Byline: Hambleton Hall

Flop. A lakeside stroll; tea and homemade scones on a deep sofa in front of the fire; along soak in the bath; change for dinner; restful night; the smell of freshly made bread as you descend for breakfast in the morning.

I have been a devoted fan of flopping at this Rolls-Royce of an English country house hotel, immune to fads and gimmicks, for 30 years. Of course, it's not everyone's cup of tea. Restless thrill-seekers and jeunesse doree stay away: you are likely to feel more embalmed than calmed at Hambleton Hall near Oakham, Rutland. As comfortingly English as Marmite on hot buttered toast, it is also about as hip as Jacob Rees-Mogg. Indeed, it's that rare creature these days: a luxury country house hotel without a spa, a cookery school or a carefully curated slew of celebrities.

Instead, there's a swimming pool, a tennis court and a grand parterre overlooking Rutland Water, whose creation in 1976 transformed the landscape into one of the most beautiful in the Midlands.

The house, built in 1881 as a hunting lodge for shipping and brewing magnate Walter Marshall, takes in the scene - south-facing terrace, formal gardens, fountain and pond, field and trees,...