The George Hotel

The stretch of north Norfolk coast from Brancaster to Cley is upscale in price & custom – & is fast earning the soubriquet Kensington-on-Sea. The George Hotel is one of a crop of faded inns to receive a modern makeover & it’s now part informal restaurant, part pub. Set in an enviable position on a quiet coastal road overlooking an expanse of unspoilt salt marsh, it’s quite a twitcher’s paradise, which the George duly acknowledges by recording bird observations in a ‘bird bible’ on a large lectern in the bar. A glance at the menu shows a kitchen striving for a degree of local & seasonal input – local samphire & clam risotto, local crab – but this is down to earth rather than fanciful cooking, as Norfolk ham with egg & chips shows clearly. Decor is both artistic & rustic, with rich colours, bare floorboards, open fires & a relaxed rambling feel –a wonderful place in which to unwind. The small village bar cheerfully dispenses East Anglian ales like Greene King & Woodfordes Wherry, & in warm weather the action moves across the road to the sheltered beer garden. Bedrooms have character & views, either over the salt marshes, or of Cley’s famous windmill.