Dorset House

Dorset House describes itself as ‘breakfast with rooms’, which is a clue that the morning feast in this eco-friendly, cream-washed Georgian house is a bit out of the ordinary. ‘It’s not just breakfast – it’s a four-course dining experience,’ raves a reader. It is cooked by Lyn Martin, co-owner with husband Jason, who in a former life travelled the world experiencing indifferent hotel meals. The granola and bread are homemade, the coffee slow roasted – ‘all delicious’. One reader loved the unusual choices of ‘Lyn’s wonderful pancakes with roasted nectarines; black rice porridge with kiwi fruit; lemon and garlic mushrooms on sourdough’ as well as more traditional choices. Sourcing is local and organic. If warm, you can eat on the veranda. Bedrooms are town-house smart and uncluttered, with waxed floorboards, large sash windows and mid-century and antique furniture. Designer bathrooms are shower-only. Thoughtful touches include books, water and baked treats. Most rooms have coastal views or a glimpse of the sea (the house is up a hill). There’s a snug with honesty bar where you can dine on a takeaway and the Martins now own a pizza restaurant in town. (Andrew Butterworth, and others)