The interiors, from celebrated designer David Collins, involve a modern take on the traditional country house style: effortlessly luxurious, striking a perfect balance between being cool, modern, classic and sophisticated.

The main house perches ceremoniously at the end of a long, sweeping driveway, with beautiful manicured grounds leading the way. The 29 rooms and suites are split between the main house and the various outbuildings - the Coach House, Crescent and Pavilions - ranging from the entry level 'Cosy' (Cosy in Lime Wood's definition means spacious and extremely comfortable) through to signature Forest Hideaway Suites. Our Crescent duplex suite was a delight with a wood burning fire on each floor - a real treat for us city folk!

The rooms of Lime Wood's main house are a series of cosy lounges with plump couches and roaring fires, which are inviting at any time of day - from reading the morning papers with the sunshine streaming through the windows, to taking afternoon tea or sipping the final glass of port after dinner.

There are plenty of logs by each fire and the relaxed feeling of the house means you are free to feed the fire on your own and truly feel like the lord of the manor. Service at Lime Wood is seamless - the staff, dressed in fashionable country clothes, are ever present but never noticeable, which is a difficult thing to master.

There are two restaurants on offer: The more informal Scullery, which, with its whitewashed wooden floors, flower pots and condiments on show, could only be described as 'country house chic', and the main restaurant, The Dining Room, which provides an informal setting for serious cooking and a perfectly glamorous night out, once again highlighting the hotel's ability to be both luxurious and relaxed at the same time.

Organic and locally sourced seem to be high on the priorities for both restaurants - wild mushrooms, garlic, local venison and home-reared beef and lamb - which one would expect given nature's prominence all around.

The Herb House Spa is a true gem, with a whole host of treatments on offer, a Technogym, an indoor pool, sauna, indoor Jacuzzi and a magnificent outdoor pool that was blissful on a January evening where temperatures plummeted below zero. The rooftop sunlouge was redundant on our visit but would surely be a huge hit in the summer months. There is also an adjoining Raw Bar serving a selection of fresh salads, smoothies and cocktails.

One of Lime Wood's greatest assets is the natural surroundings within which it sits. The immediate grounds surrounding the hotel resemble a beautifully groomed English garden, complete with a swing hanging from one of the century old oak trees.

On leaving the property through the designated gates, you are immediately in the heart of the New Forest with its stunning scenery and wild horses roaming freely in the parkland. After a long walk through the forest, there is no better place to return to than Lime Wood and its roaring fires.

For a chic, glamorous yet utterly relaxing weekend country break from London, Lime Wood really hits the spot.

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One of the main attractions is that each property is different - from a loft in Clerkenwell to a townhouse in Primrose Hill, you can choose the area, style and design that suits your individual tastes. Its aim is to make visitors feel and live like locals in London, offering homes in neighbourhoods that might not be catered for by luxury hotels. With keys to your own temporary front door, you can greet your neighbours, explore the side streets and discover some hidden gems.

Self-styled as an 'unhotel', the reservation process is as seamless as with a regular hotel, but with an added element of the personal touch. On arrival, a member of staff will greet you at the property to give you a full tour, explain the intricacies of the property and hand you a pre-loaded iPhone that you can use at your leisure throughout your stay.

We stayed in a three bedroom townhouse on the Chelsea / Fulham border, which was smart, spacious, and with plenty of room to entertain. With full use of a large kitchen and separate dining room, a dinner party was inevitable. Having spent the afternoon in the kitchen surrounded by whisks and piping bags, drowning in olive oil and seasoning, when it came to turning on the oven hours later to warm the hors d'oeuvres, the oven decided not to work.

We called someone in customer service who was very polite and helpful but, having spent an hour looking through manuals, they kindly offered to send us a food hamper instead. We declined the offer and managed by using the hobs instead of the oven, something that confirmed the need for a team of sous chefs for all future dinner parties.

Despite everything working out for us, the incident highlighted a potential pitfall for onefinestay - without a maintenance man on the premises, such issues could eventually become rather problematic for them. However, given the efficiency with which they handled our issue and the solution that they had offered (they still kindly sent us a couple of bottles of wine despite not needing the food basket), I'm confident that they could handle anything thrown at them.

With a whole house filled with photographs, books and CDs to explore it's difficult not to be nosey, but certain cupboards and drawers are discreetly sealed with special tamper proof tape to prevent you from peering too closely. One of the joys of onefinestay is that you get to feel like you're at home, surrounded by all the comforts and amenities that you could wish for, but going to sleep with someone else's wedding photos on your side table is a strange feeling.

The price will depend on your specific property - our three bedroom house starts from £400 per night, which, if travelling with friends or family, is very reasonable for the quality and service. Each house is fully cleaned before and after each visit with a daily maid service available with fresh linens, towels and The White Company bath products.

For those who require 24 hour room service, a business centre and fully equipped gym, onefinestay was never going to be the answer, but if you want to experience life as a Londoner in luxurious and spacious surroundings at a reasonable cost, onefinestay might be right up your street.

FYI: onefinestay has expanded from just 6 host members in 2010 to more than 250 today. The company backed by venture capital firm Index Ventures along with Brent Hoberman, co-founder & CEO of Lastminute.com, among other angel investors.

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From the main entrance on Collins Avenue, you can see the hotel's eight-story classic Art Deco building, but inside, you have one of the city's most beautifully designed spaces, with a palpable serenity and soothing atmosphere.

Heavy Asian design influences are offset by orange accents, including carefully placed oranges (seamlessly replaced by candles at sundown) and stunning centrepiece displays of 500 orange roses.

The Art Deco building contains 85 studio suites, averaging a capacious 600 square feet, each with flat-screen televisions, iPod docks, complimentary espresso machines, Asprey bath products and exquisite Duxiana beds.

The adjacent 40-storey tower contains 45 one, two and three bedroom suites, ranging from 900 to 3,500 square feet, each with floor-to-ceiling windows, full kitchens, Jacuzzi bathtubs and balconies offering panoramic views across the ocean or of downtown Miami in all its glory.

There is also a 10,000 sq ft penthouse suite with spectacular balconies, private lap pool, Jacuzzi and glorious views of the Miami skyline.

The three swimming pools are the hotel's focal point, each heated to a different temperature, gradually becoming warmer as you get closer to the beach. The poolside assistants are wonderfully attentive, with an array of cooling products replenished unobtrusively throughout the day.

The day beds offer an ideal place from which to enjoy an afternoon cocktail (the frozen bellini was a particular highlight) but lunch is best enjoyed at the oceanfront restaurant, the Pool & Beach Bar, one of the few South Beach hotels where you can dine with views of the ocean.

Service is exemplary throughout: warm, friendly and attentive with eastern and western hospitality blending seamlessly, and complimentary wifi throughout the hotel, as well as poolside, was particularly welcome.

The spa at The Setai, which continues with the Asian influence in both design and treatments, is intimate, calming and thoroughly relaxing. Each spa suite has ocean and pool views, a private bath and steam room, and can accommodate two people to enjoy treatments at the same time. Our Balinese massage was truly delightful and a perfect way to unwind after a hard day soaking up the sun.

With its beautiful design, impeccable service levels and endearing tranquillity, The Setai is undoubtedly one of Miami's best hotels, with the added benefit of having South Beach's decadence on its doorstep.

Website: www.setai.com

Address: 2001 Collins Avenue, Miami, Florida 33139

Phone: +1 305 520 6000

When to go? Miami, with its buzzy, lively atmosphere, is one of the best places to celebrate New Year's Eve, and The Setai is one of Miami's finest hotels. The New Year's Eve soiree will recreate 'Marrakech's sparkling social scene' in the 'East meets West' style of the hotel. Click here for full details.

How to get there? Virgin Atlantic has daily flights to Miami from London, with return flights from around £400. Paying a little more at the airport for extra legroom was definitely worth it!

For further information or to make a booking, please contact your concierge at Bon Vivant. To make sure you're kept informed of similar updates on a regular basis, subscribe to the blog, our fortnightly newsletter, follow us on Twitter or like us on Facebook!

The Dorchester Collection is synonymous with grand, iconic hotels in some of the world's most desirable destinations, with each hotel as stylish and sophisticated as the next.

Coworth Park, the group's first standalone launch, opened in the autumn of 2010 on a 240 acre estate of rolling meadows and polo fields in Berkshire near Ascot, less than an hour by car from London and a mere 20 minutes from Heathrow airport.

In a clear contrast to its other UK properties (The Dorchester and the recently opened 45 Park Lane), Coworth Park is the epitome of a true country house estate and an ideal weekend getaway from London.

Most of the action occurs in the main Georgian manor house, the Mansion House, with views of immaculate grounds from every corner. There are 70 rooms and suites in total, spread between the Mansion House and the converted stable block and renovated cottages, which adds to the charm of the property.

The rooms are of a contemporary classic style, exuding a sense of understated luxury, with warm, neutral tones and splashes of autumnal colours creating a calming and relaxing mood. The stables, which feature a combination of lateral and vertical suites, some with their own staircases, are of a similar design aesthetic, interspersed with witty equestrian references. Spacious bathrooms feature large rainfall showers, dual sinks and freestanding copper baths.

One of the highlights of the visit was dinner at 'Restaurant Coworth Park', the hotel's main restaurant. The dining room exudes sophistication with a beautiful and dramatic light feature dominating the room. The restaurant was originally under the guidance of John Campbell, the celebrated chef who held 2 Michelin stars at the Vineyard at Stockcross. He has since departed, but the current chef is incredibly talented as we were served a refined, interesting and meticulously prepared 8 course tasting menu, which richly deserved its first Michelin star in the 2012 UK Michelin Guide.

The Barn offers a casual yet refined dining alternative, with a 'rustic chic' design of stone floors and reclaimed wood dining tables. The menu features classic, hearty dishes such as fish pie, sirloin steak and roast chicken, which is ideal for lunch after a long walk through the impeccably groomed grounds.

For the more active guest, there is an array of activities available, including tennis and horse riding at the equestrian centre, but the spa was too tempting an alternative for us. The spa is a modern, eco-building, over two floors, half of which is underground with plants growing on the roof.

The spa has eight treatment rooms, a relaxation room, an 18m heated pool, a steam room and a 'Spatisserie' if you want a light snack and a glass of champagne in between treatments.

While service seemed to lack the finesse of some of the group's other properties (this will surely come with time), the staff were all charming, polite and professional. On our visit, there were a few mishaps with the air conditioning and the shower, but these issues were handled with impeccable care and grace.

With its understated glamour and contemporary classic style, Coworth Park is a beautifully modern take on the traditional country house hotel, which makes a perfect weekend retreat from London.

For further information or to make a booking, please contact your concierge at Bon Vivant. To make sure you're kept informed of similar updates on a regular basis, subscribe to the blog, our fortnightly newsletter, follow us on Twitter or like us on Facebook!

Dinner By Heston

2011 started with a bang in January with Heston Blumenthal's first foray into the London restaurant scene at the Mandarin Oriental with Dinner by Heston. 'Dinner', one of the most anticipated restaurant openings of recent years, received immediate acclaim by critics, collecting its first Michelin Star in the 2012 UK Michelin Guide later in the year. The signature 'Meat Fruit' is worth a visit alone.

Hedone

Quiet Chiswick High Road is not renowned as a cultural hotspot, but perhaps that's why Mikael Jonsson chose it as the location for Hedone, his first restaurant project. The Swedish ex-lawyer turned Chef is not afraid to challenge people's assumptions and since opening in July 2011, Hedone has not only challenged, but surpassed expectations.

Critics and Chefs alike have flocked to try some of the most unusual and triumphant dishes on the London restaurant scene, and with a three-week waiting list for tables, one to book ahead.

Riding House Café

The team behind the acclaimed Garrison and Village East in Bermondsey opened the Riding House Café, an all day Brasserie offering a selection of small plates to share as well as traditional main courses in Fitzrovia. The restaurant has a great vibe and a 'buzzy' bar area too.

Spuntino

Spuntino was one of three new ventures in 2011 from the team behind Polpo and Polpetto, the successful Venetian 'bacaros' in Soho. Spuntino also features sharing plates, but inspired by New York instead of Italy, with its various sliders and Mac'n'Cheese being stand-out dishes. Like its sister restaurants, Spuntino has a no reservation policy, so expect to queue as this place is still very popular.

Pollen Street Social

Jason Atherton, formerly of Gordon Ramsay's Maze, opened Pollen Street Social in Mayfair, and it has quickly risen to become one of London's most popular restaurants, also collecting its first Michelin star towards the end of the year. The restaurant is a modern, relaxed take on a 'fine dining' restaurant.

Massimo's

Massimo Restaurant & Oyster Bar is a Mediterranean restaurant specialising in seafood, in The Corinthia Hotel, located between Trafalgar Square and Embankment. The head chef, Massimo Riccioli, comes from the celebrated La Rosetta in Rome.

The main dining room, designed by David Collins, is truly stunning. The restaurant also features an oyster and crustacean bar and The Chef's Table caters for up to 18 diners with its own dedicated kitchen where Massimo Riccioli cooks for guests.

Hawksmoor Guildhall

The team behind Hawksmoor opened their third steak restaurant and cocktail bar, Hawksmoor Guildhall, in the City in October. With impeccably cooked steaks and a cool cocktail bar, this is already a huge hit in the City.

CUT at 45 Park lane

Continuing with London's interest in steak restaurants, 'Cut' opened in the new 45 Park Lane hotel, the latest hotel from The Dorchester Collection.

'Cut' is a restaurant by Wolfgang Puck, the celebrated US chef, who opened the original 'Cut' at the Beverly Wilshire hotel in Beverly Hills in 2006. The London outpost serves excellent steaks in a suitably glamorous dining room.

Opera Tavern

London has seen the addition of some great Spanish restaurants, starting the year with the Opera Tavern, a 'restaurant and tapas bar' in Covent Garden from the team behind Salt Yard and Dehesa.

Located in a renovated pub, the restaurant retains some of the building's original features, and the exposed bricks and low lighting create a relaxed, intimate feel.

Senkai

The Ignite Group opened Senkai, a modern Japanese restaurant on the former 'Cocoon' site in the West End. The restaurant features a signature 'raw bar,' which seats 20 people and offers seafood platters, tiradito and tataki dishes and ceviche, as well as dishes from a robata grill.

There is also a relaxed cocktail lounge, which has a feature wall of Japanese prints, seating up to 50 people with a drinks menu of contemporary and classic cocktails and bar food.

Late Arrivals

The Delaunay, sister restaurant to The Wolseley from restaurateurs Chris Corbin and Jeremy King, opened on the corner of Drury Lane and Aldwych. The restaurant is open seven days a week - until midnight from Monday to Saturday and 11pm on Sunday - serving breakfast, afternoon tea, and à la carte lunch and dinner menus 'inspired by the grand cafés of Europe'.

Caprice Holdings has launched '34', a restaurant located just off Grosvenor Square in Mayfair. 34 is the group's first restaurant launch and will add to its portfolio, which includes The Ivy, J Sheekey's and Scott's, one of Bon Vivant's London favourites. The restaurant specialises in meats and seasonal game but also offers 'lighter dishes, fish and shellfish'.

Kitchen Joel Antunes, a 95-seat restaurant with a 40-seat terrace, has opened at Embassy Mayfair, offering a Provençal-based menu from chef Joel Antunes, with a late licence until 1:30 am.

For further information or to make a booking, please contact your concierge at Bon Vivant. To make sure you're kept informed of similar updates on a regular basis, subscribe to the blog, our fortnightly newsletter, follow us on Twitter or like us on Facebook!

What was your favourite restaurant of 2011? Which new restaurants are you excited to see in 2012? We would love to hear your thoughts below.