The Montague on the Gardens, Bloomsbury, London

It's ornate. It's OTT. And it has a wonderful fireplace in a bright red lounge. Two decorative blue and red armchairs sit on either side of the fireplace. There are crystal chandeliers, antique side tables and a pair of matching oval paintings of flowers. The lounge is next to a bar with an evening pianist. The management says that staying here is like writing your own part in a Bloomsbury Group novel.

The Montague on the Gardens (020-7637 1001, www.montaguehotel.com), 15 Montague Street, London WC1 5BJ; from £159, room only

The Red Lion, Long Compton, Warwickshire

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A pub with a wood-burning fireplace in the bar... and plenty of real ales to sample. There are wood beams, flagstone floors, exposed brick walls, and lots of nooks and crannies to settle into with a pint. Rooms are small but stylish and reasonably priced. The restaurant serves pan-fried red mullet, and Cumberland sausage and mash. Member of the Campaign for Real Ale.

The Red Lion (01608 684221, www.redlion-longcompton.co.uk), Long Compton, Warwickshire; £80

Westover Hall, Milford-on-Sea, Hampshire

This Grade II listed building on the edge of the New Forest and overlooking the Isle of Wight has a big open fireplace in the Nuffield Lounge - named after Lord Nuffied, a former owner. The style is eclectic, with stone Buddhas, antique side tables, porcelain vases and bright artwork. Rooms are luxuriously appointed.

Westover Hall (01590 643044, www.westoverhallhotel.com), Milford-on-Sea, Lymington, Hampshire SO41 0PT; from £290 dinner (for two), B&B

The Inn at Whitewell, near Clitheroe, Lancashire

Oriental rugs, oil paintings, sofas with velvet covers, dark-wood bed frames and open fires are all in the bedrooms at this inn. Parts of the building date from the 14th century and there are views of the Forest of Bowland. The bar also has a fireplace, and serves organic cider and beer.

The Inn at Whitewell (01200 448222, www.innatwhitewell.com), Clitheroe, Lancashire BB7 3AT; from £123, B&B

Kinnaird Hotel, Restaurant & Sporting Estate, by Dunkeld, Perthshire

Even the fishing hut/bothie on this 2,800ha estate (this week's front cover) has an open fire, making it a popular spot for an afternoon tipple among fishermen and hunting guests. You will also find working fireplaces in nine rooms in the main house of this country house hotel on the banks of the River Tay in Perthshire.

Kinnaird Hotel, Restaurant & Sporting Estate (01796 482440, www.kinnairdestate.com), by Dunkeld, Perthshire, Scotland, PH8 0LB; from £295, dinner (for two), B&B

Fenton Tower, North Berwick, East Lothian

James VI of Scotland took refuge in this 16th-century fortified tower in 1591 after fleeing rebels. Now it can be rented for a minimum of six guests. The cosiest room is the main hall, where there's a large fireplace with a breastplate and crossed halberds hanging above it. There are tapestries, flagstone floors and a coffee table chessboard.

Fenton Tower (01620 890089, www.fentontower.co.uk), Kingston, North Berwick, East Lothian EH39 5JH; from £300, B&B

Royal Crescent Hotel, Bath

Avocado and crab sandwiches are on the menu for tea in front of a roaring fire in the drawing room of the Royal Crescent. The room is decorated in green and purple, and is furnished with antique chairs. There are gilded mirrors and old oval portraits. The Georgian fireplace has an iron grate, and two oriental vases rest on its mantelpiece.

The Royal Crescent Hotel (01225 823333, www.royalcrescent.co.uk), 16 Royal Crescent, Bath, BA1 2LS; from £280, B&B

Ardanaiseig Hotel, Argyll

This Scottish baronial manor, dating from 1834, has a lounge bar with a large open fire and a selection of fine Scotch whiskies - perfect for a rest after a long lochside walk or a venture up the slopes of the Munroes. High windows open on to the estate's Victorian gardens.

Ardanaiseig Hotel (01866 833333, www.ardanaiseig.com), Kilchrenan by Taynuilt, Argyll, PA35 1HE; from £120, B&B

Beckett Cottage at Combermere Abbey

Pink sofas in front of a brick fireplace are the feature of the sitting room at Beckett Cottage, one of seven self-catering cottages with fires at the 900-year-old Combermere Abbey. The building, a former stables, dates from the early 19th century. It sleeps six in three bedrooms that have an African theme - headboards in the shape of giraffes and antelope-adorned chandeliers.

Combermere Abbey (01948 662880, www.combermere abbey.co.uk), Whitchurch, Shropshire SY13 4AJ; four nights from £437

Cotswold House Hotel, Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire

OK, so it's not a real fire - but the flickering “flames” on the TV in the bathroom of room 15 at Cotswold House hotel have a strangely warming effect. It's next to a bathtub with bizarre yellow spotlights. The overall effect is a mix of futuristic and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

Cotswold House Hotel (01386 840330, www.cotswoldhouse.com), Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire GL55 6AN; £275 B&B

All prices are per room for two people, unless otherwise stated

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