Beechwood Hotel

Agatha Christie memorabilia, murder-mystery weekends and Art Deco touches set the tone at Hugh and Emma Asher's creeper-clad hotel, former home of the author's doctor friends, in a bustling market town. Readers praise the 'wonderful hotel, gleaming with good housekeeping' and the 'welcoming, excellent service'. Rooms range from a modest single to garden pods with roll-top bath, walk-in shower and a deck with hot tub/sauna. A main-house bedroom was ‘splendid – very roomy, comfortable four-poster bed, two armchairs, fridge, good-sized TV, lots of storage space’. In the restaurant and converted summer house, ‘the varied menu’ includes dishes such as seared breast of duck with bacon and leek mash or caramelised mushroom tart. 'We always enjoy the superb food, ambience and service,' readers on a third visit reported. ‘Decent-sized portions and plenty of vegetables,’ wrote others. Golf packages, South African and Fawlty Towers nights are among the attractions. ‘A superb hotel for touring this area of Norfolk’; there is a bar if you could murder a pint for the money. ‘It just gets better every time.' (Desda Jordan, Bob and Jean Henry, MC, and PA)