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If you're looking for an ideal base to explore Derbyshire, particularly the stunning Peak District National Park, then the New Bath Hotel would be an excellent choice considering its proximity to Matlock Bath. This magnificent 18th century building is a sparkling example of a country hotel with its immaculate and well appointed bedrooms, spa, conferencing and banqueting facilities. For somewhat more relaxed dining their popular Lamp and Seam brasserie caters excellently to the needs of the guests and passing public alike.

The charming and elegant restaurant is just the spot to recharge yourself before heading out for an eventful day, with their choice of full English breakfast. Meanwhile, they also serve tasty lunches, snacks and drinks and towards evening, proceedings tend to get more romantic or formal with their full à la carte. The Lamp and Seam offers a good selection of wines to complement their meals.

At the west end of the Main Street in Birchover village lies a family-owned gastro pub called The Druid Inn. Owners Michael and Bryan Thompson and their parents Eric and Brenda do not take their 2008 and 2009 Michelin Bib Gourmand award for granted, and work hard to ensure the inn is one of the finest in the area.

Choose from four different dining areas that vary from a cosy bar, and an outside terrace, to two restaurants, an intimate Upper one, and a more contemporary Lower one that has an open kitchen and is perfect for private parties.

The same modern European menu is offered in each dining area, and the dishes are created from scratch using local produce from within the Peak District whenever possible. Start with very well-presented honey-roasted confit belly pork with hoisin sauce and a spring onion and cucumber salad before moving on to a main course of free-range chicken breast with chorizo sausage and wild mushroom risotto.

There is a wide choice of well-kept beers, the inn's very own ale, and a wine list, which keeps most people happy.

Le Mistral is one of a group of several new and very perky restaurants in the North Midlands, with an accomplished style and approach, and French flavour. They work on two menus, one a daytime job that deals with the requirements of a working day, offering such delights as croque monsieur, croque mistral, freshly baked baguettes with imaginative fillings such as brie and roasted grape, a soup du jour, minute steak, and an omelette du jour. This is quality food that meets the need and paves the way to something rather more relaxed and elaborate in the evenings.

Expect to find on the dinner/supper menu special starters from the blackboard, pate du jour, or platters, olive, charcuterie, cheese or 3 dips, all substantial enough for light meal status.

Main courses offer good French staples such as moules marinieres et frites, Marseilles meatballs, beef bourguignon, and steak hache, followed by desserts of tarte tatin and chocolate chilli cake.

An elegant wine list offers a carefully selected range of bottles, and is a happy hunting ground for connoisseurs, with a large number by the glass. Their house wine from Domaine de Laroux is a gift from the gods. Continental lagers and bottled beers from UK feature some of the best, including Liefmans Kriek and Marston Pedigree.

If these restaurants do not succeed there is no justice on earth.

The family-owned Red House Country Hotel was built in 1891 for a Manchester architect, and still charms guests with its character and atmosphere, all reminiscent of a bygone era. With picturesque views over the Derwent Valley, the hotel is suited for short breaks to Derbyshire, and acts as an ideal base for explorations to the Peak District and its National Park.

While you're at Red House, spend time relaxing in the comfortable bedrooms, enjoy the peaceful gardens, or head to the AA rosette restaurant that serves tasty traditional British cuisine.

The chefs are particularly proud of their breakfast buffet with choices ranging from homemade muesli and stewed fruits, to smoked kippers or haddock. The dinner menu offers starters of large king prawns sautéed with butter, diced tomato, shallots, garlic, and cognac, and mains of baked chump of English lamb, and smoke-roasted salmon cutlets gently cooked in vermouth and shallots with a touch of cream.

A selection of wickedly delicious puddings is hard to resist, and a range of wines, spirits, and beer accompany the food.