The highlight of our one-month tour of England was this gem in Shropshire. This inviting B and B is in the former library of Ironbridge, nestled in a gorge of the Severn river. Cozy and elegant, the Library House is the perfect base for exploring the area that bills itself as the cradle of the Industrial Revolution. Hosts Tim and Sarah have turned this already charming house into a beautifully furnished retreat. We stayed four days and didn't want to leave. Breakfasts are a special treat -- my favorite was scrambled eggs on a muffin prepared with chives and thinly sliced salmon. Then spend the day at any of ten local museums that chronicle the rise of iron-making, pipe-making, tile and other industries in this little valley during the eighteenth century. Or visit the recreated Victorian town of Blists Hill where costumed re-enactors introduce you to Victorian life.
This was just one more example of a winner we found through Rick Steves' recommendations.