Bailiffscourt Hotel & Spa, Arundel, West Sussex

The hotel sits on its own land, a short walk from the scrubby beach at Climping. Littlehampton's partly sandy beach is a much better bet a short drive away, and historic Arundel is within about 20 minutes. To explore a real castle, take a trip to Arundel's, which includes a Norman keep. Look out for battle re-enactments in the school holidays.

By car: Bailiffscourt is 2 hours from London, 1 hour from Brighton and 2 hours 40 minutes from Bristol. There is free parking for guests.

By train: London Victoria to Littlehampton takes around 2 hours. From there, the hotel is a five-minute taxi ride. Book trains to Littlehampton.

Think stone arches, heavy beams, creaky doors, lattice windows and tapestry hangings. It's a slightly crazy mishmash but definitely feels more antique than a theme park. The spa, meanwhile, is in a beautiful barn-like modern building.

The staff on the tiny reception were friendly and relaxed, the restaurant was efficient though more formal and the spa welcoming. The grounds have croquet, short tennis and football areas. There's even a helicopter landing pad. The impressive spa includes indoor and outdoor pools.

• Restaurant
• Bar
• Two swimming pools
• Lounge
• Tennis courts
• Gym
• Gardens
• Terrace
• Beach access
• Pet-friendly
• Free parking

The bedrooms are scattered across several wings. Some are full of heritage features and are reached by stone staircases. Climping Rooms are contemporary, but with traditional décor, whilst the suite's bathrooms can be huge and ours had underfloor heating.

Room types: Classic & Cosy, Climping, Climping Original, Sussex, Feature Four Poster, Baylies

Key amenities: ensuite bathroom with tub, Temple Spa products, bathrobes, satellite TV, free Wi-Fi, phone, tea and coffee tray with homemade biscuits, hairdryer

Dinner, served in the wood-panelled dining room, looked the part, and there was a good emphasis on local ingredients, but it was not a highlight of our visit. The best dishes (from the Sussex menu) came at a supplement to the half board rate. The afternoon tea in the lounges looked tempting.

The restaurant: light bites, fresh pasta, cream teas and a classy European dinner menu. Open daily for dinner, 6.30-9pm. Three courses £54.50. Lunch 12-3pm, afternoon tea 12-6pm.