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Overview

Expect the unexpected at The Gunton Arms: a chic hunting lodge-style inn set within a stunning 1,000-acre country estate. Restored by a fleet of interior designers, this is a very special place.

Deer roam freely past the inn day and night - with no fencing around the inn, there's gorgeous uninterrupted views of open parkland and roaming deer. Arrive early in summer to bag one of the vast tables and soak up the view over lunch or supper.

The bar and dining rooms exude a baronial feel with warm red hues, antique furnishings, blazing log fires and wooden floors. Yet the overall vibe is relaxed and informal, and there are soothing parkland views from every window. The eagle-eyed will spy the risqué Tracey Emin sketches behind the bar and other fine artwork dotted around the walls. The elegant Stamp Rooms and lounges offer residents a peaceful refuge away from the bustling bar whilst the Garden Room, replete with stone floor, fat candles on rustic tables and open fireplace, offers extra dining space.

Summer 2021 saw the long-awaited opening of sister pub The Suffield Arms (opposite Thorpe Market station a mile away), serving tapas and Mediterranean food.

Rooms from

Doubles: £95-£320


Good to know

  • All major credit cards accepted
  • Alfresco & private dining
  • Parking available
  • Dogs welcome overnight

Quiet romance
The fabulous baronial interiors make for an ideal candlelit date night come rain or shine.

Dog-friendly
Dogs are always very welcome in the bar and overnight in two of the rooms.

Water and waves
Famous for its deserted beaches which stretch for miles, don't miss getting to know the stunning North Norfolk Coast either on foot or in the water!

Rooms

A sweeping staircase leads upstairs from the bar to the eight gorgeous bedrooms named after locals that work on the estate, while larger, more spacious suites are located in recently converted outbuilding, the Coach House and Barn House. All ooze country-house style and period charm.

Expect rich fabrics and wall coverings, antique furnishings and objet d'art, Persian rugs on thick carpets, feature fireplaces, and comfortable beds topped with Egyptian cotton, traditional bedspreads and blankets.

There's no TV, just a Roberts radio, so relax and savour the peace and quiet and the far-reaching parkland views. Brilliant bathrooms have marble-tiled floors, old washstands and posh smellies, the biggest and best having deep tubs and separate walk-in showers. Don't miss the mini roof terrace off the landing with its deck chairs - perfect for a sundowner on a summer's evening.

Restaurant & bar

Chef Stuart Tattersall's simple, gutsy, ingredient-led cooking is engrained into the menu, which prioritises local seasonal fare, hearty dishes and big flavours.

Venison comes from the deer park, seafood and Cromer crab is caught by local fishermen and samphire foraged along the coast. Roasted, well-aged meats, cooked over the vast open fire in the Elk Room is a highlight - the impressive dining room is dominated by huge elk antlers over the equally vast open fire and features a vaulted wooden roof, old pew benches and scrubbed tables, and colourful drapes at the French doors leading out to the parkland garden.

Four handpumps on the bar dispense East Anglian ales including locally brewed Woodforde's Wherry, Adnams Southwold Bitter and Broadside. Behind the bar you'll find some boutique gins and a good range of malts, plus a concise list of wines, which includes a decent house wine from a small French vineyard.

Private dining

The private dining room in the stamp rooms can be reserved for parties of up to 12 people. It is a quieter and private alternative to the pub dining rooms, and can be used for birthdays, shooting parties etc.

Things to do

Norfolk offers enormous scope for all kinds of walking. One of the most popular haunts of walkers is the region's remote Holkham Beach, immortalised in the film Shakespeare in Love. It's just the place to enjoy wild beauty and stunning wide skies. If you enjoy longer routes, try the 93-mile Peddars Way and North Norfolk Coast Path. Following ancient tracks and Roman roads and consisting of two paths joined together to form one route, the Peddars Way and North Norfolk Coast Path offers a great blend of pastoral Norfolk hinterland and magnificent coastal scenery.

Between April and October, experience the thrill of North Norfolk's spectacular tides and waves, with lessons provided by Glide Surf School. By contrast, the region's rivers offer the chance for various exhilarating adventure sports, including kayaking.

History buffs should head to Fellbrigg Hall - the splendid park is one of the highlights of a visit to this popular National Trust visitor attraction a short distance from Cromer. Explore over 500 acres of woods and miles of waymarked paths. Or, head to Blickling Hall, a stunning turreted Jacobean mansion which is sure to take your breath away the first time you see it. Standing proud in the Norfolk landscape and surrounding it is a beautiful 500-acre park. Blickling is widely believed to be the birthplace of Anne Boleyn.

Getting here

Directions

Nearest train station: Gunton
Taxi from station: 5min
Drive: Norwich 38min; Great Yarmouth 45min

Address

Cromer Road, Thorpe Market, Cromer, Norfolk NR11 8TZ

Enquire to book

To make a booking enquiry, please use the form below or you can call our reservations team on 020 8161 0100. Our phone lines are open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 11am - 3pm.

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