Congham Hall

This is a beautiful Georgian merchant’s house set in 30 acres of parkland. It’s also a cool little spa hotel with an indoor pool and treatment rooms, a perfect blend of old and new. Outside, three gardeners grow flowers for the house, vegetables for the kitchen and keep the gardens looking serene. Inside, country house interiors have an elegant contemporary feel. There’s an open fire in the sitting room, a chic bar with low-hanging lampshades, then an airy dining room for excellent local food, perhaps crayfish salad, slow-cooked chicken, hot chocolate fondant with banana ice cream. After which you’ll need to atone, so roast away in the sauna before a dip in the pool; there are sunbeds and a hot tub on the decked terrace, too. Refurbished rooms are gorgeous. House rooms have beautiful fabrics and excellent beds. The suite has a balcony for breakfast, all have robes in striking bathrooms (one is entered through cupboard doors). Courtyard rooms are big and airy and open onto the kitchen garden. Children are welcome and have their own menu. Sandringham is close. There’s tennis and croquet, too.