Bedford has never been at the top of my list of destinations for a weekend getaway.

But when the chance came along to escape to a historical riverside inn and discover the town, there was no holding me back from venturing to a county I was familiar with only because of nearby Luton Airport.

The Swan Inn in Bedford is set yards from the meandering and, as its name suggests, substantial Great Ouse river, which is flanked by acres of green space within a short stroll of the town centre.

We got the measure of this hotel’s popularity once we arrived, feeling fresh from a 50-minute train journey from London St Pancras.

Despite staff being busy with a wedding reception and locals in the lounge enjoying cream teas, we were made to feel extremely welcome.

And if you are looking for accommodation with character a world away from the blandness of chain hotels, you’ve come to the right place.

The Swan has beautiful period features, winding staircases and is dotted with interesting antiques.

The hotel was built in 1794 by Francis V Duke of Bedford to replace a mediaeval inn.

Its stairway was installed in the hotel from Houghton House, the original ‘House Beauty’ from Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress.

Bunyan is arguably Bedford’s most famous son, although others have laid claim to the title as we later discovered.

More recently, the four-star hotel has undergone a £2million refurbishment to its 113 bedrooms, which provide a pleasant modern contrast to the building’s communal areas.

We found that dinner in the AA rosette award-winning restaurant was the perfect way to unwind in the evening.

I enjoyed a 10oz rib eye steak with peppercorn sauce while my sister enjoyed the dish of the day – a roast leg of lamb with garlic and herbs and roast potatoes and vegetables.

Also in keeping with the unwinding theme was the Roman Bath-inspired swimming pool, which has to be the only swimming pool I have felt the need to photograph for documentation purposes before taking the plunge.

Coupled with a Jacuzzi and mood lighting, I ended my swimming session completely relaxed.

A three-minute walk ended in a visit to the Higgins Bedford. The facility, in a former brewery, has been given a £5.8million facelift and re-opened last spring.

In this absorbing building we walked through a Victorian home, posed in a range of period hats in a 300-year-old mirror and voted for the greatest Bedfordian, after learning of some of the famous townsfolk in an exhibition.

Having already visited his gold Royal Mail post box, we recognised the name of London 2012 gold medallist Etienne Stott alongside Ronnie Barker and England cricket captain Alastair Cook.

As it was a sunshine-soaked weekend we had to take in the hotel’s riverside terrace, which served, much to my sister’s delight, homemade pork scratchings.

They were delicious and, teamed with Pimm’s while watching rowers put their back into it along the river, it made for the quintessential English experience.

Bedford town centre itself is enticingly compact for wandering around and contains a market dating back more than 800 years.

The remains of the castle, which was destroyed in 1224, can still be seen.

Nearby, it’s a short journey to Woburn Abbey, Whipsnade Zoo at Dunstable and the Glenn Miller Museum – a collection housed in the original control tower at the airfield where the band leader was last seen alive in December 1944.

I came away from my weekend in Bedfordshire pleasantly surprised at how much there is on offer.

I reconnected with my sister, relaxed by the riverside and had my appetite truly whetted for a lively town rich in culture and history.

Getaway

Bedford can be reached from London St Pancras in 50 minutes on First Capital Connect trains.

A Spa Package at the Swan Hotel in Bedford costs £260 a night for two adults and includes a two-course lunch and a glass of wine, spa treatment to the value of £55, dinner (£25 per person from the restaurant) and full English breakfast.

Rooms start at £89 a night based on two adults sharing.

The Bedford Swan Hotel, The Embankment, Bedford, Bedfordshire MK40 1RW. Call 01234 346 545 or see bedfordswanhotel.co.uk