The Swan, Southwold, Suffolk

The beach is nearby and the pier has eateries, an arcade and delightfully eccentric slot machines. An Adnams hotel, a brewery and a distillery have a big presence in the town and you'll find a good choice of bars and restaurants, which are all easily accessible as the hotel sits centrally.

The Swan enjoys an excellent location right in the centre of town, on the high street by the market square.

By car: the hotel is 3 hours from London, 2 hours from Cambridge and 3 hours 30 mins from Nottingham. There is free private parking on-site.

By train: London Liverpool Street to Darsham (via Ipswich) takes 2 hours 30 mins. The hotel is a 18-minute taxi ride from the station. Book trains to Darsham.

Whilst retaining plenty of historic touches like ornate fireplaces, imposing eighteenth-century portraits and plaster features, a major revamp has injected lots of additional colourful flourishes and contemporary interior design like bright, busy wallpapers and green velvet sofas.

Whether it be a picnic hamper or deck chair for the beach, the staff are always on hand to help with your every need and guests will find them uniformly friendly, efficient, knowledgeable and enthusiastic. Clearly dedicated to the provision of great service, there are even three butlers available.

• Restaurant
• Bar
• Garden
• Pet-friendly
• Free parking
• Free Wi-Fi

Spread across the main building and garden annexes, rooms in the main building offer more modern surroundings than the garden rooms but all are thoughtfully designed, blending vintage and contemporary touches and top-quality fabrics from the curtains to the linens.

Room types: Excellent, Fabulous, Outstanding, Family Quarters

Key amenities: ensuite bathroom with Temple Spa toiletries, duck-down bedding, Apple TV, Adnams gin, Nespresso machine

Dine on ornate, complex dishes that include unique touches, for example, a salmon terrine accompanied by seaweed and tapioca crisp, all served up amongst striking features like a gleaming copper bar and an elaborate light fixture made from around 240 bottles suspended above the tables. There's a cosy, maritime-influenced bar, the Tap Room, too, with a large choice of Adnams beers, wines, spirits and cocktails.

The Still Room: fine dining, modern British cuisine. Open daily 12-2.30pm and dinner from 5.30pm. Mains from £15.

The Tap Room: cosy, maritime influenced, extensive menu with a range of Adnam's drinks.