Country Life: March 2009

A good place to stay

The George in Rye

The well-worn floorboards of The George creak with the ghostly treads of smugglers, highwaymen and past queens of England. Situated in the heart of the town, it retains the best of its heritage and combines it with luxurious contemporary design. The bedrooms are charming with marble bathrooms and showerheads the size of sunflowers. The beds boast soft matrasses, crisp white linen sheets and every type of sleep-inducing pillow available. Mullioned windows open onto quiet back streets and fresh sea air. The restaurant serves fresh local produce worked up into a feast by former Moro chef Rod Grossmann. The George Tap is a favoured haunt of the locals, cosy in winter and airy in summer, with an outside courtyard. It's a perfect retreat.

The George in Rye, 98, High Street, Rye, East Sussex (01797222114); www.thegeorgeinrye.com; www.mrandmrssmith.com)