Review: Our stay at luxury pub with its own cinema and spa

Pubs, surely, are among the best places on planet earth. From the posh upmarket ones you get on the coast and in trendy areas of cities, to the one man and his dog, old fashioned yet charming ones you can find in the Peaks or Lakes, they are one of life's great pleasures.

Each generally has unique features to commend it, from the food and drink to the setting, or the characters within. I once, for example, stumbled across a historic little watering hole down a tiny little street in central London, whence the landlord informed me that if he saw me on my phone at any time, I'd be asked to leave.

All of which brings me to the Hoste Arms in Burnham Market. Because, though I've frequented and loved many pubs in my time, for a myriad of reasons, I've never visited one which has its own cinema.

Yep, you read that right. Along with a bar, restaurant, spa and rooms, the Hoste hosts a proper little cinema - head down some stairs off the lounge, turn left and there you are. Three screenings a day, with complimentary popcorn and soft drinks. Lovely stuff.

So that's a definite wow factor to kick off with, but what - I hear you ask - about the rest of the Hoste's offering?

We rocked up on a Monday, faithful hound in tow, and, as the sun was shining, decided to take a beer and a bowl of chips on the Hoste's large and modern terrace before heading for our lodgings for the evening. Classy, I know.

First thing to note - beers are expensive here. We had two pints of Amstel (£6.10 each), but you are looking at up to £7.20 a pint if you fancy an Estrella or Beavertown Neck Oil.

Drinks supped and chips demolished, we decided to inspect our quarters.

The Hoste is a large, impressive sort of place which feels both modern and historic at the same time, and our room was exactly in that spirit - a huge bed plus plush sofa, a very stylish classic roll-top bath and a self-contained shower room.

A bag of locally-sourced dog treats awaited us, which was a nice touch, while there was also a fridge in the room with fresh milk and a coffee-making machine.

Such things are small, admittedly, but really lift the experience.

Bags dumped - sorry, stored - we headed out for a gander at Burnham Market. Though we've spent a lot of time on the north Norfolk coast, this was one of our first visits to the village.

It's a picturesque little place, with the pub right at the heart of it, next to the green and village church. There's also the most extraordinary hat shop opposite the Hoste - Pentney House - which claims to be the biggest of its kind in the country. If there's one offering a wider range of styles and array of choices, I'd be very surprised - a great, entertaining, way to spend an hour.

Back to base then, with dinner awaiting us. We were seated in the Hoste's restaurant area - a nice, bright conservatory style area at the back of the main bar.

In another nice touch, you can order off both the bar and restaurant menu, so we decided to mix and match.

First up, we both went for the salt and pepper squid (£10) off the restaurant menu. This was good eating - nice and crispy, not greasy or rubbery, and served with a spicy chilli mayonnaise, plus a sprinkling of spring onions and slice of lime.

Next up, we chose mains off different menus. Liz, because she's got expensive tastes, went for the chilli, garlic and oregano spatchcock chicken (£26.50) off the restaurant menu.

Meanwhile, because we were near the sea, I fancied a classic fish pie from the bar menu (£15.50).

Let's start with my pie, which was filled with salmon, haddock and prawns, and served with tenderstem broccoli, samphire and spinach.

There was a goodly amount of filling beneath the mashed potato top, with a nice depth of fishy flavour. I really enjoyed the greens served with it too, a needed hit of freshness and crunch.

The dish itself looked a bit rustic, which I guess one would expect from a bar menu. All in all, a decent pie - not the best I've ever had, but certainly not the worst.

My better half enjoyed her chicken too, which was served with a sweetcorn puree, fondant potato, grilled courgette, bok choi and chimichurri dressing.

It was well-cooked, with that puree offering a sweetness which contrasted nicely with the garlic and chilli, while the potato brought a rich, buttery carb to proceedings.

An enjoyable main, but perhaps one in need of a little refining for the price point.

Onto to desserts then, and we both went for classics - treacle tart and custard (£8.50) for me, and New York cheesecake (£9) for Liz.

Both made solid ends to the meal. My tart was super sweet and indulgent, teamed well with the creamy custard and freshness from a few strawberries, while Liz's cheesecake had the classic flavours you'd expect, contrasted with a mango sorbet and pineapple, pomegranate and mint salsa.

All told, our meal came to just over £100, with the chicken the outlier in terms of price. If you wanted to cut coin, two mains off the bar menu would suffice.

I must also mention the service, which was absolutely fantastic. Warm, friendly and attentive, without being overbearing. And our hound even got his own sausage, in his own little bowl, while we ate - another really nice touch.

After a good night's sleep - that huge bed was also very comfy - all that remained was breakfast.

There was a large choice here, from continental to hot options - the traditional full English, pancakes, smashed avocado and even a spinach, pea and mint frittata.

We opted for the breakfast roll - a brioche bun stuffed with sausage, cheese, bacon and a fried egg. Very naughty indeed.

It was delicious, as you'd expect with all of those things crammed in a bun. Good quality ingredients, all well cooked and not swimming in fat/grease.

And thus, our stay was over. All told, our bill was £360, so on the expensive side of things - but as a special night away, in a beautiful setting and picturesque part of the region, certainly a treat.

The Hoste manages to blend luxury with that classic, friendly pub vibe, plus a few unique features.

Did I mention it's got a cinema?