Hell Bay Hotel

The rocky coastline may have been hell for sailors, but a short hop by propeller plane and boat brings you to the smallest of the inhabited Scilly Isles, something more like heaven. ‘We loved the whole experience,’ writes a reader in 2016, of a visit to Robert Dorrien-Smith’s hotel overlooking the Atlantic. ‘The young staff were utterly charming’; ‘all our transfers were brilliantly organised’. Bedrooms have a breezy, coastal feel. ‘Our top-floor Boathouse room had lovely views from the good-sized balcony. The large sitting area had two comfortable armchairs; brilliantly thought-out storage lined a corridor; a mini-kitchen behind cupboard doors had cafetière coffee, fresh milk and bottled water.’ A short walk through ‘beautifully tended’ gardens leads to the restaurant. ‘Dinner was always a treat, though we would’ve liked more shellfish. Breakfasts were excellent; a very interesting buffet.’ Another option: visit the hotel’s convivial, informal Crab Shack, where just three seafood dishes are served communally. ‘Such fun, really different – one of the highlights of our trip.’ The hotel’s collection of Cornish art is ‘unrivalled’. (Barbara Watkinson)