Brocco on the Park

Behind the solid exterior of an Edwardian park-side villa lies a Scandi-chic boutique hotel and popular drop-in restaurant. Picasso is said to have stayed here in 1950, a visit celebrated in top-floor Dove room, with grey-blue palette, a balcony affording views across the treetops towards Derbyshire. It has a freestanding copper bath, monsoon shower, espresso machine, fridge, smart TV, Roberts radio. Other rooms have a modern four-poster, and an egg-shaped bath for two. Ground-floor Nightjar’s Nest, with wet room, can accommodate an extra bed. A reader was impressed with the ‘great attention to detail’, and ‘complimentary lime and coconut cake, a glass of fizz at 5.30 pm’. Food is served in the restaurant and on the terrace, from breakfast through brunch and afternoon tea, to a dinner of small plates – hasselback Jerusalem artichoke with hen of the woods and truffle; lamb rump with rosemary and garlic butter and braised shallot. ‘We had an excellent meal and the advice from staff was most helpful.’ Service went awry at breakfast – ordered à la carte, with tempting choices – for one reader, but it may have been a one-off.