The George in Rye

Stylishly restored 450-year-old inn with excellent restaurant in one of England's most picturesque seaside towns

"It takes an endless amount of history to make even a little tradition." Henry James may have been thinking of The George – or indeed drinking in The George – when he wrote this. It was established at least 300 years before the author settled here in 1898, and its bar has always drawn local custom. But the hotel itself had become a neglected, and it took the keen eye of film set designer Katie Clarke and her husband Alex to spot the diamond beneath the dust.

Now, after two years of renovations, The George has a healthy glow – fresh-scrubbed bedrooms with crisp linen, gleaming bathrooms, clean and creamy walls throughout. New and old rub shoulders with flair: psychedelic prints in the reception, log fires in the lounge. Staff are young and courteous; the restaurant serves top-notch seafood and local lamb in an unstuffy style. And the cosy bar has real ales and organic cider. After an afternoon's traipse around cobbled streets, these contemporary comforts are a godsend. A fine hotel, in the best tradition – Henry would have approved.

Highs

• Terrific combination of olde English drawing-room and modern British country-house styles
• Beautifully designed suites with art deco touches and large, sumptuous bathrooms
• Excellent restaurant serving local produce with a large dose of Mediterranean flair (the head chef used to work at London restaurant Moro)
• Luxe details include Frette linen, Tivoli radios, Aveda toiletries, flat screen TVs and DVDs

Lows

• No parking on-site; the hotel is located on Rye's High Street; the closest is the train station, about 5 minutes' walk away
• The medieval town of Rye has not entirely escaped the twee factor, and it can be very quiet or teeming with tourists in the summer
• Recent reports that the young staff are somewhat disorganised and the service can be a bit offhand