From chaste kisses to emotional outbursts and knights in shining armour, for many of us Brits, there's nothing better than a Friday night settled in front of a period drama with an all-star cast.

How thrilling, then, that Jane Austen's beloved Dashwood sisters are returning to the big screen with a new adaptation of Sense and Sensibility today, Friday, September 25.

Starring Daisy Edgar-Jones as Elinor and Esmé Creed-Miles as Marianne, the film will transport audiences into Austen’s world of country estates, romantic entanglements and enduring sisterhood.

For viewers inspired to step into a period drama of their own, it remains a truth universally acknowledged that the UK is home to many gorgeous settings for an Austen-inspired weekend away.

From a manor house with its own Great Hall to a thatched cottage and a historic retreat in Austen’s Hampshire home village, each offers a suitably storybook setting.

Whether you fancy a romp in the rain à la Marianne Dashwood, or a cosy home to curl up with a book like her sister Elinor, there's something for all tastes.

If you're in the market for an Austen-esque weekend, be it with a love match or a gang of pals, here's where to book... 

A LITTLE FAMILY GETAWAY? 

Lower Pack Horse Cottage – Winchcombe, Cotswolds 

Honey-coloured stone, exposed beams and an inglenook fireplace give this Grade II-listed Winchcombe cottage all the ingredients for a romantic countryside scene.

Sleeping four, the two-bedroom retreat pairs its original features with stylish modern comforts, including a woodburning stove and a peaceful rear garden. 

Sudeley Castle is close by, while the historic streets of Winchcombe, scenic Cotswold walks and the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway offer plenty of ways to continue the journey into the past.

Book it: Seven nights from £761, sykescottages.co.uk. 

Georgian Gate House, Norfolk

This Grade II-listed cottage at the entrance to Wolterton Park, with a columned portico, open fire and wood-panelled dining room, sleeps five. 

The smaller scale feels very Barton Cottage (where Mrs Dashwood and her daughters move after losing their estate), while access to historic parkland adds the romance of life on a country estate.

Expect all the tell-tale uneven floors, historic feel and low doorways you'd associate with a suitably Austen-inspired stay. 

 Book it: From £281/night, oliverstravels.com.

A TRULY AUSTEN ESCAPE

Three Malthouse Cottages – Chawton, Hampshire

This Grade II-listed cottage is located in Chawton, the Hampshire village where the author spent the final eight years of her life and wrote or revised all six of her novels.

The cottage is filled with historic character, including brick fireplaces and floors, exposed beams, leaded windows and original timber floorboards. 

Guests can also unwind in the garden or hot tub after exploring nearby Jane Austen’s House and Chawton House, both within walking distance.

Book it: Seven nights from £951, sykescottages.co.uk

WEEKEND PARTY PALACES

Austen House, London 

Once owned by Jane Austen’s brother Henry, this Georgian townhouse in Marylebone has a direct family connection, with interiors inspired by Henry and Eliza’s Regency society life. 

Jane’s Sitting Room and seven individually designed bedrooms bring a more glamorous city angle to the Sense and Sensibility escape. 

It sleeps up to 14 – so while you may not be hosting a ball, you sure can stay in a house that could.

Book it: From £6,396/night, oliverstravels.com

Audrey House, Bath 

A Georgian townhouse spread across four floors, it has a sitting room, study and period features throughout. 

Its central Bath setting adds a more affordable option for an Austen-inspired group stay, surrounded by the city’s Georgian streets and architecture. 

This home also sleeps 14 – but with a much more affordable price, from £349 per night. 

Book it: From £349/night, oliverstravels.com 

Earnshill House, Somerset 

An early eighteenth-century, Grade I-listed Georgian manor on a 700-acre estate, this immense property has an ornate drawing room, oak-panelled library and historic family portraits.

Its rose walk, walled garden and sweeping approach make it an especially convincing match for Austen’s grand country-house scenes. 

It also sleeps up to 20 people, so is ideal for an ostentatious weekend away. 

Book it: From £975/night, oliverstravels.com

Purnell Manor, Cotswolds

This Georgian mansion pairs a grand piano and library with silk-draped bay windows, period fireplaces and eight acres of gardens. 

With its grand drawing room and sweeping lawns, a stay here would capture the more extravagant side of Austen’s world.

It can sleep 18 to 26 people, with add-ons including delivered meals, catered dinners, beauty treatments and pampering, taxi services and more.

Book it: From £1,836/night, oliverstravels.com 

GLAM HOTELS TO CHECK INTO 

The Priory 

PoB Hotels is stepping into the world of Sense and Sensibility this autumn with stays, experiences and film-inspired touches across its collection of independent hotels.

With the Sense and Sensibility: A Regency Road Trip, a 162-mile curated journey through Dorset, Bath, the Cotswolds and Buckinghamshire, you can take a look at four characterful PoB Hotels providing atmospheric stops along the way. Alternatively, book each individually and bed down in these exquisite spots.

The opening chapter unfolds in Dorset at The Priory, a former monastery sitting serenely on the banks of the River Frome. 

Nearby, Kingston Russell House and Parnham Park both feature in the new film, putting some of its on-screen settings within easy reach before returning for waterside drinks, dinner or a boat trip. 

Book it: Doubles from £291, pobhotels.com

Boringdon Hall Hotel & Spa

Turn up the period-drama dial in Devon at the Boringdon Hall Hotel & Spa, a five-star manor house on the edge of Dartmoor.

The action moves outdoors with a horseback trek across the moors, a guided walk through woodland and a visit to an 18th-century stately home and grounds.

At Boringdon Hall, the pace slows, with champagne afternoon tea, spa treatments and dinner at Michelin-starred Àclèaf.

Book it: Doubles from £191, pobhotels.com

The Royal Crescent Hotel, Bath

From Dorset, the journey heads to The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa in Bath, right in the heart of a city synonymous with Georgian society and literary history. 

Days can be spent promenading past Georgian façades, exploring its historic streets and taking in the Circus and Royal Crescent.

At the end of a long day, you can retreat to rather more luxurious surroundings than the Dashwood sisters generally enjoyed.

Book it: Doubles from £384, pobhotels.com