The Crown Hotel, Wells-next-the-Sea

Once a coaching inn, this handsome hotel, part of the Flying Kiwi chain and a winner in the EDP Norfolk Food & Drink Awards 2014, is situated at the very heart of Wells-next-the-Sea, with its pretty winding streets and well-kept Victorian and Edwardian buildings.

The family-friendly and dog-friendly accommodation includes a choice of 12 contemporary rooms, with facilities including views of the surrounding area, roll-top baths, flat-screen TVs, DVD players, and some boast vaulted ceilings and exposed beams.

The restaurant menu, overseen by TV chef Chris Coubrough, offers modern British cuisine with a Pacific Rim influence. Light meals, served in the Crown Bar with its open fires and ancient beams, are no less innovative. A superb wine list and wide range of traditional draught real ales complement the food.

Wells-next-the-Sea itself is a charming market town on the edge of the picturesque salt marshes of the North Norfolk coast, one of many timeless settlements in the surrounding area. A wealth of independent stores are clustered on Staithe Street, while a miniature railway connects the colourful quayside with the pine-fringed beach.

The Heritage Coast boasts many delights within its dramatic landscape, not least the magnificent Holkham Hall and its beach that featured in Shakespeare in Love, just a mile from Wells.