One of the best ways to see how smoothly a hotel works is to get up early and go on the snoop. When I did this recently at the Spread Eagle, in Midhurst, Sussex, I came across the acid test of a good hotel — a posh wedding.

Florists scuttled to and fro swiftly decorating the Jacobean Hall for the reception. The dining tables groaned with flowers, and the wrought-iron chandeliers were bedecked with trailing ivy. Champagne glasses stood in rows on the bar and there was a pleasing sense of calm that comes only from meticulous attention to detail. Shame I wasn’t invited. Never mind, I was having a great time anyway.

Check-in at this friendly village inn had been swift, and our room, Egremont, was lovely — not huge, but panelled in oak and with a large four-poster bed. Our bathroom was large, and it had a huge Victorian sink and a roll-top bath. There were plenty of towels, fluffy robes and Temple Spa toiletries.

We had pre-dinner drinks by the fire in the bar (the oldest part of the hotel, and where Guy Fawkes used to drink). Young couples were playing Scrabble and chess, which they took from a table thoughtfully provided with games for rainy afternoons.

The packed dining room was brightly lit by brass chandeliers and busy with chatter. The beams were hung with Christmas puddings, which stay all year round. “One of them is 40 years old,” said a waiter. “You can eat it if you want, but I’m not going to.”

The chap who served our meal had a Swedish accent, so, naturally, I asked whether, like me, he was a fan of Abba. “No, but my mother is,” he said. Well, really! I wasn’t too insulted to lose my appetite, however. My husband Harry had creamed onion soup, which he loved, and I had a generous platter of smoked salmon. We followed this with two fillets of Scotch beef and finished with a serving of cheese for two, which was excellent. A bottle of sauvignon blanc and two glasses of muscat, and we were suitably fortified for that climb into the four-poster.

We had breakfast in our room the next day, munching croissants and drinking coffee as we looked down on the courtyard where Cromwell’s troops used to meet. Then I went off for a massage in the spa, done by a lady called Andrea, who was marvellous.

I do have a couple of tiny grumbles. The maids started vacuuming outside our door early on Sunday morning, and the door from the entrance hall to the dining room squeaked, which was annoying. But these are small problems that could be easily solved.

Bottom line: Mary Gold paid £198 for a superior room, including breakfast.

Sampling the fare: a three- course dinner for two is £70, excluding wine.

What we think: historic inn with excellent food.

Access all areas: wheelchair- friendly rooms and restaurant, but not the bar. Drinks can be served in the conservatory.

Best thing: cheerful and friendly staff.

Worst thing: being mistaken for an old trout.

Need to know: The Spread Eagle, Midhurst, West Sussex (01730 816911, www.hshotels.co.uk).

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