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Langar Hall - Langar

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Gorgeous country house hotel

t’s not often that you find somewhere so completely different, and yet so very special that it’s hard to describe accurately. But we’ll have a go…

Langar Hall is a beautiful yellow country house in the Nottinghamshire countryside, yet just 12 miles outside Nottingham city centre. It is set in glorious gardens, with its own church and acres of farmland, and is one of the most charming and welcoming places to stay that we have come across. This is thanks, in part, to its wonderful proprietor, Imogen Skirving, who has lived at Langar Hall all her life and seen it turn from a family home to a characterful country hotel. It’s her love for the house, the area and her guests that make Langar a particularly special place to be.

Langar Hall’s ten en-suite double bedrooms are individually, and beautifully decorated, holding on to as many original fixtures and fittings as possible. Modern comforts such as big, comfy beds, shiny bathrooms, freeview tellies and wi-fi blend seamlessly with magnificent drapes, antique furniture, a jaw-dropping array of wallpapers and lovely views over the gardens and the estate. Rooms in the house range in size from the cosy and romantic, to the grand and ornate, while for couples looking to get away from it all, the gorgeous little chalet on the croquet lawn is the perfect hideaway.

The rest of the house is just as romantic, and the hotel’s popular and award-winning restaurant is no exception. A real favourite with locals looking for that something special, Langar Hall’s restaurant offers a great a la carte menu, with local produce and dishes-a-plenty. Seasonal to the last, the menus feature local meat and game in the winter, and fresh, vibrant fish dishes in the spring and summer. Home-made ice creams and an amazing local cheeseboard are the icing on the cake. For lighter, all-day dining, the light and airy garden room is perfect for a relaxed Sunday lunch.

Where is it?

The tiny village of Langar (basically, Langar Hall!) is just a 25-minute drive from the Bright Lights and Green Tights of Nottingham, yet couldn’t be more of a country retreat. In fact, the Hall’s restaurant is a popular escape from city life for urban Nottingham city dwellers. If you’re looking for a cosmopolitan break, with some of the best shops and restaurants in the Midlands, you can’t go far wrong with the up-and-coming city centre. See The Weekenders Guide to Nottingham for more on what to see and where to eat.

However, it’s the neighbouring Vale of Belvoir (pleasingly pronounced as beaver, apparently due to the fact that early Anglo Saxons couldn’t cope with the French tongue… or didn’t want to, at least) that is the real draw. Including parts of Lincolnshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire, the miles and miles of tranquil farmland, country lanes, pretty villages, all lorded over by the ridiculously grand Belvoir Castle, are perfect for weekend strolls, pub lunches and picnics. But the best way to enjoy the Vale is undoubtedly by bicycle – even the lardiest couch potato will be able to cope with the distinctly hill-less landscape.

Belvoir Castle (www.belvoircastle.com Tel: 01476 871000) is a real must-see. Ancestral home to The Duke and Duchess of Rutland, a castle of some description has stood on the site since Norman times, but the fairytale edifice that you can see today is distinctly nineteenth century. Open from March to September (but check times before you go as they can be a bit random), it’s a great place to wander around, and the gardens are huge and magnificent. Visit in May for the Castle’s jousting festival, which, well, does what it says on the tin.

Further afield, but still within the Vale, the town of Melton Mowbray – famous for its pork pies - is a twenty minutes’ drive away. Unsurprisingly, it’s one of the best places in the UK to pick up picnic supplies! Visit Ye Olde Pork Pie Shoppe (www.porkpie.co.uk Tel: 0)1664 482068), the last authentic Melton Mowbay pork pie producer in the town. The gorgeous little town of Stamford is also a good place to aim for – about half an hour’s drive from Langar. Lauded as ‘the finest stone town in Britain’, its conservation status has left Stamford in a bit of a picturesque timewarp. Just outside the town is the awe-inspiring Burghley House (www.burghley.co.uk Tel: 01780 752451), used as a location in countless films, including Pride & Prejudice, Elizabeth and The Da Vinci Code.

Where can I eat?

The restaurant at Langar Hall is a no-brainer of an option, and will be a welcome treat once you’ve realised that you don’t really want to stray too far from your gorgeous bedroom. But if you fancy something more chic and urban, a trip into Nottingham is an obvious alternative. World Service (www.worldservicerestaurant.com Tel: 0115 847 558 has just been named Nottingham Restaurant of the Year for the fourth time, and is a great place for a delicious, sophisticated, but unpretentious dinner. For other Nottingham eateries, see The Weekenders Guide to Nottingham.

For rustic countryside dining, The Manners Arms in the tiny village of Knipton, part of the Belvoir Castle Estate, (www.mannersarms.com Tel: 01476 87922) is a fantastic inn, with fresh and vibrant lunch and dinner menus. Lovely décor, roaring fires and lots of local ingredients make for a really special evening’s dining. Oh, and their Sunday lunches are amazing…

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Langar Hall is a beautiful yellow country house in the Nottinghamshire countryside, yet just 12 miles outside Nottingham city centre. Set in glorious gardens, it's one of the most charming and welcoming places to stay that we have come across