Cool Place of the Day: Millgate House, North Yorkshire

It’s a fair bet you won't have stayed in a B&B quite like this one before. Located just off the main square in Richmond, North Yorkshire, Millgate House is an extraordinary Georgian townhouse of lavish, theatrical elegance sitting above a magical, sheltered walled garden with views down to the River Swale and its waterfalls. The owners, Austin and Tim, have been here 30 years and have made Millgate House and its garden (which is separately open to the public) a place very much in their own image – charming, discreet and hugely likeable. It's won almost every award going, and you too will be charmed by a house that is positively stuffed with the owners’ antiques and art, with curios and ornate pieces at every turn.

There are just three main rooms, two of which overlook the gorgeous garden, as does the lovely dining room where you can enjoy a splendid breakfast on polished mahogany tables. There's also a self-contained (and self-catering) romantic garden apartment (available by the night), with a lovely en-suite double, living room and open fire, and a further stylishly converted Coach House at the foot of the gardens which has another five en-suite rooms plus kitchen. And Richmond? It’s a lovely small town with a ruined Norman castle and a large cobbled marketplace and is within reach of some of North Yorkshire’s most stunning countryside. Trust us, you won't want to leave.

Martin Dunford is Publisher of Cool Places, a new website from the creators of Rough Guides and Cool Camping, suggesting the best places to stay, eat, drink and shop in Britain (coolplaces.co.uk)