Fancy a country escape with a twist? We’ve got just the prize for you. We’ve teamed up with Montigo Resorts, Somerset to offer one lucky reader the chance to wind down in the beautiful Charlton House, before being whisked away in a Mercedes to the East Somerset Railway, where a traditional steam train will be waiting to take you on an adventure.

For more than four centuries, Charlton House has stood at the heart of Somerset life. A stone’s throw from medieval Wells, the cider orchards in and around Shepton Mallet, and the Georgian pleasure grounds of Bath, it reverberates with the pulse that renders the Summer County unique.

This year, some of the best-respected voices in Asian hospitality and wellness have taken it under their wing, upgrading the health and fitness facilities, refining the interior design elements, while sensitively restoring its Jacobean, Regency, and Victorian architecture to its full potential. And they’re inviting discerning Country & Town House readers to come and see what they have to offer.

All residents are encouraged to bring their dogs and make full use of the landscaped gardens; to sample single-malt Scotch in the country-house smoking room; to journey through the subtly fragranced steam rooms after a dip in the swim-out hydrotherapy pool. The rich menu offering, incorporating the very best seasonal and locally sourced ingredients, provides the perfect prelude to an evening luxuriating in a sumptuous period room, irrespective of the occasion or the time of year.

But only one impeccably fortunate competition entrant will have the opportunity to win one of their heritage-led stay packages: the pertinently named ‘Golden Age of Travel’ experience.

Before you retire for the evening, you’ll be whisked away in a comfortable Mercedes-AMG transfer vehicle to the local East Somerset Railway. You’ll be personally greeted by the stationmaster, neatly attired in his shiny-brass-buttoned coat. And you’ll be invited to step aboard a vintage compartment car for a steam-propelled journey through the head of the former Charlton estate.

It’s up to you whether you sit for tea, ride up front by the steam whistle, or sit back with a good book. You’ll feel rested either way, content with the knowledge that a luxurious bed and breakfast stay awaits.