The Packhorse Inn

This modern country pubs with rooms was rescued just over a decade ago by local city boy Philip Turner, who couldn't bear to see his ailing local go under. Thank goodness he did. Not only is The Packhorse Inn a properly up-to-date country pub with food and rooms, it was the first of his Chestnut pubs venture, which has since grown to encompass a number of great pubs in the region, including the Three Blackbirds across the border in Cambridgeshire and the nearby Weeping Willow in Barrow. It's also a handy location for those interested in the horseracing at nearby Newmarket – a place not overly well endowed with good places to stay.

The Packhorse has 16 very comfortable guest rooms, 4 in the main building, 4 courtyard rooms and 8 rooms in a new barn building at the back. In truth, there’s not a huge difference between them, but those above the pub, named after local hills are slightly larger and more elegantly furnished, and two (Primrose and Warren) have super-king beds and large freestanding baths as well as walk-in showers. The courtyard rooms (named after local rivers) are slightly more functional but still very comfy and well-equipped, with showers, though only two have super-king-size beds. The 8 newest rooms have walk-in showers and large beds and are slightly more spacious than the courtyard rooms (especially those on the upper level), and some are accessible to disabled guests. All the rooms have tea and coffee facilities, complimentary water, homemade biscuits, Freeview TVs and decent Wi-Fi. Dogs are theoretically welcome in all rooms, although slightly more so in the courtyard and new rooms, and are provided with their own bowl, blanket and a treat or two.

The Packhorse’s ground floor public spaces basically split into three: the bar area and corner snug and two restaurant spaces, made up of the quieter  ‘evening room’ – where you also eat breakfast – and the lighter and more contemporary new wing on the other side of the bar. The evening room also flows out into the sheltered garden terrace where you can either have a drink or take your place for dinner at a table overlooking the busy restaurant kitchen. You can also eat in the bar if you prefer (or if you have a dog), either ordering from the restaurant menu or a tempting menu of bar snacks – burgers, scampi, ploughmans, posh chips and the like. The restaurant menu has a regularly changing roster of 3 or 4 starters and main courses (think citrus-cured chalk stream trout or quail scotch eggs followed by rump of local lamb, fish or at least one veggie dish). Everything is seasonal and homemade and effortlessly done, and the food is delicious and moderately priced. Breakfast is a menu-based range of hot dishes including yoghurt, fruit, porridge and a good Full English or sausage, egg or bacon sandwiches (or all 3!).