The Great Bustard Hotel

Tucked away in Great Durnford, a tranquil village peppered with thatched roofs a few miles from Salisbury, this 19th-century inn has been revived and reinvented, offering both a pub for locals seeking a pint, and a restaurant with an ambitious seasonal menu.

Chef Jordan Taylor is one to watch, allowing his flavours to shine and turning every dish into a celebration of modern British cooking. His chef’s selection of nibbles is worth the visit alone, but combined with starters of estate game terrine, port and onion chutney and house treacle bread, you’re in for something special. Follow with a main of Durnford Estate lamb, braised baby gem and petits pois à la française, or côte de porc, estate mushrooms and black garlic. Hard as it may be, try to leave room for chocolate delice, cherry ripple and cocoa nib, or Basque cheesecake with forest fruit sorbet.

Retire to one of the ten rooms – either in the pub or the impressive outbuildings – named after birds that have been successfully reintroduced into the UK, like the great bustard itself. Each room has been thoughtfully designed, boasting comfortable beds and stunning views over the Woodford Valley.

Next day, the Wiltshire location cries out for exploration, whether you head in the direction of Stonehenge or to catch a glimpse of the pub’s namesake a ten-minute drive away.

Words by Dominic Hart.

Doubles from £200, including breakfast. 01722 703582, thegreatbustard.uk

Photography by Dave Watts