Blow the cobwebs away at the coast
For an autumn weekend that ticks all the boxes, you can’t go wrong with Norfolk’s The Hoste hotel in pretty Burnham Market. A boutique bolthole that blends old and new, there’s an atmospheric 16thcentury wood-panelled pub at the front, with a garden room extension overlooking a pretty courtyard garden at the back.
Food at the hotel is a big draw, with seasonal British menus featuring local produce such as Brancaster oysters, Cromer crab and samphire from the nearby marshes. If you fancy a little R&R, there’s a bijou and very comfy cinema (free to guests) that will keep you entertained on evenings and rainy days, while The Hoste Beauty Spa has a good range of pampering treatments. And the hotel even welcomes dogs if you travel with a four-legged friend.
Lord Nelson is a local hero (he was born a mile away in Burnham Thorpe) so, for a treat, stay in The Hoste’s Room 5 – complete with four-poster bed – where Nelson stayed with his Lady Hamilton.
Burnham Market itself is super-cute with lovely independent shops and galleries, or to blow the cobwebs away, head to the beach at Brancaster for the amazing sweep of sand. Wellsnext-the-sea also has a glorious beach with brightly painted huts and is a great stopping-off point for ultra-fresh fish and chips.
BOOK IT FOR AUTUMN
● The Hoste costs from £140 per night for a double (01328 738777; thehoste.com).