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The Pear Tree Inn - Whitley

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Gorgeous country restaurant-with-rooms

Do you sometimes find yourself awake at 3 in the morning, mumbling “...so many great country gastropubs, so little time...”? No? Maybe it’s just us then. Oh well, if you ever did find yourself with pub-with-rooms-induced insomnia, here’s a top tip - make The Pear Tree Inn at Whitley a priority visit, as it will most probably satisfy any gastropub urge you’ll ever have.

A gorgeous, climber-strewn, stone building in a sprawling Wiltshire village, The Pear Tree has become a huge hit with locals and critics alike - in 2007 it was officially named the UK’s best dining pub. Now, beat that for a recommendation. Inside, a cosy, firelit and flagstoned bar has resisted the urge for a Farrow & Ball makeover, while the romantic dining room is stylishly eclectic - wooden sewing tables, vintage prints, pretty lamps and rugs - with high ceilings and french windows that make summertime dining as wonderful as candelit winter suppers. Of course, it’s the food that really makes the dining experience special. Exquisite Brit dishes made with super-local produce (The Pear Tree is in partnership with a fab farm shop down the road) are lovingly prepared by head chef Kevin Chandler, a former Gordon Ramsay protege. And make room in your food tube for pudding - you’ll be in for a treat.

The Pear Tree’s bedrooms are stylishly-decorated, and very luxurious. Pick from a room in the eaves of the main house or the renovated barn adjacent for gorgeously comfy beds with the best in crisp linen, flat screen tellies, curl-up-and-doze armchairs and lovely, tiled bathrooms. Views of the inn’s glorious gardens are the icing on the cake. Guests are spoilt rotten at breakfast, with stewed fruits, home-made bread and freshly-squeezed fruit juice just some of the mouthwatering treats on offer.

Where is it?

Whitley sits in the heart of lovely Wiltshire - 2 miles from the bustling town of Melksham and just 11 miles from beautiful Bath. Right at the southern end of the Cotswolds, it’s a great jumping-off point for people wanting to explore the UK’s largest Area of Outstanding National Beauty (if you can drag yourself away from The Pear Tree, that is...).

Melksham itself has become a bit of a plaything for developers over the years, although enough tantalising glimpses of its pretty past remain to make the town centre a pleasant place to potter. However, for true Cotswoldian beauty, the attention-stealing Wiltshire villages of Lacock and Castle Combe - both voted England’s prettiest village at one point or another - are within spitting distance. Lacock (www.nationaltrust.org.uk Tel: 01249 730501), 3 miles from Whitley, is owned, preserved and maintained by The National Trust and frankly, gets around a bit (filmicly-speaking). Harry Potter, Pride & Prejudice and, most recently, Cranford, have all been filmed here, thanks to the village’s cobbled streets and higgledy-piggledy, wisteria-strewn houses. Half-timbered, medieval buildings sit alongside cottages in Cotswold stone, while the village’s centrepiece, Lacock Abbey, a 13th-century manor house, lords it over all of them. A little further afield, Castle Combe (10 miles from Whitley) is a little less showy, but no less beautiful, with its sweeping main street of Cotswold loveliness, packbridge and village pump. Surrounded by rolling countryside and woodland, it’s also perfect for a great day’s walking.

Of course, if tranquil English villages aren’t your bag, you could always pop along to Castle Combe Motor Circuit (www.castlecombecircuit.co.uk Tel: 01249 782417) for a track day. Either put your own pedal to the metal, or borrow a single-seater racing car, rally car, Ferrari or anything else that tickles your fancy.

For loads more information on what to see, do and eat in the Cotswolds, read The Weekenders Guide to The Cotswolds.

The picturesque medieval market town of Bradford on Avon is 7 miles from Whitley, with its famous 13th-century bridge across the Avon, stunning Georgian architecture and weavers’ cottages. It’s a ‘mini Bath’ and a lovely place to while away a day if you fancy somewhere different. For a great day’s adventure, pack a picnic, hire a bike or a canoe from The Lock Inn (www.thelockinn.co.uk Tel: 01225 868068), on the Kennet & Avon Canal, and cycle, or paddle the ten miles along the canal to Bath.

But of course, Bath itself is the main attraction in this area, and when its beautiful crescents, bridges, cafes and shops are just 20-minutes drive away, it’s hard to resist. For more information on what to see, do and eat in this English weekend mecca, read The Weekenders Guide to Bath.

Where can I eat?

Hmm... let’s think about that one... The Pear Tree Inn really is a no-brainer of an eating option. The food is fantastic, probably the best for miles around, the atmosphere is wonderful and let’s face it, there’s nothing better than enjoying an amazing meal and a bottle (or two) of vino safe in the knowledge that your bed is within staggering distance.

If you are looking for an alternative, however, there are plenty of great places to eat in the area. For fine-dining, drive the 6 miles to wonderful Woolley Grange (www.woolleygrangehotel.co.uk Tel: 01225 864705) on the outskirts of Bradford on Avon. Famous as the luxury destination for stressed-out parents, this super-plush, super-friendly family hotel also happens to have a fantastic fine-dining restaurant. Traditional British dishes are given a contemporary twist by head chef Rob Scott, and the puddings are to die for. Otherwise, venture into Bath for a plethora of brilliant eating-out choices. For the best of the best, read The Weekenders Guide to Bath.

If it’s a picnic that floats your boat, The Neston Park Farm Shop (www.nestonparkfarmshop.com Tel: 01225 700881), partly owned by The Pear Tree Inn and just 2 miles from Whitley, has a mouthwatering deli and artisan bakery. Perfect for hamper-stuffing.

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A gorgeous, climber-strewn, stone building in a sprawling Wiltshire village, The Pear Tree has become a huge hit with locals and critics alike - in 2007 it was officially named the UK’s best dining pub.