I've just been looking at the 'light' helicopter market and flew most of the options and listened to a lot of advice.
There's actually no definitive answer, as there are many different issues to consider. And some 'advice' will be tainted by personal prejudices and self interest.
But the 300s (particularly the C) did get a lot of praise. And the Enstrom 280fx shouldn't be dismissed. I had hoped the R44 would have fitted the bill, but despite its merits, I was a little disappointed.
In the end I went for a well equipped 2005 300C. Not cheap (same price as Raven II), but it met my criteria and was highly recommended by the people I trust.