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Ravenwood Hall - Bury St Edmunds

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The classic country house hotel

Very cosy, very comfy and very British, this country house hotel is a great base for a romantic stay in the beautiful Suffolk countryside, or a weekend of racing at nearby Newmarket. Or both!

Steeped in nearly 500 years of history, Ravenwood Hall sits in seven acres of pretty woodlands and gardens just outside Bury St Edmunds. It’s classic country hotel fare but with a personal edge, as Ravenwood’s fourteen luxurious en-suite bedrooms are all individually furnished and each has its own attraction. Seven of the rooms are located in the main house, with far-reaching views across the grounds and beautiful period features such as beamed ceilings, oak panelling or original fireplaces. Rich colour schemes and fantastic antique beds - some four-postered - keep the vintage feel alive, while modern luxuries aren’t far behind. Gorgeous en-suite bathrooms, fluffy bathrobes and slippers will keep you cosy. The other bedrooms, in Ravenwood’s converted stables are no less luxurious, and have the added benefits of direct access to the gardens.

Foodies will be in their element at Ravenwood, with both a mouthwateringly delicious chalk-board menu served up in the cosy, firelit bar area, and the full, award-winning, fine-dining experience in the heavily-beamed and very romantic Tudor restaurant on offer. Whichever you plump for, you’ll sample the best in local and seasonal ingredients, puddings to die for and a lovingly-chosen wine list to match.

Where is it?

Ravenwood Hall sits outside the little village of Rougham, about 6 miles from Bury St Edmunds. It’s the perfect place for pottering about the Suffolk countryside, with plenty of small villages to explore and pubs to test-drive. Bury St Edmunds itself is definitely worth a look-in, if only to visit the uber-cute The Nutshell (Tel: 01284 764867) – Britain’s smallest pub. At less than 5m by 2m big, there’s only room for about 6 people at the bar! And on the subject of ale, Bury is a bit of a beer-lover’s treat as the Greene King brewery (www.greeneking.co.uk Tel: 01284 714297) is famously situated, Willy Wonka-like, in the centre of town. Their visitor centre is the place to taste the stuff. Otherwise, Bury’s stunning cathedral, picturesque medieval ruins, lovely Georgian architecture and regular, bustling markets, are more than enough to make it a fascinating place to visit.

For somewhere just as historic, but a little more romantic, take the scenic, 15-minute drive to the medieval wool town of Lavenham. Park the car and wander around to see why this is one of the UK’s most popular film locations. Lavenham’s crooked streets are lined with the finest collection of timber-framed houses in England. It’s all a bit wonky, but very, very pretty. Or you could visit beautiful Ickworth House (www.nationaltrust.org.uk Tel: 01284 735270), an amazing Italianate palace, with its huge (and a bit eccentric) rotunda stuck in the middle. There are paintings by Titian, Velazquez and Gainsborough, immaculate State apartments to ogle at, a vineyard, jaw-dropping gardens, designed in part by Capability Brown and 1800 acres of parkland. All in all, it’s pretty amazing and spot-on for a summer picnic.

And if all that still doesn’t appeal, get yourself to Newmarket Racecourse (www.newmarketracecourses.co.uk Tel: 01638 675 500), less than half an hour’s drive from Rougham and the spiritual home of horse racing. There are more racehorses, trainers, stable staff, stud farms and racing organisations based in and around the town of Newmarket than anywhere else on earth. With Spring, Summer and Autumn meets on most weekends, plus Champions’ Day on the world-famous Rowley Mile in October, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement.

Where can I eat?

The restaurants at Ravenwood Hall really are a no-brainer of an eating option. Not only are the menus superb, the wine list fantastic and the staff friendly and smily, but there really is nothing better than enjoying an amazing evening meal and a bottle (or two) of vino within stumbling distance of your bed.

If you really want an alternative, however, there are plenty of great places to eat in the area. Maison Bleue (www.maisonbleue.co.uk tel: 01284 760623) in the centre of Bury St Edmunds, is lovely, with its chic decor and outstanding seafood menu. It’s very popular with locals and critics alike, and it’s easy to see why. For fantastic gastro-pub-grub, The Beehive (Tel: 01284 735 260) in Horringer, close to Ickworth House, is perfect. Or you could drive the 7 miles to Stanton and The Leaping Hare (www.wykenvineyards.co.uk Tel: 01359 250287. This gorgeous restaurant has been opened in a converted tythe barn on the ancient Wyken Estate, only a few yards from Wyken Hall, a romantic Elizabethan manor house. Café by day and award-winning restaurant by night, The Leaping Hare offers fresh, local ingredients in all its dishes, including many grown on the Estate.

For a very special evening out and one with the backing of numerous national food critics, The Great House restaurant in Lavenham (www.greathouse.co.uk Tel: 01787 247431) has become a local legend, with proper French dishes and proper French cooking making it stand out from the crowd – even the photos on their website will make your mouth water. And with great lunch and dinner set menus, eating here won’t ruin the romantic atmosphere by taking your wallet hostage.

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Very cosy, very comfy and very British, this country house hotel is a great base for a romantic stay in the beautiful Suffolk countryside, or a weekend of racing at nearby Newmarket. Or both!