The George Hotel, Dorchester-on-Thames

We had a drink outside in the sun before dinner, then enjoyed excellent service, really good food and wine, and a lovely cocktail for a nightcap. We skipped dessert because we were already too full. The young man who welcomed us at check-in was friendly, and turned out to be a great barman as well. The hotel is beautiful and full of history, in a lovely location. Thanks for a lovely stay. We hope to return.

The Saturday night meal was fantastic, and the staff were friendly, attentive and helpful. Our room was first class, with wonderful furnishings, and the hotel felt warm and sumptuously appointed. Sunday morning brought birdsong, the chimes of Dorchester Abbey, Radio Three and proper Nespresso coffee. Even the Roberts Radio was a nice touch. A perfect getaway for us, thank you. Highly recommended.

James looked after us each evening. He was friendly, knew the menu well and never intruded. The portions were just right, and we tried a different dish each night. I loved the chicken, ham and leek pie, with crisp pastry and a beautifully cooked filling; my husband really enjoyed the trout. We came for a few days to celebrate his birthday and were made welcome at reception. Room 202 was lovely, with a huge, comfortable bed, a great shower with plenty of hot water, bright white fluffy towels, and good shower gel and hand wash. The only drawback was being right by the pavement and road. The blind gave privacy, but traffic noise came through. Breakfast was nice, with fruit, cereal and yoghurt as well as a full cooked option. It's a lovely base for exploring the area, and the abbey opposite is really interesting and well worth a visit.

We'd stay again despite a few small disappointments. The hotel is full of history, the staff were really friendly, and its position right on the Thames path was ideal for our overnight stop during a walk. We were upgraded to the Oak Room, probably the biggest room we've ever stayed in, with a bath, double basin, large bathroom and sitting area. Dinner was reasonably priced, about £70 for two courses for two, a glass of wine and a couple of beers. I had asked about a twin room after the reminder showed a double. The hotel asked which we wanted, I confirmed twin, then heard nothing despite sending another message. It wasn't discussed when we arrived, and we got one large bed instead of separate ones. The room was hard to keep warm, and a noisy extractor, presumably from the kitchen, ran until about 11:30. The food was okay rather than special. Beetroot with a few dabs of whipped goat's cheese and greenery for starters; the halloumi burger had a piece of halloumi, peppers, a little lettuce and a bun, and my husband's liver and mash were also uninspiring. There was a good choice and several specials, though. Breakfast had fresh fruit salad and plenty of cooked options, but our poached eggs were overcooked and the tomato undercooked.