The Angel Hotel, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk

The Angel enjoys Bury St Edmunds' finest location without question, facing its own historic square and overlooking the abbey ruins. The only drawback is the cars that use the square as a giant carpark but you couldn't be better placed for seeing the sights of Bury, with the town waiting to be discovered all around you. There's lots to see; start with the ruins and abbey church opposite, take in the brewery and shops and market square, and then devote yourself to its many restaurants and pubs, starting off in the Nutshell - officially the country's smallest pub.

By car: The hotel is 2 hours from London, 40 mins from Cambridge and 2 hours 15 mins from Nottingham. There is free parking on-site.

By train: London Kings Cross to Bury St Edmunds (via Cambridge) takes around 1 hour 45 mins. The hotel is a 5-minute taxi ride or 15-minute walk from the station. Book trains to Bury St Edmunds.

Like all the best hotels, the reception and lounge area make up the heart of the place, with a big fireplace, various nooks and corners and an abundance of comfy furniture to loll about in; the best of its 77 guest rooms, meanwhile, are quirkily elegant, contemporary and very comfortable.

It's a historic hotel with a contemporary look and feel, and black-clad young staff gliding effortlessly back and forth. They have 24-hour room service, a restaurant and bar and a number of private dining spaces and function rooms, some of them in the vaulted basement. Parking is in a carpark behind the hotel.

• Bar
• Restaurant
• Lounge
• Family rooms
• Pets allowed
• Free parking
• Free Wi-Fi

It's quite a large hotel, with a wide variety of rooms, some of which are decorated in traditional style while others are bright, bold and contemporary, with no one exactly alike. They all come with a TV, tea and coffee-making facilities, free mineral water and biscuits, Temple Spa toiletries and fast Wi-Fi.

Room types: Classic, Original, Impression, Ivy View Suite, Contemporary Suite

Key amenities: ensuite bathroom with bath, Temple Spa toiletries, TV, tea and coffee facilities, mineral water, biscuits, free Wi-Fi

The restaurant is a stylish and quite atmospheric place to eat, with big windows overlooking the abbey ruins, that aims to balance fairly casual dining with the feel of a special night out. There's a classic but contemporary look to the room, with crushed velvet banquettes and mustard leather chairs; the menu is a moderately priced blend of seasonal dishes with an Italian twist and full-on British classics.

Eaterie Restaurant: 2 AA Rosette dining, seasonal dishes, European inspired cuisine. Open Mon-Fri 12-2.30pm and 6-8.15pm, Sat & Sun 12-8.15pm. Mains from £14.