‘Yet again, everything was of the highest standard.’ Regular visitors once more praise Richard Seton’s spa hotel overlooking the River Dart (come by boat, by all means). Credit, also, to his manager: ‘Paul Downing is brilliant at his job!’ All the smart, modern bedrooms have a river view. Even a smaller one, with sliding doors and balustrade, ‘was comfortable, well appointed, with a king-size bed’. Air conditioning, fresh milk and a good bathroom were appreciated. Trade up for a balcony, a junior suite with dual-aspect lounge, a garden suite with wet room and drench shower. The latest wheeze is Cloud Nine summer pop-up bar, serving pints of prawns, pulled pork sliders. Dine inside or out. A lounge menu offers lighter fare, while in the dining room, Peter Alcroft exploits freshly landed fish and seasonal local produce to create such ‘inventive, delicious’ dishes as pan-fried sea bass, confit fennel, olives, saffron potato, orange and wild fennel butter sauce. One reader rated the food ‘good, but not excellent’. Breakfast brings a ‘wonderful buffet, superb cooked dishes’. The staff are ‘attentive and friendly’; this is ‘obviously a happy ship’. (Eric and Mary Woods, John Charnley)