Langar Hall

'I would return again and again,' says one of the many fans. After a short time away, Imogen Skirving is back at the helm of her informal hotel, a honey-stone Georgian mansion which has been owned by her family since the mid-19th century. She tells us: 'I have come out of retirement (temporarily) to work with Pascal, our party/wedding organiser, restaurant manager, waiter, pot-washer, etc.' Many of her staff 'have been here for years'. Regular visitors (who include barristers attending Nottingham Crown Court and cricket commentators broadcasting at Trent Bridge) love the 'flexible' atmosphere, the 'elegant but homely' feel and characterful decor. Family portraits line the stairs that lead from the flagstoned hall to themed bedrooms, all different. They include Bohemia (honeymoon superior, 'one of the most romantic'), once an artist's studio, with poetry on the bathroom walls; Cartland, dedicated to the romantic novelist (another visitor); Barristers, 'masculine, with painted panelling'. The drawing room has a club fender, and paintings by and of the Bloomsbury group. The small bar has cartoons, and photographs taken by designer Paul Smith, also a frequent guest. 'Gorgeous food': in the candlelit dining room, chef Gary Booth offers a daily-changing menu which might include grilled Scottish langoustines and scallops with garlic butter; chargrilled fillet of local beef with truffle mash. Light meals are served all day in a conservatory. There is a chapel in the 'lovely' grounds: this is a popular wedding venue. (David Berry)