The Windsor Castle Hotel is an improbable oasis away from the hectic pace of Chapel Street, and nestled behind the train station on the fringe of its green suburb, it seems a mile away. The striking lime façade, complete with cinder elephants, may turn some away, as might the largely unremarkable front bar. But to do that would mean missing out on one of Windsor’s true summer gems.

Come the hotter months its courtyard is thronged with pretty bronzed folk, all drinking iced beverages and frosty beers. The bamboo fencing and leafy shade frame it well and, complete with its own bar and ample seating, make it an excellent venue for a Sunday catch-up with friends.

The Windsor Castle Hotel is definitely a destination venue for the express purpose of enjoying the season’s rays; a few cold drinks may even have you singing the praises of the stock-standard pub grub, and its dim paisley and mahogany-clad interior.