Short break: The Maltings at Weybourne, north Norfolk

Autumn is a really special time on the north Norfolk coast. When the summer crowds have packed up their buckets and spades a peacefulness descends, and as the days get shorter, the pace of life seems to slow down.

And it was the perfect time to pay a visit one of the coast's newest places to stay.

In picture-postcard-pretty Weybourne, with its charming flint cottages, The Maltings is right on the main coast road, making it the ideal base from which to explore this special part of the world.

In one direction you've got the traditional seaside towns of Sheringham and Cromer and in the other you've got the untamed beauty of nature havens such as Salthouse and Cley.

The courtyard is lit up with twinkly lights in the evenings. (Image: The Maltings/Rove PR) Not far inland you've got Georgian Holt, which is at its twinkly best at this time of year, and the surrounding countryside to explore.

If you want an active break you can hike the North Norfolk Coastal Path. If you want a car-free break, you can make use of the Coasthopper service which runs regular services between Wells and Mundesley.

And you could even step back in time and travel by steam train as Weybourne is a stopping point on the North Norfolk Railway which runs between Sheringham and Holt.

Opened in August, The Maltings is part of the Chestnut Group, the growing East Anglian chain of pubs with rooms, which also includes The Globe at Wells, The Lifeboat at Thornham and The Feathers at Holt.

Chestnut has spent three years renovating The Maltings to become its first 'Big House'. Designed to be a home from home, there are 28 individually designed rooms (they worked with a Holt-based interior designer) across the main house and the old stable blocks.

The Grain Store restaurant. (Image: The Maltings/Rove PR) There is also a new destination restaurant - The Grain Store. And it is very dog friendly.

I've been lucky enough to stay in a couple of Chestnut's other properties and one of the things I really like about them is how when they renovate a property, which are generally at least a century or two old, they work with the historic building's characters and quirks - and take inspiration from the local landscape for its decor.

Each property has its own logo - and for The Maltings they've chosen an ammonite, reflecting its location on the Deep History Coast where lots of fascinating archaeological discoveries have been made. The property's history as a supplier to local brewers and an artist’s studio are other reference points.

My gorgeous room in one of the stable blocks was painted a calming green - I could feel my shoulders start to relax the moment that I walked in.

It came equipped with an Illy coffee machine, kettle and a generous selection of teas (flasks of fresh milk are available from reception) and snacks, including speculoos biscuits.

One of the stylish bathrooms. (Image: The Maltings/Rove PR) The bathroom was fabulous, with a huge walk-in drench shower (with green checkerboard tiles, which I would very much like to recreate at home), a deep freestanding tub and was fully stocked with delicious smelling Bramley toiletries and fluffy towelling bathrobes.

Having checked in - the staff are super friendly - and dropped off my bags, I headed straight to the beach, which is about 10 minutes away on foot, for a windswept walk on Weybourne Beach.

A pebble beach (there's no sandcastle building here) flanked by sandstone cliffs, it's one of Norfolk's more dramatic coastal landscapes - and noisiest, with the rattly soundtrack of the pebbles being dragged back and forth by the waves. But I found the rhythm oddly hypnotic and relaxing.

Menacing grey clouds gathered overhead, which added to the atmosphere, but when even the fishermen started to pack up, I took that as my cue to head back to The Maltings, arriving just as the first spots of rain fell.

The interior of The Grain Store restaurant really has the wow factor. (Image: The Maltings/Rove PR) I headed to the main house to warm up with a coffee - I ordered at Bolding Bar and was spoiled for choice when it came to finding myself a cosy nook. I chose a spot by the fire in the chintzy but cool Library, which you can really imagine coming into its own in the depths of winter. There's even a record player and a selection of vinyl, if you fancy some music. As well as a wide selection of drinks, you can treat yourself to a traditional afternoon tea - or a wedge of cake. And as dinner time approaches, the canapes come out. I really enjoyed the truffle popcorn which came served in dainty vintage china cups.

But that was just an amuse bouche for a (spoiler alert) fabulous meal at The Grain Store. The spectacular double height restaurant has the wow factor, which really elevates the experience. The restaurant is open to non-residents too and it would be a great place to head to if you had a special occasion to celebrate.

And with that in mind, lots of the dishes are designed to share. With head chef Scott Taylor at the helm here, local, seasonal produce is the star and the menu changes according to what is available - right down to the ingredients for the cocktails. When I stayed, the small plates menu included Brancaster Staithe smoked salmon with dill mayonnaise and Cromer crab tacos. As you'd expect from a coastal location, there is lots of seafood on offer, including salt and pepper cockle popcorn and oysters with seaweed hot sauce.

The Grain Store offers a range of sharing platters, including sumptuous seafood. (Image: The Maltings/Rove PR) They also do a quartet of fantastic sounding Norfolk platters, to feed two or more: lobster, the coastal platter which celebrates the best locally caught seafood, a 50-day Norfolk rib of beef on the bone which has been aged in a salt chamber and coal-roasted and a rack of dry aged Norfolk pork, slowly roasted and served with burnt apple sauce.

I ordered a grown up and refreshing non alcoholic saffron and blood orange cocktail and started my meal with a pillowy coal roasted flatbread. The main event was possibly the most perfect steak frites. The steak was coal-fired and accompanied by zimgy chimichurri and roasted peanut for texture. The meat was meltingly tender and the frites were perfection - crunchy but perfectly fluffy on the inside. This is precision cooking.

Relax in the cosy and stylish Lounge. (Image: The Maltings/Rove PR) I didn't really have room for dessert, but on the recommendation of the waiter, I decided to have what has already become something of a 'fan favourite' - the salted caramel tart with malted barley ice cream. I love it when sweet and savoury collide and this confection had the balance just right.

The service at the restaurant was impeccable - the staff were chatty and smiley, were knowledgeable about the menu and created a lovely experience. And that was true of everyone I met at The Maltings - from the warm welcome at check in to (reluctantly) handing back my room key at the end of my stay.

I have to find out who their bedding supplier is, because after returning to my room for a bit of telly I had the best night's sleep I'd had in ages. I woke up feeling completely refreshed and, amazingly given the size of dinner the previous night, ready to tackle a hearty breakfast.

The full English at The Maltings. (Image: Emma Lee) Served in the Grain Store from a civilised 8am onwards, you can help yourself to a selection from the Breakfast Table, which includes homemade granola, freshly baked pastries, Norfolk charcuterie and porridge with crushed berries and Norfolk honey. The hot menu includes Cley kipper with poached egg and spinach and egg Benedict, florentine or royale. And then there's one of the joys of a hotel stay - the full works, either meaty featuring butcher’s sausage, dry cure bacon, black pudding, slow-baked mushroom, homemade hash brown, rosemary and thyme baked tomato with your choice of egg. Or, deep breath, the vegetarian version features vegetarian sausage, vegan black pudding, slow-baked, mushroom, hash brown, rosemary and thyme baked tomato, again with eggs.