Rectory Manor Hotel

Tucked away in a little-known South Suffolk village, close to the honeypot towns of Lavenham and Long Melford and just a stone’s throw from the delights of Constable Country, Rectory Manor is about as homely a place to stay as you could wish for. Arriving here is a bit like attending an old-fashioned country house party – with owner Frank or one of his colleagues here to greet you, along with Honey the dog. There’s the chance to take the weight off your feet in the book-lined lounge, where a fire burns in the grate, and you’re tempted to either tinkle at the grand piano or more likely help yourself to a drink from the well-stocked honesty bar. Ancestral portraits cover the walls, and trinkets and family photos adorn every surface. The furniture is tasteful and, like most private homes, sometimes mismatched. Dogs are welcome; indeed it’s the sort of place that can’t help but be enhanced by the presence of a well-behaved pooch or two.

There are three rooms in the main house and four in a converted stable block behind the house. The main house's rooms set the tone, classic in style yet with contemporary touches – one has a wall-length mural of the Bridge of Sighs in Venice in the bathroom, another features the Baroque ceiling of a Roman church as the headboard of the bed. In the the stables they are a bit more sleek and up-to-date but demonstrate the same quirky mix of antique and modern, with reproduction tapestries and more artful bespoke headboard prints. All the rooms are generous sizes, and have wifi, tea- and coffee-making facilities, fresh milk and complimentary water, mini bars, and even cut-glass decanters filled with gin and whisky for a nightcap or two. The bathrooms are well equipped with robes and Penhaligon toiletries.

Frank is usually on hand If you need anything, and can also talk you through the history of the building and his family, many of whom get a name-check in the breakfast room – intriguingly, they all tend to be war heroes, adventurers and spies. Other facilities include gardens which wrap around the house, an outdoor swimming pool (open April–September), a tennis court and a croquet lawn – racquets, balls and croquet equipment are all provided. You won' be disappointed if you opt for breakfast, as there's a well-stocked continental buffet and excellent bacon and sausages from a local butcher. All in all, a real home-from-home in a beautiful part of the country – well placed for visiting Lavenham, Long Melford, Sudbury and the other attractions of inland Suffolk.