With its wing armchairs, antique settles, warm lighting, and Farrow & Ball palette, the bar of this 19th-century ironstone and limestone village pub with rooms, which serves excellent food, is reassuringly cosy and welcoming. Warmth comes from both the log fire and the much-loved landlady, Lorraine Willoughby, who owns and runs the pub with her husband, Paul, and who readers say is the life and soul of the place. The bedrooms are attractive and 'really comfortable', with antique furniture, complimentary biscuits and bottled water, and modern bathrooms with drench showers. In the restaurant, the menus are more high end than pub grub, with dishes such as 'excellent cheese soufflé', parmesan dressed crab with linguine, slow-cooked pork belly, or potato and thyme rosti with glazed goats cheese. 'The food seems to get better and better,' report returning guests. On fine days, eat outside on the terrace and enjoy the rural setting. 'Breakfast was particularly good.' The conservation village, formerly part of the Brownlow estate, sits atop an escarpment with views over the Trent and Belvoir vales. (Mary and Rodney Milne-Day, and others)