Luton Hoo Hotel, Golf & Spa

Little surprise that stately Luton Hoo Hotel, Golf & Spa serves as something of a history lesson in British architecture, considering that the first house on this lovely Bedfordshire estate dates back to 1601. The 144 luxury guest rooms and suites, divided between the Mansion House and several wings, feature flat-screen TV, high-speed Internet access, private terraces, and four-poster beds and oak-beam vaulted ceilings in some quarters. Set among 1,065 acres of Capability Brown landscaped parkland, the estate includes its own river, lakes, spa, and 18-hole golf course.

Nestled on the banks of the Lea River, the Warren Weir convention facility at Luton Hoo features five function rooms for business meetings and corporate events to 400, as well as its own fitness studio, indoor pool, lounge bar, and snooker room.