Guests find a jar of homemade cookies in their rooms, which is just one of the fun quirks of this intimate boutique hotel in a former convent, a stroll from Alnwick Castle. Owner Debbie Cook has created 'a fabulous hotel' with 'friendly and efficient service', and a modern country-house feel of stripped-wood floors, leather armchairs and chic shades-of-blue colour scheme. Geometric-patterned fabrics are mixed with bright-orange Penguin classics in the lounge. In the light and elegant dining room, framed collections of cutlery hang on walls, while pieces of blue-and-white glassware and pottery catch the eye. Bedrooms continue the blue theme with an uncluttered style that mixes vintage and modern. Some overlook the castle, others have cosy sloping ceilings, while the extraordinary Chapel Suite offers a copper bath beneath stained-glass windows. Readers were pleased with their large room on the third floor, from which they had a partial castle view, a large bathroom with a bath and standalone shower. 'We ate there for four nights with no need to repeat a meal. It was all good but the pan-fried sea trout with stir-fried vegetables was delicious. Portion sizes are very generous.' Breakfast, eaten overlooking the garden, includes poached egg and avocado, kippers, or home-made granola, 'a luscious fruit and nut loaded extravagance'. (Bill Wood, HM)