Five Lakes Hotel, Golf, Country Club & Spa

Combining golf, country club & spa, this contemporary hotel also has a choice of eateries & bars, including the Camelot restaurant, where international specialities sit alongside more traditional dishes. Freshly caught fish from the Essex coast appears in – say – scallop niçoise with quail’s egg & baby leaves; otherwise, begin with jellied parsley & ham hock, homemade piccalilli & toasted walnut bread. To follow, try saltimbocca of monkfish with creamed leeks & basil-crushed potato or pan-fried lamb fillet & kidney with rosemary rösti & Marsala jus. Desserts such as apricot bread & butter pudding with cinnamon & ginger cream provide a satisfying finish. The cosmopolitan wine list suits most tastes.