Special Places to Stay - More than a bed for the night

Kindness itself, Olive is formidably houseproud, her hall slathered in framed awards testifying that she gives herself 110% to her guests. Breakfast is the greatest demonstration of her mastery: just try homemade rhubarb and strawberry compote with home-baked courgette and walnut bread for a taster – there's masses more in the basket. It's a feast served on the renowned Stephen Pearce crockery. Her colour mixes are joyous and bright – regal red, cranberry cream, blue, mustard, burgundy and buttercup – and her fanciful spirit is personified in the quirky statues and water features that decorate the garden: it gurgles and bubbles at every turn. Olive's standards shine forth inside, too: the sitting room is so luxurious in its cream sofas and gold candelabras that you feel bound to be on your best behaviour. No dust from the log fires: they're electric! The all-seasons conservatory is a lovely room, more appealing for that breakfast experience than the rather dark dining room. Colourful welcoming bedrooms, comfortable bathrooms and superb walks into those beckoning mountains.