Whether for a fly-by visit or an extended stay, this Elizabethan manor house (Alexander Hotels) is liked for its ‘friendly staff’ and ‘well-presented meals’. The smartly decorated bedrooms are all different – some have an antique bathtub, others a four-poster bed, yet others a private patio garden. All are provided with tea- and coffee-making facilities, bathrobes and slippers. (Light sleepers, discuss rooms before booking: guests this year reported noise from neighbouring rooms and corridors.) Casual meals and afternoon teas may be taken in the lounges or on the terrace. In the elegant restaurant, chef Phil Dixon’s modern European dishes use produce from the kitchen garden. Imaginative breakfasts start the day. Convenient for Gatwick airport.