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In the best possible sense it bears some resemblance to the sumptuously comfortable houses that Victorian magnates used to build for themselves, with an air of contented permanence. But this one has state of the art comfort built in as well, and with its position at the centre of its community possesses a certain air of bustle.

The dining room occupies a bow windowed room of distinction with olive and aubergine dominating the colour charts. In the best boutique style a blackboard menu rules listing dishes like roast butternut squash soup with crumbled bacon and parmesan shavings, warm lobster salad with sun blushed tomatoes and black olives. A main course of seared tuna steak on homemade tagliatelle could be followed by pain au chocolat bread and butter pudding with custard.

A lively wine list pays homage to the menu, and own label house wine is good value at £12.50, with plenty more up to £55.

For a remarkable dining experience in the historic town of Market Bosworth, everyone will heartily agree that Softleys is your best bet. Located in a charming Grade II listed building from the 18th century, this delightful restaurant also offers comfortable accommodation with all the facilities that you come to expect from a reasonably priced hotel. The restaurant is definitely the highlight of the place with its classic decor and fresh food prepared from locally sourced ingredients and of course the warm and welcoming atmosphere.

While Sunday lunch has become a huge draw, the à la carte also does very well, offering choices such as scallops wrapped in bacon, black pudding and balsamic reduction either as a starter or main course. There's also duck breast with gingered sweet potato and dark orange sauce while the premium Scottish fillet steak and hand cut thick chips comes with a choice of four sauces. A rich dark chocolate fudge cake or maybe cheese with celery and grapes is the perfect way to end your meal at Softleys.

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.

Located on Chandos Street in Leamington Spa, Been Bar and Restaurant is situated in what used to be a public house; after being repackaged in a classy manner, important original features like the building's exterior still remain intact. Inside leather chairs and glass infused tables abound, hand-picked by the owners and shipped in from China.

The menu is certainly an expression of ambition, encompassing everything from soft shell crab and frog legs to spare ribs and pork and prawns pancake rolls. Specialities such as crispy aromatic duck and crispy Mongolian lamb are noteworthy, while sirloin steak could arrive with bamboo and Chinese mushrooms, oyster sauce, ginger and spring onion, or the authentic 'sa cha' sauce.

For those who'd like to leave the choosing bit to others, Been Restaurant seals the deal with Gold, Deluxe and Oriental set meals designed for sharing.