Big picture windows frame views of the Dart at this cool, contemporary hotel with its chic bedrooms and relaxed bistro dining in the riverside restaurant and outside.'The location is idyllic,' enthuses a reader 'and it's just a short walk from town'. Every bedroom comes with a view and often a balcony, balustrade or patio to take in the scene. Decorated in soft shades of grey, with blue and taupe highlights, and in a comfortable but uncluttered style, rooms offer calm spaces and sleek bathrooms. Top rooms have a freestanding bath and binoculars. During the day, you can mess about on the river to your heart's content, hiring kayaks and paddle boards, taking the Greenway ferry to Agatha Christie's former home, or sightseeing by paddle steamer. Then return to a dinner of 'good food with fresh fish featuring prominently'. Expect everything from oysters and mussels to catch of the day served a la plancha alongside steaks, lamb shank and burgers. Breakfast, afternoon tea and cocktails can be enjoyed on the terrace; in summer, a vintage truck in the Waterfront Garden serves coffee, cakes and chilled drinks. With 'friendly and attentive staff', the hotel is 'a very special place'. (David Haigh, Geoffrey Bignell, and others)