The Gin Trap Inn Hotel

Norfolk, UK

If taking refuge amid nature is what the doctor ordered, The Gin Trap Inn makes an ideal tonic. Set in the scenic Norfolk village of Ringstead – close to Hunstanton and Thornham – this coaching inn has been serving locals and wanderers alike since 1668.

True to its name, behind the copper-coined bar are over 100 gins to ponder, with bar manager Samuel Daniels and colleague Tom Giles on hand to guide you to a perfect match against a backdrop of flickering candles and a roaring log fire. When it’s time to eat, take a seat in either the moody portrait room or the dog-friendly conservatory. Head chef Stuart Wyllie’s seasonal menu sees simple fare cooked well with a seafood-forward focus showcasing Norfolk’s best produce. Oysters and mussels from nearby Brancaster are as fresh as they come, while the clam chowder with homemade sourdough is brimming with flavour. Elsewhere, foraging and fermenting trends appear in the likes of chicken and wild mushroom pie and duck with pickled cherries.

Afterwards, your room, suite or cottage awaits. Each has a distinct personality – we’re talking deer- head lamps and statement burnt- orange velvet armchairs, with retro detailing like Smeg kettles, rust-tasselled cushions, Robert’s radios and cow hides.

The north Norfolk coast is a pebble’s throw away – don’t miss a yomp along the quiet sands at Holme or Holkham – and local nature reserves, such as Ringstead Downs, make binoculars a packing must.

Doubles from £120. 01485 525264, thegintrapinn.co.uk

Words by Megan Dickson