Thornton Hall Hotel, The Lawns Restaurant - Wirral

Billed as 'Wirral's country hotel', this substantial Victorian manor was voted Best Spa in the Lifestyle Monthly Magazine 2010 Awards. It was originally built by a shipping magnate from Liverpool and the interior still has many marvellous original features: stained glass windows and impressive oak panelling can be seen in the public rooms, while the Lawns Restaurant housed in the Italian room is famed for its beautiful hand-crafted ceiling inlaid with mother-of-pearl and stunning friezes.

Chef David Gillmore has taken up the reins in the kitchen having previously worked at the Michelin starred restaurants The Grosvenor Hotel in Chester and The Vineyard in Berkshire. The kitchen works to an ambitious menu of modern British dishes that might kick off with Aberdaron crab, ravioli, cauliflower and crab cream, ahead of pheasant, sous-vide bread, Jerusalem artichokes and chestnut puree or grilled lobster, Gruyere cheese and fennel dauphinoise. As a finale indulge in a chilled chocolate mousse, milk chocolate, passion fruit and iced yoghurt or pear and pistachio, pear delice, bitter chocolate crumb served with pistachio ice cream.

If you want to eat casually, head for the Times Restaurant located within the hotel's health club, or choose a snack from the all-day menu in the Italian Bar.