The Crown at Stoke by Nayland

Situated in the heart of rural Suffolk, The Crown sits at the heart of the quintessentially English village of Stoke by Nayland, with its typically over-sized and rambling old churchyard, and walks reaching into the countryside around. This relaxed foodie pub is also bang in the middle of what’s commonly known as Constable Country – the picturesque hills and vales just to the south of Ipswich where the 19th-century landscape painter lived and worked – and there’s plenty to see and do in the surrounding area, especially in the nearby Dedham Vale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, where you can visit the pretty village of Dedham on the other side of the A12. Potter about its pubs and shops before taking a trip on the river or ambling across the meadows to Flatford Mill and Willy Lott's famous cottage.

Part of the Chestnut collection of pubs, inns, and restaurants in East Anglia, The Crown makes a perfect base for seeing all this, with 11 boutique guest rooms are situated in a purpose-built two-storey annexe – 'The Folly' –  that looks over the fields and woods beyond. Graded between 'Good', 'Better', 'Even Better' and 'Best', all the rooms have been recently refurbished with contemporary flair in a country style and all have king-size beds, fridges, tea and coffee-making facilities, complimentary water, biscuits and Smart TVs. They all have large bathrooms but the higher end rooms come with separate baths and spacious walk-in showers, and some have private patios (eg 'Dedham') overlooking the fields. There’s one accessible room ('Polstead') – wheelchairs can access The Folly via a slope –  and lots of parking, and the restaurant is open every day for lunch and dinner. Most of the rooms are also dog-friendly.

As you might expect from the Good Pub Guide’s former Suffolk ‘dining pub of the year’, the food is really good, served in a deliberately relaxed environment, with stripped pine tables and lots of locals happily making their way through what are by any standards crowd-pleasing lunch and supper menus, while a few sink a few pints at the bar. The vibe is busy and welcoming, just as any good pub should be.  There's a 'Catch of the Day' menu, which includes fish and chips alongside other regularly changing fish and seafood dishes, sharing platters and a main menu that takes in everything from steak and burgers to braised ox cheeks and tandoori leg of lamb: all beautifully cooked and presented. They also serve a good-value lunch menu (Mon–Thurs) and have a 200-bottle-strong wine list, which features everything from well-chosen entry-level options to high-end burgundies at astronomic prices – plus you can buy anything you like at the well-stocked bottle shop in the corner.