Aston Hotel, Dumfries.

Beautiful setting in acres of green with well tended gardens. All it needed was petanque court to be heaven.

Novel system was £96-50 for evening meal, bed and breakfast. Thus I made my way to the restaurant to see what I could find. And it was good. Cullen skink (look it up) with fresh wholemeal bread followed by Rump of Lamb with dauphinoise potatoes and cherry spiced red cabbage. Very good. A trad too much cabbage but a very tasty meal. More chilean Red.

Breakfast next morning was pretty good. You can judge a breakfast by the sausage and although it touted it as a local product it was only average. To be honest you get better sausages in tesco than in most restaurants - pork & apple, pork & leek, the list is endless. The breakfast itself was good quality.

Total bill £100 but when the evening meal was £20 and the breakfast £10 that leaves £70 for the room which itself was very impressive. Comfortable bed, compact en suite but shower you could live in. Highly recommended.

(The extra money was a pint of beer. Not that good but it was a hotel. Top Tip *** Get in a real local ale. That will wow the tourists.)