Wordsworth Hotel & Spa

In the heart of Lakeland walking country, amid the very landscape that inspired one of England's best-loved poets, the Wordsworth is a classic country house. In the past, it has boasted US president Woodrow Wilson among its guests, and while the range of facilities has moved on somewhat since his time, the place has been refurbished with great care not to undermine its intrinsic character. The Signature dining room thus presents us with a neutral colour-scheme, other than the deep burgundy splashes of the seating, with conservatory windows looking out over the village. The principal drill is a four-course menu, with a choice of soup or sorbet before the main, built around a good spread of local ingredients. Goosnargh duck and Cumbrian pork and beef get a good outing, and fish options - such as baked turbot with crab and potato cake, baby fennel and shrimps in tomato butter sauce - are both precisely cooked and handsomely presented.