[4] In a 2009 review, Cruising World editor Mark Pillsbury noted the design's 80 in (203.20 cm) below decks headroom, roomy accommodations and easy engine access but faulted the lack of on-deck handholds.
About amenities, he stated, "Aboard the 50 CC, however, the real luxury is found aft, where a chaise lounge on the port quarter and a settee to starboard frame an island queen that incorporates a three-panel base that can be folded back to unveil a full-size tub with jets.
The slightly raised saloon is bright and airy, thanks to large fixed windows and multiple opening ports and hatches and you get a good view."
He concluded, "It’s easy to get distracted by the hot tub and the TV in every cabin and the “admiral’s seat,” but in truth there’s more than that to this boat.
"[6] In naming the design the 2009 Best Boats - Accommodations, Sailing magazine writer Nigel Calder, stated, "the Hunter 50 surely has raised the bar for cruising sailboats much higher than it has ever been before.