes are delicious, a few more veggie options wouldn’t go amiss. Come breakfast, expect face-sized croissants and pains au chocolat, generous cold plates, and a DIY Bloody Mary station. From £175, room-only; thebullcharlbury.com Read more of the best UK hotel reviews Read More Best hotels in Rhodes 2023 The best New Year’s hotel breaks with entertainment The best all-inclusive UK breaks to celebrate the New Year The best New Year’s hotel breaks with entertainment The best all-inclusive UK breaks to celebrate the New Year This hotel has opened the Lake District’s first ‘spa garden’

A woman so allergic to the scent of Christmas that even “smelling a mince pie could kill [her]” almost died after a festive trip to a garden centre sparked an asthma attack. Anne Murray, 61, an engineer who lives alone in Lanark, Scotland, was diagnosed with severe asthma as a baby and has been allergic to traditional festive staples such as citrus and cinnamon since she was a child. According to the NHS, severe asthma means the condition is uncontrolled even when sufferers are taking their medication. When they are exposed to an allergen that irritates the airways, it can trigger asthma symptoms. Murray realised the seriousness of her condition at the age of 11 when her mother, Mary, collapsed and died from an asthma attack at the age of 34. Seven years later, Murray’s childhood best friend, Julia, also died from an asthma attack. Both deaths made her “live life to the full” and she has since done a bungee jump and travelled the globe. Murray had a near-death experience herself in November 2016 when she smelt “pine cones impregnated with citrus” in a garden centre. “I had difficulty breathing,” she recalled. “I grabbed my inhaler and ran quickly out of the garden centre.” On the drive home, her condition worsened. “It felt like someone was sitting on my chest.” Once home, she used her nebuliser – a device that enables her to breathe by giving her medicine as a mist – but could not get to sleep that night as she kept coughing, and whenever she laid down, it felt like she was “choking”. Two days later, and still struggling to breathe, she visited her GP and was barely able to stand up. An ambulance was called straight away, and Murray was given oxygen and strong nebulisers, before returning home with seven days’ worth of steroids. “They all told me it was a close call so it was lucky I had my nebuliser on me.” Since that incident, Murray has finished her Christmas shopping by September to avoid being near festive smells in shopping centres, and often turns down invites to Christmas parties. “It can be quite isolating,” she says. “If friends want to go out around Christmas, I have to ask them to go to different places where I know are safe. I can’t eat or be anywhere near things that smell like Christmas, or eat anything Christmassy like mince pies and stollen cake – I don’t touch them with a 10-foot barge pole. Just smelling a mince pie could kill me. So many things have Christmassy spices that you wouldn’t normally think of, too.” Following the dual losses of her mother and best friend, Murray learnt that she would have to make day-to-day adjustments to her life in order to maintain her own safety. When travelling, she often has to call the airline in advance to request that passengers only eat or peel oranges once they get off the plane. She also has to inform all her work colleagues not to wear festive perfume in the office. “I wish shops would put up signs saying they have festive scents in store,” she adds. “It would be so helpful for me, and stop them getting complaints too.” Today, she makes sure to keep her own Christmas planning low-key. “I don’t go anywhere near supermarkets and that sort of thing – it’s not worth the risk,” she says. “It can be embarrassing a lot of the time – if I go to a restaurant and tell them about my allergies, I get turned away and we have to find somewhere else to go. Or, I get loads of staff around me and I just don’t want the attention.” This year, Murray is looking forward to spending Christmas Day alone and visiting her dad, Archie, and stepmum, Alice, in Scotland. She says: “I still like Christmas, and I’m excited to be on my own this year – I can put my feet up and watch the telly, and eat whatever I want.” Read More Beauty advent calendars 2021: Our guide to this year’s top treats 13 best tech gifts to spoil a gadget geek this Christmas 10 best luxury Christmas crackers for dressing up your dining table Revealed: Healthy mental health patients trapped in hospitals for years Major study focuses on key lifestyle change that can add decade to life expectancy Paris Hilton opens up about welcoming ‘angel’ baby London: ‘I’m loving my mom era’