Bucks’ most uber glam hotel/restaurant is back, and it’s looking badder than ever. The initiated will know that the Crazy Bear is all about unfettered decadence – zebra print fabrics, padded walls and crystal chandeliers as standard. Following a change of management at the start of this year, it begins a new, groovy chapter with some changes that we’re buzzing about.

Don’t panic Bear-fans, the pool isn’t going anywhere. But they are welcoming brand-new head chef Carlo Scotto, Naples-born cook who earned his stripes under Angela Hartnett at (then Gordon Ramsay’s) Murano in Mayfair. In keeping with the hotel’s psychedelic vibe, Carlo’s chef’s table experience centre’s around foraged ingredients – read our review of Bear by Carlo Scotto and book a table before the waiting list gets out of hand.

The hotel still has two other restaurants, English and Thai, all sultry, moody and plush, and both spick and span from a recent refurbishment. They’re perfect for date nights and dirty weekends, but it’s not a case of style over substance. At English Restaurants, seasonal food, contemporary takes on classic dishes and rare-breed meats are among the calling cards. Think Jersey Rock oysters with a Tennessee whiskey vinaigrette and and burnt lemon, grilled sea bass with a tomato & chorizo ragu, baked butternut squash with goat’s curd, pumpkin seeds and samphire.

Meanwhile the Thai restaurants offer exceptionally authentic tasting food that’s freshly prepared like crispy Gressingham duck salad with white onion, red onion, celery, roasted cherry tomatoes, coriander, coconut and chilli paste, or shiitake and chestnut mushroom satay with arjard cucumber relish and peanut dipping sauce. Or just go for the good old fashioned green Thai curry – you’ll struggle to find a more aromatic one this side of Bangkok.

The Crazy Bear occupies a fifteenth century coaching inn, but the rooms look a little different now – think with copper roll top baths, rococo chairs, OTT decor and out-there colour schemes. Rooms are in the main building and surrounding cottages and are separated into four types: decadent, boujee, snug and cosy, which vary by size, but let’s just say there’s plenty of velvet wallpaper and gold gilt to go around. Decadent 7 is a personal fave for its feature round window and gold bed but go for Decadent 9 if you want a lighter, brighter space with less rich colour scheme.

The other big news: the Crazy Bear in Beaconsfield just added a brand-new gym. It complements a wellness offering that already includes epic Thai massages – book in for one during your stay and work out those cricks and cracks in a dedicated massage space with warmed aromatherapy oils at the hands of a pro in Thai healing.

Fancy some alfresco fun? The lavish swimming pool on the terrace, surrounded by seating strewn with lanterns, rugs and cushions, plays host to everything from afternoon tea to cocktails and lights bites, and even major pool parties on the weekends – who needs Ibiza baby? Both properties are big on corporate and party/wedding spaces for a night that your guests – and their insta – won’t forget.