The distinctive Grade II Grosvenor makes a very good match for the historic town that it serves, with a rambling ground floor of tremendous character and a slightly old-fashioned, in the best sense, approach to such matters as personal service and care of their guests.

The Hotel is part of the Best Western group, almost always an indication of professional attention to detail. This is particularly the case in the restaurant which has a truly international flavour backed by well-starched table settings that include sparkling glassware.

Starters set the pace with an oriental duck salad on mixed leaves with an oriental dressing, salmon and crab fishcakes on roquette salad with a light Thai cream, any of which can be followed with a refresher course of lemon, blackcurrant or mango sorbet.

Pan-fried medallions of beef with a Stilton cheese rarebit on a potato rosti and drizzled with port wine and tomato concasse reduction open up the mains selection, with steamed lemon sole fillets stuffed with prawn mousse, set on crushed herb potatoes, with roasted cherry tomatoes and dill butter cream doing ample justice to the restaurant's approach to fish.

The treacle tart served with warm vanilla custard brings a touch of classicism to the desserts, along with the Normandy crêpes, filled with apples and cinnamon and laced with toffee sauce and ice cream.

With New World wines once again beating the French in blind tastings it is time to pay close attention to the wine list, especially one as well travelled as this version. A comparison between the Californian Hidden Falls Merlot and the French Beaujolais, Domaine Pavillon de Chavannes, as served in French Embassies throughout the world, should make for some interesting observation.