Wiveton Bell

The Wiveton Bell is our sort of place. Situated just a mile from the North Norfolk coast at Blakeney, it enjoys a fabulous location year-round. Its lights are a beacon of welcome on a dark winter’s night, while in summer both the pub and garden are a magnet for walkers, bird watchers and everyone else enjoying this beautiful part of the country.

Now part of part of East Anglia's Chestnut group, perhaps the best thing about The Bell is that it's got six irresistible rooms to tumble into once you've exhausted the joys of its beamed bar and restaurant. There are four rooms at the back and two at the front, each with big sprung beds with high quality linen, stylish shower rooms with nice toiletries, flatscreen TVs with Freeview, DVD players (and a library of discs) and lots to read. As an added bonus, you also get your own private entrance and outdoor seating area. Rates include all sorts of room treats, like tea and coffee, mineral water and juice, and a continental breakfast hamper with pastries, cereals, yoghurt and fruit delivered to your room each morning (if you prefer Full English somewhere nearby, they'll knock £10 off the room rate!).

One of the nicest things about the Bell is that it remains a proper pub, somewhere locals and visitors stop by with their dogs for a pint – indeed a few tables in the front bar remain reserved for drinkers, however packed the pub gets. As such, it’s a thoroughly relaxing place to stay, encouraging an indolence you’ll find hard to shake off. They also don’t make you leave at the crack of dawn but encourage you to linger and enjoy the peace while you can – walking (there are lots of footpaths nearby), cycling, and of course eating – in the front bar, bright conservatory or outside in the extensive garden in summer. The food they serve is locally sourced, seasonal and delicious, and they have 2 AA rosettes to prove it.