Five Acre Barn

Set slightly back from the coast midway between Aldeburgh and Thorpeness, Five Acre Barn makes a lovely base for seeing the best of the Suffolk Coast. Guests enjoy a renovated red brick barn and a cedar shingle-clad extension with a distinctive zig-zag roofline (judged by RIBA as one of the top 50 buildings of 2018), and in just over six years, this contemporary B&B has gone on to be recognized by the Guardian, Sunday Times, Daily Telegraph and Condé Nast Traveller as one of the best in the country.

Previously hailing from uber-cool Peckham, David and Bruce have sought to bring an urban sensibility to a rural setting – think concrete floors and lots of plywood. The space is filled with mid-century furniture, art, and ceramics from local makers, creating an eclectic space that's part Scandi, part retro, but very stylish indeed. There are five guest rooms, four of which are better classified as suites, complete with separate sitting rooms and mezzanine floors with king-size beds dressed with cotton sheets and duvets. Enjoy the soaring ceilings of each room’s cool, crisp living area, equipped with Freeview TVs and good WiFi, and later on, climb the stairs, lie on your bed, and gaze at the big Suffolk skies through the large roof lights, drawing the solar-powered blinds when it’s time to go to sleep. Bathrooms are small but well-thought-out – two with wet rooms and showers, two with baths, and equipped with Laura Thomas toiletries. And you have direct access to the garden outside.

Room five is enormous, enjoying the full six-metre height of the roof, and boasting sweeping views over two garden aspects. Set on one level, it's perfect for people who want a bit more space or prefer to do without stairs. It has a fully accessible shower and a luxurious bathroom, plus an ottoman that expands to a single bed for an additional guest. It's possible to put an ottoman in any of the rooms to accommodate additional guests – indeed, you can even rent out the whole place if you have a dozen or so people to fill it. Dogs are welcome, but they don’t accept children under 12.

Outside each room, there's a deck surrounded by exuberant ornamental grasses and wildflowers, and guests are free to roam through all five acres of garden and woodland. The grounds are a combination of mature trees inherited from the previous owners and new ‘rooms’ – a Beth Chatto-inspired gravel area, a white garden, and even a Japanese-inspired space. However, the overall feeling remains wild and informal, and you'll spot pheasants, lots of birds and even the odd muntjac deer.

Breakfast is a relaxed and sociable affair, with a choice of Full English, smoked salmon and scrambled eggs, waffles, latkes and omelettes – made to order in front of guests in the Barn. If you wish, you can chill out for the rest of the day in the Barn, and it’s tempting – there’s a Sonos music system, comfy sofas, games, books and a wood burner that will almost make you hope for rain.

Above all, we love the location of this fabulous – and fabulously friendly – B&B. It provides great value, with prices that compare extremely well with other options in what can be a pricey area. David and Bruce are big fans of the Suffolk Coast and can tell you all about their favourite walks, restaurants and other attractions, of which there are many. It's great cycling country too, and you can rent bikes which can brought to your door.

Aldeburgh itself barely needs an introduction – it's perhaps Suffolk’s premier seaside resort, with loads to see and do, including a lively high street, a busy beachfront with stalls selling the freshest of fish. For dinner, there is plenty of choice (try The Suffolk for its fish and seafood or the Indian food at The White Lion) but you could save yourselves the longish walk or shortish drive and just go to the excellent Parrot, a short stroll away – a really nice local serving a good pub grub menu. The home of composer Benjamin Britten, The Red House is virtually within walking distance of Five Acre Barn and well worth a visit, and the sea at Thorpeness, just over a mile away, is easily reached on foot through the woods. From there, follow the wonderful Suffolk Coast Path to nearby Sizewell and even up to Dunwich and Walberswick. You may be staying in one of Suffolk’s most state-of-the-art B&Bs, but we’re lucky that some things never change.