E quinophobes, stay clear. Everyone else — riders, admirers or the simply indifferent — will warm to spa hotel Bedford Lodge, surrounded by paddocks and stables on the outskirts of Newmarket, known as the “headquarters” of British horse racing. Originally a Georgian hunting lodge, the hotel itself is basic but good value for money, and the same goes for the restaurant.

The spa, a minute’s walk away, is more luxurious, but at a still-reasonable price. As you drift, prosecco in hand, from the ache-banishing hydrotherapy pool to the rooftop hot tub to a treatment room wafting woody aromas and playing twinkly piano music, you can’t help but feel even the horse haters would love it. Overall score 7/10 This article contains affiliate links, which can earn us revenue.