Nothing much alters from year to year at Michael Pritt’s Victorian hotel, just across from a shingle beach washed by the North Sea. And that is the way his loyal guests like it. ‘Our annual visit to our favourite hotel,’ writes one reader. ‘It is great to be welcomed by the same staff.’ The ethos is proudly traditional. ‘It may seem “old-fashioned” but that is an advantage, as really nothing needs changing.’ Public rooms are ‘attractive and comfortable’, with acres of carpet and soft furnishings. Another reader ‘tried hard, but couldn’t find any fault except a poor hairdryer’. A third, however, felt her large sea-view double, with a ‘very compact’ bathroom, was ‘drab’ and did not live up to its picture on the website. In the restaurant, Tim Keeble’s seasonal fare was enjoyed by our devotees. ‘The food was really good this year, with plenty of choice for non-meat-eaters like us. Delicious fish, too.’ (Maybe grilled lemon sole and chervil butter, or caramelised onion and Brie tart.) ‘Michael Pritt is always so friendly. We just hope he will continue.’ (Simon Rodway, Edward Gosnell, and others)