The Esterea has recently been refurbished, and while it didn’t need a dramatic fix-up, it has benefitted from its spit and polish. The 17th century building opened as a hotel in the 1940s, and has the ornate cosiness of the first half of the 20th century, with thick carpets, elaborate light fittings, and dark, flowery wallpaper. Given its old-school decorative charms and location, its prices feel reasonable. It’s been in the Esterea family since it opened, and there remains a sense of family ownership, and although it has the size and amenities of a chain, has a little more individual character. Although rooms are decorated individually, they tend to keep the same austere but cosy feel of the rest of the hotel, with thick carpets, marble elements in the bathroom, and a general feeling that if the weather turns nasty, a day indoors wouldn’t be such a chore.