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There are very few superlatives that cannot be justifiably applied to this highly successful operation, on Rutland Water near to Oakham, presided over by owners Tim and Stefa Hart. The hotel itself has won a whole fistful of accolades. The restaurant, for which the Michelin starred chef, Aaron Patterson, has been cooking since 1991, draws upon materials as local as his own kitchen garden and as wide as the rest of the country and offers exemplary modern British cusine.

While the service, presided over by restaurant director Graeme Matheson for over 26 years, is exemplary and delivered in a friendly, unintimidating fashion.

The constantly changing menu demonstrates an ongoing vigilance, which might be the envy of many a national surveillance team, with results that are unfailingly good. Like most excellence all of this comes at a price but it would be a churlish lover of fine food indeed who begrudged one penny.

This is fine dining at its best, where first courses are resplendent with superb dishes such as Hambleton's mixed salad featuring garden vegetables and a truffle oil vinaigrette, or ignite the taste buds with pan-fried foie gras with rhubarb and lime.

Main courses beckon enticingly with tastes of lamb with aubergine puree and mint jelly, and fillet of line caught sea bass with fennel and oranges. Vegetarians are a happy lot indeed with some delicious choices such as risotto of tomato and artichoke, and tagliatelle of wild mushrooms with Parmesan.

If you've got a sweet tooth, then this is the place where you can pamper it with no regard whatsoever for calories - a chocolate and olive oil truffle, served with salted caramel, pistachios and baked banana is perfectly executed and decadently delicious.
Set menus for lunch and dinner provide exceptional value and you might be tempted to try out the lunch for less option with chicken liver parfait and cherries flavoured with elderflower, followed by pan-fried fillet of salmon with escabeche of vegetables and ending with caramelised lemon tart with raspberries.

Dinner menus change daily, taking into account seasonal availability of the ingredients, but some of the dishes you could come to expect there are ballotine of rabbit with pickled vegetables and grape chutney, followed by roast breast of corn-fed chicken with tomato and artichoke risotto and onion purée, and garden currant cocktail with white currant sorbet.

The wine list, expertly compiled by sommelier Dominique Baduel, is extensive and French inclined, but not to the exclusion of other listings from Spain, California or Italy. Truly this lovely house, sumptuously furnished and looking out over the steadily maturing lakescape of Rutland Water, is a temple dedicated to eating and living par excellence.

More information on Hambleton, its food and its wonderful, highly individual bedrooms, can be obtained from their Website.

Set amidst the deep rural beauty of Rutland, this much fêted village pub continues to offer some of the best food and drink for miles around, with an excellent wine list, an array of draught and bottled beers and a timelessness that refreshes; now with the addition of six beautiful en-suite rooms located in the converted house across the road. Taken over by the present owners in 1999, there is now a regular flow of locals and longer distance customers who find the genuine article in this friendly place.

Created out of three cottages in 1890, The Olive Branch was at the heart of the community until its closure in 1997 and then re-opened in 1999 following a renovation, just in time for Christmas, and guests have often feel that here is a place that has it right. To prove the point there is a list of awards that would make the BAFTAs look like a car boot sale, nicely topped off with a Michelin Star in 2002, which it has held onto ever since; and to cap them all, Michelin made them their Pub of the Year 2008. With the credits well and truly rolled let's take a look at the day to day reality.

Apart from a dinner menu there are four others, the lunch, blackboard, evening set and Saturday afternoon for even less. All have their own time and setting. From the dinner menu expect to find starters, or small dishes some of which can be taken as large, that include Jerusalem artichoke risotto with artichoke crisps, and conchiglie pasta with wild mushrooms and truffle oil.

In a pub as close to Lincolnshire as this it would be strange not to find some of the famous sausages, and sure enough here are the Grasmere Farm variety served with mustard mash and onion gravy. Free range pork from Scalford Meadow, geese from Lings View Farm, and some of the best English asparagus from Abbey Park Farms all make regular and welcome dishes in season.

Puddings tend to be a riot of wickedness, with sticky toffee pudding, and quince and mascarpone tart with quince ripple ice cream. Cheese buffs will need restraining, with Cropwell Bishop Stilton, Sparkenhoe Red Leicester and Gevrik goats? cheese to name but three. That's before they even get to see the wine list and all its appendages, a veritable treasure vat of indulgence, helpfully offering guidance.

The traditional blackboard menu is called upon at lunchtime, with a two course lunch at £16.95, say, pan-fried red mullet with bouillabaisse, followed by game casserole with tarragon dumplings and mashed carrot, or blackcurrant treacle tart. You might do worse than line up a bottle of Trappistes Rochefort No 6 from the Abbeye de St Remy in Belgium to go with it - at 7.5%, the Monks are to be congratulated.

Truly this is a pub to remember. Find out more, if you are not already on your way, by referring to their attractive and welcoming Website, which contains menus and a full wine and ale list.

Located in conservation parkland overlooking Rutland Water, Barnsdale Hall is a warm and delightful hotel in the smallest county of the United Kingdom. The peaceful haven offers the perfect ambience for a few days of rest and relaxation.

From comfortable bedrooms that offer lovely views, to the health spa and leisure club, Barnsdale's guests are truly spoilt for choice. Talking about the food, the Brasserie Restaurant presents a range of seasonal dishes from around the world that are created from local produce whenever possible.

The à la carte, for example, greets you with starters of seared king scallops, pancetta, cauliflower puree and red wine, and oriental duck spring rolls with a mango and papaya salsa and sweet chilli and soy dip. For the main event look out for crispy salmon steak accompanied by Sri Lankan curried potatoes and spinach, and honey-roasted rump of lamb with dauphinoise potatoes and roasted root vegetables. Great British grills and a selection of lighter dishes and desserts are always available.

Barnsdale Hall caters for weddings and receptions.

This delightful 16th century former coaching inn in the historic village of Lyddington, just outside Uppingham with its ancient market place and highly respected public school, has taken on a renewed lease of life ever since the new owners took over in May 2009.

The Marquess has 18 ensuite bedrooms, a luxurious bridal suite and a couple of family suites, and a selection of twin rooms. Recognising that an attractive restaurant with a weekly changing menu that embraces wide appeal is an essential part of such a facility, the food is all freshly prepared to order, using local seasonal ingredients whenever possible.

Sunday lunches are a real treat and the perfect occasion to enjoy with family and friends, as they serve traditional roasts and also a good selection of other fare. Chef Brian Baker has designed sharing dishes such as the grilled rib of Derbyshire beef, béarnaise sauce and pommes frites, and slow roasted shoulder of lamb with Savoy cabbage and boulangere potatoes. To complement your meal you could choose from the excellent wine list or from a fine selection of real ales, beers and spirits.

When planning a private celebration, whether it is a special birthday or maybe an anniversary, the Marquess of Exeter offers a warm and intimate venue for gathering friends and family together. The Inn is extremely versatile and can accommodate up to 100 guests in the bar and lounge area.

The building of Rutland Water, Europe's largest man-made lake, and its development as a major centre for leisure and recreation has offered a life-line to the attractive restaurants and pubs that come within its influence. This is particularly true of the villages of South and North Luffenham, and it is in the latter where The Horse and Panniers, known locally as the 'Nag and Bag', can be found. You are likely to be rubbing shoulders with fishermen, the occasional sailing buff, or A.Non willing to share with you the innermost secrets of his allotment, or an IT exec with a rapidly building client list.

Built in 1647 using the warm-coloured local stone, the pub offers a warm welcome to locals and those have travelled further. The emphasis is on informality, with a brief but changing menu listing dishes that are well prepared and tasty. For starters expect to see a robust soup of the day, Caesar salad or prawn and avocado. Smoked trout and tagliatelle, ribeye steak or homemade steak and mushroom pudding feature regularly amongst the main courses.

A good selection of real ales and well-travelled wine list complete the picture.

Quite near Rutland Water is The Noel, a cosy and friendly pub serving modern British food, a range of wines, local beers and some traditional favourites. The warm and welcoming interior is accentuated by the flagstone floors and open fire and there are also en suite rooms for those who are intent on staying to explore this massive man-made lake. The chef turns out remarkable fare that falls under the categories of small dishes, salads and larger meals.

Typically, there could be a smoked salmon, scrambled egg and toasted muffin to begin with, followed by a pot roasted duck breast, fresh plum reduction and roasted potatoes. There is also char grilled chicken fettuccine with tarragon and bacon cream or cod and chips with mushy peas if you are feeling nostalgic while desserts include ice creams and sorbets. Live music at The Noel makes it a most happening place and it is also an ideal venue for intimate wedding receptions.

The Lake Isle Hotel, known to a discerning few for a number of years, has now undergone a major facelift that has greatly expanded its ability to look to wider horizons.

Located in the centre of the fashionable town of Uppingham (well, Rick Stein did go to school there) the two AA rosette restaurant is designed in such a way that it can be adapted for day or evening use, thus offering a cheerful lunch or a more reflective atmosphere for dinner. The cuisine is cosmopolitan and takes a Mediterranean influence quite seriously.

Amongst seven or so choices of starters expect to find baked figs stuffed with aged feta, with Serrano ham and lavender infused honey, and butterflied Cornish sardines on toast. Dinnertime main courses embrace pan-fried fillet of sea bass with crushed potatoes, crayfish tails, broad beans and a sorrel cream, and breast of Barbary duck with roasted peaches, fresh cherries and a brandy and thyme jus.

More than a hundred-and-sixty different wines from eleven countries and twenty champagnes support the menu.

Twelve ensuite bedrooms offer comfortable accommodation.