Gainsford Hall, Radar House, Skendleby, Spilsby, Horncastle, Lincolnshire, PE23 4QA

First (if you hadn't spotted it already) note that "Gainsford Hall" is really Skendleby Hall with the number of guests limited to 10, but with the benefit of having access to all its reception rooms / amenities and access to the best 8 bedrooms (albeit with restricted availability of dates, generally midweek, as the Hall is normally used as a wedding venue for up to 28 people at weekends - and what a stunning venue for a wedding it would be ! )

Our own party comprised 5 couples who had all celebrated their Golden Weddings during Lockdown and had some catching up to do.

We ate in the first night, utilising about a third of the enormous table in the dining room adjacent to the first kitchen (we didn't use the second kitchen even though it was available !), then some of us adjourned to the TV room to watch the play-off match on NOWTV Sports, whilst others wandered down the hall, through the Music Room (with its Baby Grand piano) and round to the Billiards Room for a game of Snooker on the full-size table.

All the rooms are furnished in period style in keeping with the age of the Hall - it's not quite "Downton" (the maid doesn?t come in to light your bedroom fire every morning !), but it?s certainly on the way there and offers a memorable glimpse into that privileged bygone world, especially in the cavernous main lounge which has a footprint bigger than many homes. We never got round to using the sauna or the hot-tub, and the card table in the Library was pretty much redundant, though some of us played Pool or Air-Hockey in the Games Room when the snooker table was occupied. Similarly, none of us (all 70+) felt inclined to sample the trampoline, the football net or the children's adventure playground outside in the grounds and the weather wasn't good enough to light the BBQ on the sizeable and well-furnished patio area.

This place is by no means short on space and amenities, so is great value in its pared back guise as ?Gainsford Hall", but it?s age, furnishings and size inevitably mean it comes with the odd quirk, so it might not be suitable for everyone (e.g. anyone whose idea of luxury is ?brand new?), but if you?re looking for somewhere for a group to stay for a few days to make some memories, then we?d wholeheartedly recommend it.

Worthy of note is the local pub, the Blacksmith's Arms, which is a 10 minute walk away; we paid them a visit for drinks and ended up eating there twice as a group, so would recommend a visit. Also, a highlight of our stay was a visit to the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Museum and a guided tour of the Hangar at RAF Coningsby - highly recommended.

Thanks to Ruth and David for an unforgettable stay.