subject: Combe House Devon – A Romantic Country Retreat [print this page] Combe House Devon A Romantic Country Retreat
Combe House Devon, near Exeter winner of the 2010 Devon Hotel of the Year Award is the perfect country retreat for a romantic getaway. This wonderful Grade I Elizabethan Manor is hidden in a lush 3,500 acre country estate where Arabian horses and pheasants roam freely.
Push open the broad oak door of this magnificent country house to find yourself in the elegant Great Hall where a huge blazing log fire awaits you. As you step into the warmth, luxury and tranquillity of this comfortable country home, you cannot fail to notice the uniquely informal and relaxed atmosphere.
Combe's two resident Master Chefs of Great Britain, Hadleigh Barrett and Stuart Brown, are passionate about sourcing the freshest and best quality local ingredients for their dishes, which are served by candlelight in two intimate dining rooms. The extensive cellar has some two hundred vintages sourced from across the world's major wine producing regions but with particular emphasis on France and Australia.
The main house has fifteen luxurious en-suite bedrooms and suites, including a four-poster; a special treat is the Linen Suite which occupies part of the original Victorian laundry and hosts an amazing 6ft diameter, round copper wash tub.
Combe is approached by a mile long drive from the picture postcard village of Gittisham. Gittisham was the film location for a Rosamunde Pilcher novel and described by Prince Charles as the "Ideal English Village" with its pretty Devon cob and thatch cottages, Norman Church, babbling brook and Village Green - a timeless picture of days gone by.
Tucked away in the woods at the entrance is the beautifully restored Combe Thatch Cottage a romantic hideaway for two with its own private walled garden. The cottage doubles as a thrillingly secluded suite for the hotel so you can confidently expect the best - and you can pop up for drinks and dinner, even breakfast. You're off the lane, next to the river, with doves in the dovecote and a huge walled garden all to yourself.
Prices for 2011 start from 199 B&B per double/twin room per night and three-course dinner with canaps is 49 per person.
At Combe we welcome well-behaved dogs in some rooms and the cottage. Your dog is welcome in the sitting room, bar and in the great hall, where he can lounge in front of the open fire as you enjoy a relaxing drink or afternoon tea.
