‘Little has changed’ at this ‘beautifully maintained and furnished’ pink brick Queen Anne mansion. Guests on a return visit after many years, likened it to a wonderful ‘time warp’. Bought by the Hines family in 1978, the handsome house now rambles comfortably through sympathetic additions, with Baba, the senior in the mother-son team, keeping ‘an eagle eye on everything’ including the ‘brilliant, friendly and attentive staff’. Inside is pure country house with a plush palette, equestrian prints and several watercolours by Baba’s great-grandmother. There are settles and old photographs in the snug bar, a fire and relaxed seating in the drawing room. Light, airy, individually decorated bedrooms with large period windows have a ‘comfortable king-size bed, a large bathroom with fluffy robes, good towels and Duck Island toiletries’. ‘We appreciated the delicious shortbread in the rooms along with leaf tea, coffee and fresh milk in the fridge.’ Local boy and new chef Chris Monk, who trained in the kitchens here, might serve miso-sesame skrei cod; maple-glazed celeriac. Breakfast (‘near-perfect’) has home-made muesli, sausages cooked to a family secret. (BG, and others)