‘We had total faith that everything would be the best it could be during our stay.’ Guide readers arriving at this ivy-swagged Georgian town house on the River Ouse found a popular local spot ‘buzzing with guests enjoying the casual, cosy setting of the log fire-warmed lounge and bar areas’. John Hoskins is the ‘warm, friendly’ owner; the staff are ‘helpful and pleasant’. ‘The well-trained young team, under the discreet but watchful eye of the owner, gives the place a welcome dynamism. We never had to ask for anything twice; there wasn’t anything that was overlooked or misunderstood.’ Bedrooms are individually styled with ‘a tasteful mixture’ of traditional and bold contemporary furnishings – ‘plush without a whiff of pretension’. Those facing the busy road have triple-glazed windows. ‘Our inviting river-view room was impeccably clean, quiet and comfortable, with a light, wonderfully spacious bathroom.’ Chef Jack Woolner gives a modern spin to classic cooking in the ‘atmospheric, intimate’ Terrace restaurant; breakfast, with fresh fruit, home-made compotes and ‘a good selection’ of cooked dishes, is ‘impressive’. ‘Ten out of ten.’ (A and BB, Peter Yaxley)