The Crown Inn, Amersham, is a 16th Century building with 19th Century bits stuck on; beamed ceilings, mazy corridors and courtyard cobbles abound at this Buckinghamshire gem.

So to the reworking by Ilse Crawford, the second project she has completed with hoteliers Tej and Sarina Dhillon. There’s usually one feature of a place which jumps out at you when you go into a newly-refurbished place, and here for us it was the chairs, a veritable showroom of different shapes and styles which somehow, despite their variety – and often contemporary nature – fit into their historical surroundings seamlessly. Like Goldilocks, you’ll have no trouble finding one that’s just right.

Homespun fabrics and rugs, rush matting, an orgy of oak – it’s all very English, and there’s something very comforting in both the textures used and the layout, with its nooks and crannies full of shadowy interest. The cobbled terrace and garden host outdoor barbecues in the fairer months, while there are plenty of places to curl up by the fire in winter. Cosy.