Holkham, near Wells-next-the-Sea · Inn
A country inn on the Holkham estate, half a mile from Holkham beach, with rooms in the main building and the neighbouring Ancient House.
The Victoria stands at the entrance to Lady Anne's Drive in Holkham village, which puts it about half a mile from what is regularly voted one of the best beaches in England. It is owned by the Holkham estate and has been refurbished over recent years into something closer to a smart country inn than a traditional pub with rooms, while keeping the flint-and-brick exterior intact.
Accommodation is split between the inn itself and the Ancient House a short walk away, with around twenty rooms between them plus a handful of self-catering lodges on the estate. Rooms are individually decorated, with a mix of antique and modern furniture, roll-top baths in some, and views over the parkland or the marshes. The lodges suit families or longer stays.
Downstairs there is a bar with open fires and a dining room serving estate venison and beef alongside crab, mussels and fish landed on the north coast. Sunday lunch is popular enough with locals that booking is advisable. Dogs are welcome in the bar and in several rooms.
The location is the main reason to stay. Holkham Hall and its deer park are directly behind the inn, the beach and pine woods are a ten-minute walk in front, and Wells-next-the-Sea is three miles east. It suits walkers, couples and anyone who wants to be on the beach before the day visitors arrive. Prices sit at the higher end of the Norfolk market, particularly in July and August, and the best value tends to be midweek outside the school holidays.