Browns Hotel

Situated in a stylish townhouse in the centre of Dartmouth, Browns is a cool and contemporary hotel with a relaxed, welcoming vibe. The rooms are stylish, with all the extra touches you’d expect, and the hotel’s restaurant and bar are popular with locals as well as guests, with cocktails and an extensive wine list that are a particular draw. The food has a distinctively Spanish flavour and there's usually a great little ‘catch of the day’ from Brixham fish market.

As for the rooms, they're all different, and inventively and eclectically furnished with some vintage Danish 1960s designer pieces, big comfy beds and works by contemporary artists on the walls. All the rooms are a good size, and furnished with sofas and easy chairs; there's super-fast wifi, the bathrooms have powerful showers and a couple have baths. But the room you should choose for a treat is their top-floor suite – one of the largest hotel rooms in Dartmouth, with more Danish furniture, lovely views and a separate sitting area. There is no parking, but – a nice touch, this – they offer long-term parking permits for guests to park just 200m from the hotel (parking can be a nightmare in the town).

It's great in any case to be in the centre of Dartmouth, one of Devon's most historic towns and close to loads of compelling attractions: you can take the ferry up the river to Agatha Christie's house at Greenway or to Dittisham on the other side of the river; or walk in the opposite direction, via Dartmouth Castle, to the lovely beach at Blackpool Sands. All in all Browns is a great place to stay – and to eat – in what is undeniably one of the most appealing and best situated towns in the Southwest.