The Best Places to Book for a Break Near Burghley House, Peterborough

Pretty Collyweston is a village on the A43 between Stamford and Duddington, renowned for its slate tile production. The Collyweston Slater is a 17th-century stone-walled inn with exposed beams – and the restaurant does the old favourites: moules marinière, cheeseburgers and prawn-cocktail sandwiches. The low-ceilinged bedrooms are ideal for a romantic date night, with classic furniture upholstered in vibrant fabrics – crimson, amethyst and ivory. The Harrod room has the best bathroom with a freestanding tub and separate shower – while the others are showers only. You’re perfectly placed for the historic town of Stamford – adjacent to Burghley House – and Rutland Water, which has a sailing club and is ideal for anglers.

With its elegant Edwardian bay-fronted façade, the Crown Hotel dominates Stamford’s Red Lion Square. The 28 rooms are eclectically decorated in a modern-classic style – all soft grey and navy blue – with exposed stone walls in some, classic-print wallpaper in others. Wrought iron and brass beds vie with designer objects. Bathrooms are all different – with vibrant turquoise tiles and calming shades of sage-green. The honey-tone-timbered restaurant delights with starters including curried lamb chops and duck croquettes and mains such as dressed crab, chicken kiev and sweet potato and pearl-barley-and-kale pie – along with puddings including lemon panna cotta. Or eat alfresco, in the garden courtyard – a night here is ideal for exploring Georgian Stamford.

There are eight bedrooms – all with ensuite shower or bathrooms – clean and comfortable here at Candlesticks. You’ll get great views over the slated roofs of Stamford. The pull of the restaurant is the thing – with its old-school charm and having been in the same ownership since 1975. Expect softly lit vaulted ceilings, exposed brickwork and crisp linen tablecloths for a candlelit supper. The menu pulls out the stops: pâté de foie maison to start, beef stroganoff and turkey breast in a creamy white wine and mushroom sauce for mains and perhaps a cheese plate or strawberry meringue to finish. The wine list is extensive – with entry-level cabernet, Bordeaux and pinots through to Dom Perignon.

Ufford is a charming village best known for its 14th-century church of St Andrew and the baronial 18th-century Ufford Hall. The only inn – the White Hart – is ideally placed for Stamford, Burghley House and Peterborough Cathedral, the resting place of Catherine of Aragon. Of the 12 guest rooms, those in the main building are spruce, with reproduction Edwardian-style furniture and chintzy knick-knacks. Pastel-green and pink bedspreads complete the theme. In the separate brewery, things get more modern: white walls and crisp gingham bedspreads. The ensuite shower rooms are up to date – dazzling white and well-appointed – while others have baths. Exposed stone walls, a low beamed ceiling and an open fireplace give the restaurant its character. Starters include crispy cod cheeks with wild garlic mayonnaise and chicken and black pudding terrine with poached prunes. Mains could be roasted fillet of turbot with a mustard velouté or the classic ribeye. The White Hart is an ideal overnight stopover, perfect for exploring rural Cambridgeshire.

The quaint 17th-century cottage exterior of the Exeter Arms disguises its very chic and modern interior, with six guestrooms. The smart restaurant and bar are made for relaxing each evening and staying here means you’re well placed for Stamford in the Welland Valley. The elegant dining room has a period low beamed ceiling – furniture and décor is urban-contemporary: fashionable tweed low backed chairs and painted feature walls. Just off the main room is a slightly more formal alcove, decorated in dark sage. For dinner, the menu has a simple formula: four meat, four fish, four vegetables and four puddings but the rabbit and carrot spring roll is a real treat. You’ll wake to bathrooms that are bright, fresh and white with funky monochrome geometric tiling. The Exeter Arms is perfect for that little-bit-posh overnight stay.

Stamford is widely believed to be one of the finest Georgian towns in England – known for its numerous and exceptional late 13th-century perpendicular gothic churches, with All Saints being the most notable. On the Great North Road, it was also an important staging post between London and Edinburgh and recently has been a cinematic backdrop to various period TV and film adaptations – such as Pride & Prejudice, Bleak House and Middlemarch. Old Bank Apartments has views along the pedestrianised high street down to Red Lion Square. There are four self-catering flats – each with individual decoration – from plush velour headboards to sleek chairs upholstered in chocolate and turquoise, taupe and cream. The freshly decorated bathrooms are spruce and pleasant, while original features are evident throughout – with wrought iron and Victorian-tiled fireplaces, exposed-brick chimney breasts and original dark-stained timber floors.