A small simple and effective hotel very close to the castle and owned by the Duke of Rutland. The rooms (all 12 of them) have been designed with themes and whilst I found some of the décor a little feminine for a British bloke like me the two key factors were perfect: The beds were large and comfortable ands the shower near beat me to a pulp. (not a pretty thought).

Dining was the highlight. We had taken over all twelve rooms and were offered the dining hall to ourselves. The menu offered three starter, mains and puds reflecting the chefs desire to present the best fresh local produce. Whilst a little limiting for the veggies among us the carnivores enjoyed a selection of fresh (and for once, really tasty) chicken, fish and meat dishes. The culinary skills were for me the perfect blend of ingredients and presentation. Quantities were matched to the richness of the dishes. I enjoyed the classic British nature of the dishes reflecting strong flavours and simple vegetables.

The wine list would please most palates except perhaps the connoisseurs, but was chosen to be expressive rather then expensive. Service was A1 all round.

Breakfast too was a joy for a boy on the road. Definitely English but staff happy to meet your tastes. My conventional trencherman colleague took a full hour to tackle the full English with some succulent black pudding, local bangers and large wild field mushrooms. I partook of lovely light smoked salmon omelettes cooked freshly and to perfection.

The real win for the hotel is however the location. Belvoir castle is within walking distance and strolling up thought the grounds after breakfast was a joy. The castle itself is well recognised for its fine rooms and paintings and I found the armoury and the military museums fascinating, brought to life as they were by the museum staff who was always pleased to help.

As a conference facility the Castle made a good venue for perhaps around 70 people and I would recommend it highly.

www.mannersarms.com