Hotel reviews

THE Signet Collection is one of my personal favourite hotel brands in the UK, with properties tucked away in countryside locations where you can snuggle down in cosy nooks near a roaring fireplace.

The Barnsdale is its third property, which opened in 2023. Here’s everything you need to know.

Where is The Barnsdale?

This elegant retreat sits just a stone’s throw from one of the UKs most famous reservoirs, Rutland water.

It’s immersed in isolated countryside, so you’ll want to drive and take advantage of the parking on site.

Oakham train station is around a ten-minute drive away if you’d rather use public transport.

What is The Barnsdale like?

The Barnsdale has all the charm of a dainty cottage in the Cotswold, but with the hospitality benefits of a 4* hotel.

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A former hunting lodge constructed in 1760 that – despite the installation of modern amenities – still has an old world feel to it in the form of grand paintings and varnished wooden furnishings.

It has an air of posh members club to it, only without the price tag.

What are the rooms like?

Each of the 46 rooms is decorated in a typically English style with pastel-toned walls, frilly cushions and patterned armchairs. 

The Classic is the smallest and cheapest of the bunch and worth it for the lower price.

The only difference in rooms, bar the decorative tweaks, tends to be size and the view (the Royal Room has one of the best).

Classic rooms cost from £85 per night with brekkie. Click here to book.

What is there to eat and drink?

The hotel’s 1760 Brasserie serves classic British favourites including seared scallops doused in butter and a mouthwatering 32-day dry-aged rib-eye served with chips.

I opted for the Atlantic cod which was seasoned well and served with an unctuous vermouth sauce.

Anyone with a sweet tooth will love the sticky toffee pud – this one’s a real crowd pleaser.

What else is there to do at The Barnsdale?

People come for the outdoor Signet Spa where wood-fired hot tubs, a heated pool and a glass-walled sauna overlook fields of grazing Highland cows.

It’s a lovely way to spend a Sunday afternoon, sipping on sparkling wine and admiring the creatures munching away on the grass.

The only downside to the spa being entirely outdoors is the unpredictability of the British weather.

Fret not, though – every spa guest is given a DryRobe and flipflops to plod around in.

They can keep this for the duration of their stay.

When the drizzle hit, we persevered in our tub. Big thanks to the staff member who swiftly came to the rescue with a couple of umbrellas.

Massages can often be overpriced, but not here.

My therapist truly listened to my needs and pressure preferences, ensuring I enjoyed every one of those 60 blissful minutes.

Is The Barnsdale family friendly?

Families are well accommodated at The Barnsdale with specific family rooms that come with a double bed and a separate bedroom with bunk beds which comes complete with a cuddly lion toy to keep.

When little ones aren’t taking advantage of the outdoor play areas they can have a get stuck into some classic board games in the Rod Room.

Looking for a place to stay? For more hotel inspiration click here.

Looking for a cosy UK weekend getaway this winter? This award-winning country pub ticks all the boxes, our writer Sam Kistamah found out on a recent stay there

Approaching The Gunton Arms, we quickly realised it’s not your average local. It is a pub, but one set in a 1,000-acre deer park near Cromer in rural Norfolk, kitted out in furnishings to rival posh department store Liberty and with walls covered in art by the likes of Tracey Emin and Damien Hirst. And there’s a restaurant that’s in the Michelin Guide too. The deer park surrounds the 18th-century Gunton Hall, and The Gunton Arms was originally a farm that became the second house to Gunton Hall.

After careful restoration by art dealer Ivor Braka (hence the amazing collection), The Gunton Arms opened as a pub with bedrooms in 2011, and earlier this year was listed in the top 20 of The Good Food Guide’s best British pubs.

The food at The Gunton Arms

The Elk Room restaurant is dominated by a giant Irish elk skull, which hangs over an open fire. That’s where chef Stuart Tattersall cooks local fare, including venison from the deer park and beef from the Blickling Estate. Being four miles from the coast, The Gunton Arms also offers seafood, including a popular Cromer crab pasta dish.

We began with fried cod cheeks with caper and bronze fennel mayonnaise, and mixed beets with pickled walnuts and Binham blue. We loved the tender nuggets of cod with their zingy sauce, and the sweet beets were beautifully contrasted by creamy blue cheese and tangy slivers of walnut.

For mains, we devoured the sirloin steak, which had been perfectly cooked on the fire, and came with roast potatoes and a jug of Béarnaise sauce, and the roasted halibut special, accompanied by a buttery spinach and chive sauce and tasty Portland cockles. As keen dessert fans, we inhaled the Norfolk treacle tart with clotted cream and buttermilk pudding with honeyed fig.

The next day, we had lunch at The Gunton Arms’ sister pub The Suffield Arms, which serves outstanding Mediterranean tapas. Highlights included the corn ribs with mojito mayonnaise, and the white Andalusian prawns with garlic and chilli.

The rooms at The Gunton Arms

There are 16 rooms and we stayed in the stunning Rocksavage suite, which gave us some major inspiration for our own home renovation with its muted tones and carefully chosen pieces of art and dark wood furniture. Everything, from the marble bathroom with its roll-top tub to the sumptuous bed, oozed elegance. While the suite was traditionally decorated, we appreciated the Nespresso machine and Roberts radio, and the Norfolk Natural Living toiletries were a nice touch too.

What is there to do around The Gunton Arms?

You can explore the deer park but we were told not to approach the herd as it was rutting season when we visited – we loved watching them from the pub garden while enjoying a glass of chilled Gavi. The pretty seaside town of Cromer is a 10-minute drive away, and the pub is an ideal base for visiting the beautiful North Norfolk coast. With its towering sand dunes, Holkham Beach is a must-see spot that’s loved by the royals as it’s close to Sandringham.

How much does it cost to stay at The Gunton Arms?

Rooms at The Gunton Arms start from £145 per night.

THE unspoilt coastlines of Cornwall are speckled with charming hotels whose exteriors have been weathered from the salty seas.

Few of these hotels have as fascinating a story to tell as The Wellington, though. Here’s everything you need to know.

Where is The Wellington?

The Wellington – named after Britain’s grand Duke of Wellington – is buried in the rugged valley of Cornwall’s Boscastle, overlooking a quaint harbour.

As with many Cornish hot spots, it’s not the easiest of places to reach by public transport, but that only adds to its charm.

Parking on site is limited but there’s a paid car park five minutes walk away which costs £7 for 24 hours, or you can just park for free on the street behind the property.

There is a bus stop a five-minute walk away.

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What is the hotel like?

This castle-like property, known as The Welly among locals, is one of the oldest coaching inns in Cornwall, although that may not be so obvious due to its recent facelift. 

Rooms still carry all the charm of 16th-century property but with modern amenities.

Expect grand chandeliers and pastel, striped wallpaper in communal dining areas, while downstairs you’ll find traditional bar stools under rustic wooden beams.

Rumour has it that the hotel is haunted. The property even appeared on tv show, Most Haunted, in 2004.

There have been murmurs of unusual sightings in room nine.

What are the rooms like at?

The 14 rooms, all on the upper floor, come with buckets of character, as you’d expect from any old and quintessentially British property.

Think tartan headboards, padded arm chairs and snuggly throws placed atop plump bedding.

It’s a listed building, so no two rooms are the same and each has an exceptionally cosy feel to it with local tea and biccies that make you feel as if you’re visiting a distant aunt (one who happens to have very chic taste).

Rooms cost from £145 per night on a B&B basis.

What is there to eat and drink there?

Elevated pub grub is what you’ll find here – fish and chips, a West Country beef burger and juicy steaks feature on the menu, as well as some veggie dishes like smoked tofu laksa (a popular item) and the simplicity burger, made with a mushroom, onion and beetroot patty.

The modern kitchen also whips up a cracking Sunday roast with all the trimmings and a very moreish gravy.

If it’s sunny, bag yourself one of the outdoor tables, with a view of the river, and sink some local ales.

Brekkie is as cosy as the rooms with help-yourself cold options and table service hot food.

Is The Wellington family friendly?

Very much so. Kids will love being so close to the river and snooping around the nearby Museum of Witchcraft and Magic

The apartments sleep two adults and at least two children, otherwise you can add an extra bed to the room for an additional charge.

Looking for a place to stay? For more hotel inspiration click here.

A HOME away from home, the hotel has both exquisite dining experiences and an abundance of amenities provided. 

Here’s everything you need to know – from room rates to dining options at the hotel’s restaurant.

Where is the Carden Park Hotel & Spa?

In the heart of Chesire’s countryside, the hotel is best to get to by car.

However, Chester Station is just 14 miles away, or Crewe Station is about 30 minutes by taxi.

Flying in? Liverpool John Lennon Airport is around one hour away.

What is the hotel like?

The hotel is a sprawling resort in the middle of the Cheshire countryside.

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But despite its size, once you’re inside it feels very homely.

It has lots of open fires, attentive staff and quiet corners to sit and relax in. 

What are the rooms like?

The rooms are lovely and big, with huge beds and pillows.

Our room had a power shower that was so good I spent some time trying to find out the make and model of it for my own bathroom.

The 197-room hotel is going through a refurb – we had a new room and the finish was excellent. 

Double rooms cost from £169 per night. Click here.

What is there to eat or drink there?

Definitely eat here. The hotel’s Vines restaurant is wonderful.

Prior to being seated at our table, we enjoyed a pre-dinner cocktail and pint in Goldie’s Lounge, which was a lovely way to start an evening.

Attentive staff took our order of smoked salmon and a beef wellington for two, before we were shown to our table.

The 3AA Rosette restaurant is small, but very well managed.

We also sampled Elements, the spa restaurant, which serves up hearty sandwiches, salads, and salt and pepper chips. 

What else is there to do at the hotel?

Carden Park isn’t just a hotel – it boasts two amazing golf courses and a wonderful £10million spa.

We took a dip in the warm pool before enjoying a series of saunas.

Then we turned ourselves into prunes while sitting in an outdoor Jacuzzi before enjoying a 45- minute massage.

We would go back. The spa is set in stunning scenery with outside hot tubs, sun loungers and a pool. The food was worth returning for, too.

Guest spa access costs from £79 without treatment.

Is the hotel family friendly?

Yes, Carden Park is suitable for family vacations, with family rooms, and plenty of amenities. 

Is the hotel accessible?

Yes, there are six accessible rooms available.

Furthermore, dining spaces are tailored to be accessible.

Looking for a place to stay? For more hotel inspiration click here.