Best Western Claydon Country House Hotel

On the north-western fringes of Ipswich, this small and friendly hotel was built from two old village houses, and makes a handy base for exploring the wide open landscapes of Suffolk. The restaurant overlooking the gardens goes for a classic clean-cut look, brought up to date with high-backed leather chairs and bare darkwood tables, while sprucely turned-out staff provide a professional, welcoming ambience. Top-grade locally-sourced produce drives the kitchen's output of European-accented modern British dishes. Unpretentious ideas could kick off with seafood risotto with rocket and shaved parmesan, followed by grilled fillet of sea bass on roasted Mediterranean vegetables, with tomato and basil pesto dressing. To finish, there might be lemon tart with strawberry sorbet.