For a trip back to a more glamorous age, board the sea tractor and cross the sands to this Art Deco hotel on a tidal island, where flapper dresses and feathered headbands won’t look amiss. ‘There is something for everyone – walks, beaches, good food, great accommodation.’ You might take a dip in the sea-bathing Mermaid Pool, play tennis or croquet, ‘or simply sit back and soak up the atmosphere’. In September 2024, £5.4 million in funding was agreed to enhance the facilities and décor and to help to preserve the collection of Art Deco antique that are so much a part of the fun. Even cosy double rooms have perfect period details, bespoke toiletries, Devon fudge. There are grand balcony luxe doubles and suites (Josephine Baker has a shared sundeck), the dog friendly Artist’s Studio is above the ancient Pilchard Inn. Agatha Christie's beach house, where she wrote of murder most foul, sleeps four. Enjoy black-tie dining and dancing in the Grand Ballroom, or eat à la carte in the Nettlefold (crab cakes, lobster Thermidor, steak frites), served by ‘perfectly attentive’ staff. ‘Why not really immerse yourself in the wonderous era by dressing the part? We always do!’ (CP)