When is a hotel not a hotel? The answer is when it can transform itself, at least partially, into self-catering accommodation instead. This is how a handful of top hotels around England and Wales have, at very short notice, managed to move their post-lockdown reopening date forward to Monday 12 April and still stay within UK government rulings.
Treehouses, cottages and apartments attached to, or in the grounds of, these hotels are opening their doors, and many of the outdoor activities these smart properties usually offer in normal times are also available. Al fresco dining in the grounds and hamper meals delivered to your door are just some of the tweaks enabling a hotel stay, without it technically being a hotel stay, and making it possible earlier than you might think. Here are nine of our favourite hotels you could reserve from 12 April.