A former smithy, shop and barns overlooking the village duck pond come together as a hotel with popular restaurant and an indoor pool. Now owned by Rockliffe Hall Group, which plans to maintain the status quo, it is 'still up to its usual high standards', reports a reader. Picture a roaring fire, books, comfy armchairs, piano, antiques and bric-a-brac. Bedrooms have playful mix-and-match patterns, a fridge, milk, sloe gin, Cowshed toiletries. If you're sensitive to noise, pick your room accordingly: one reader's room overlooked the car park, while another was above the convivial dining terrace. More secluded Plum Cottage has a private terrace; dog-friendly Mallards and Pear Tree have a mini kitchen. In the restaurant, Vincenzo Raffone cooks dishes such as lamb rump, shoulder cannelloni, sweetbread, anchovies, fennel, olive, Berkswell cheese. 'My wife still rates the food highly, but my bream on white bean cassoulet lacked flavour. It did get better, a good seafood salad, nice chicken breast, decent lamb.' The wine list is 'reasonably marked up'. At breakfast there are 'really interesting options – a delicious mushroom and spinach choice. Bravo!' (Peter Davies, P and AD, and others)