Queens Room at Amberley Castle Hotel

Anyone with fantasies of medieval knights on white chargers or maidens in distress in need of rescue will find all their desires satisfied at the 900 year-old Amberley Castle. It is a true castle - castellated walls and towers, barrel-vaulted ceilings and a working portcullis - and since 1988 it has been owned by the Cummings who turned it into luxury hotel, while keeping the sense of antiquity. Antiques and suits of armour are dotted around the place, huge fireplaces roar away and then there are the grounds: 12 acres of stunning parkland with gardens, pond and even a thatched tree house with a rope bridge. The Queens Room is the main fine-dining room of the hotel, dating from the 12th century, and is suitably refined and romantic. Chef James Dugan is not overawed by the fabulous setting, in fact his food lives up to it. The cooking is broadly speaking modern European in approach and in presentation; there are pre-starters and pre-desserts, all adding to the sense of occasion. Salt-cod brandade is a light and garlic-free version paired with a twice-cooked hen's egg and a crisp piece of Iberian cured ham, and the creativity continues with a main-course dish of brill poached in carrot juice with a 'salad' of carrot and wild garlic and oxtail dumplings, which are a Polish pierogi rather than the traditional British version. Service is knowledgeable and friendly and the team includes a sommelier to help with the extensive wine list.

Off B2139 between Storrington & Houghton
Nearest station: Amberley

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