Moonfleet Manor

Tucked away at the end of a two-mile winding lane, Georgian Moonfleet Manor lords it on a picturesque stretch of Dorset coastline above Chesil Beach. A family-friendly ethos is woven through the fabric of the upmarket operation, so while the house is a distinctly luxurious affair, it is the polar opposite of a stuffy, mind-the-antiques sort of country house. Children are well catered for with their own high tea - no processed stuff here - but dinner is a refined adults-only business in a chic restaurant done out with cast iron seating on bare boards; sea views come as standard, and on balmy days, the decked patio is perfect for alfresco dinners and summer barbecues with sighing waves as a soundtrack. Friendly service from a polished waiting team delivers classic French-inflected modern cooking; duck liver parfait with apple and shallot chutney, and elderflower jelly gets things under way, followed by a juicy fillet of roasted cod, potato rösti, sautéed prosciutto and Savoy cabbage, and lemon and thyme foam. Finish with an intense vanilla pannacotta with roasted figs in red wine syrup.