Beautifully located’ on the South West Coastal Path, this former Edwardian gentleman’s retreat has clifftop views of the three-mile-long beach. Nowadays, the ‘comfortable, relaxed’ hotel is owned by Amanda James, and run with ‘friendly, helpful staff’. All but three bedrooms look out to Woolacombe Bay: ‘Ours had beautiful views of a small cove with golden sand, rocks and waves.’ Ask for one of the recently refurbished bedrooms – a couple this year felt their accommodation was a little tired. Chef John Prince’s British dishes, served in the informal bistro and candlelit restaurant, are of an ‘excellent standard’. Breakfast is ‘good and plentiful’. Great walks through National Trust land and a beach are on the doorstep. ‘We hope to return.’