La Frégate

For Victor Hugo in exile, Guernsey was his ‘rock of hospitality and freedom’. Guests today feel much the same way about La Frégate. Occupying a comprehensively refurbished 18th-century manor house with a modern extension, the hotel has ‘fantastic views’ over the town, harbour and Cornet Castle. Simon Dufty, who manages for private owners, has a steady hand on the tiller. From sleek, ‘well-equipped’ bedrooms, admire the vista across the sea to Sark and Herm; on a clear day, France shrugs on the horizon. ‘Our balcony looked towards the neighbouring islands: magical.’ Daylight pours into the well-regarded dining room, where chef Neil Maginnis uses plenty of local ingredients, in particular fish and shellfish, in his ‘straightforward’ menus. ‘The food deserves all the accolades it has had.’ Opt for Guernsey scallops, cauliflower, pancetta; seared brill fillet, leeks, mussels, beurre noisette. Vegetarians have plenty of imaginative options: smoked cheddar beignets; asparagus, sage and onion rösti. A path winds through terraced gardens to the waterfront; amble down – and puff back up (or take a taxi). Don’t miss Hugo’s Hauteville House, ‘a poem in several rooms’. (JR)