Castleman

In an idyllic village owned by the Bourke family and run in a spirit of benevolent feudalism, this 18th-century former dower house is a one-off hotel and restaurant. Since they took over in 2020, Niki and Jez Barfoot have refreshed tired interiors. Among bedrooms, a lovely dual-aspect large double, painted a subtle, restful blue, has an antique cast iron bed, a sofa in a bay window. Guests can relax with a book and a drink by the fire in 19th-century drawing rooms, one with a Jacobean fireplace imported from a house in London. In a dining room with windows on three sides and glass doors to the garden, Richard Morris and Jez serve a seasonal menu with produce from local suppliers, kitchen garden and orchard, or foraged in the grounds and lovely countryside. For instance, salt-baked Chettle vegetables, crispy greens, confit garlic, miso cream; fish of the day, nori seaweed butter, garden potatoes, greens; roast Dorset pork chop, black pudding, quince, garden greens. A new sign outside hints at rebranding, but the Barfoots really ‘get’ the place, and none of its eccentric charm has been lost.