On the banks of the River Ouse, Julia and John Hoskins’s ivy-covered town house hotel impressed trusted readers, who enjoyed the buzz created by locals ‘chatting over drinks’ in the ‘casual, cosy setting’ of the bar. Individually styled bedrooms, blending traditional and ‘bold contemporary’ furnishings, are ‘beautifully maintained’, with perhaps a ‘rich red chaise longue next to an original jet-black fireplace’. All have comfortable beds, wool mattress toppers, a power shower, perhaps a bath too, and good toiletries. Some rooms overlook garden and river, while triple glazing ensures serenity on the road front. Room 7 has a four-poster, a large, wallpapered bathroom with roll-top bath and separate shower. The two good-sized singles sport a marble bathroom. Mr Hoskins, a friendly, outgoing host and Master of Wine, runs the in-house wine shop. Tea and scones with organic cream are served all day in a lounge with a log fire and ‘intimate clusters of seating’. In the restaurant, head chef Jack Woolner’s cooking style is robust modern British – for instance, lamb rump, dauphinoise potatoes, savoy cabbage, pea purée, charred mushrooms. Breakfast is ‘impressive’, with ‘a good selection of cooked dishes’.