Sara Mills enjoys a Devonshire retreat (From Hampshire Society)

Sara Mills enjoys a Devonshire retreat

4:15pm Wednesday 11th November 2009

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Do we have to leave?’ I overheard the wistful bride ask her brand new husband at breakfast, the morning after the Big Day. The glorious country setting at Combe House in Devon seems to have that effect.

I shared her sentiments as I stared out of the huge mullioned windows, across the paddocks of roaming Arabian horses to the acres of soft undulating hills beyond.

It’s a view that could literally command your attention for hours.

So it’s no wonder that owners Ken and Ruth Hunt fell in love with the place.

“When we saw it, we just knew,” Ken, told me. “We just had to have it and make it work.”

The couple, prolific in the hotel industry, have spent the last 11 years sympathetically restoring this beautiful Elizabethan manor to its former glory.

Unperturbed by the hard work ahead, they set about renovating every part of the hotel but with care and attention.

There’s no gimmicky spa, golf course or added on bits. Instead attention has been focused on getting the detail right. The couple conferred with English Heritage to recreate the Georgian kitchen, restoring the original cast iron Range and wood-fired bread oven to full working order and the cellar, once neglected and knee deep in water, is now fully functioning again, with layer upon layer of dusty bottles sourced from every major wine producing region around the globe.

The bedrooms are vast, each with their own individual style. Ours (The Boswell) featured high ceilings, enormous leaded windows, a comfy lounge area with squishy sofa and chairs set back in an enormous stone alcove, plus a bed the size of an entire county.

There was no tacky tea tray to be seen. Instead tea is brought up to your room fresh each morning – a very civilised touch.

This is typical of the values instilled at Combe, where guests are treated like old friends and nothing is too much trouble.

Dinner is formal without erring on the stuffy side. Canapes served in the lounge brought an air of comfort and ease to the proceedings, but that’s not to say the food isn’t taken seriously.

In fact, like any well-run home, or place of comfort, food is at the core of all things.

Much of the vegetables, herbs and fruit are grown on site in the walled gardens, giving Hadleigh Barrett and Stuart Brown, Combe’s two resident Master Chefs of Great Britain, the freshest ingredients for their menus.

The pair, who have bagged a Michelin Rising Star, are ardent about sourcing local ingredients and much of the meat is hand-reared from neighbouring farms, while the fish is brought fresh daily from Brixham.

There’s enough fruit grown on site to provide jam and marmalade at breakfast all year round and a beehive ensures scrummy home-made honey.

But while these rustic, self-sufficient ways translate well to a hearty breakfast using free-range eggs, smoked applewood bacon, home-grown grilled tomatoes and proper thick cut toast, the resident chefs are careful to ensure everything is a little more refined at dinner.

Ken dismisses the desire for a Michelin Star with the waft of a hand. “We’ll get there,” he says with a confident smile.

And with an inspired menu you can see why. A cheeky little lobster bisque, all frothy and salty-sweet and served in a little china cup with still-warm rolls and Devonshire churned butter whet the palate. Slithers of pretty red mullet paired with meaty chunks of lobster, tasted impossibly moist and fresh. Coupled with the sharpness of the artichoke, (pulled fresh from the garden) a sprinkle of delicate salad leaves and little blobs of home-made mayonnaise it simply bursts with flavour. The monkfish fritter coated in a crispy crumb outer layer was uber soft inside. Like a large, posh piece of scampi, its succulent flesh is complemented by the sweet vibrant pea puree beneath.

To follow came a perfectly cooked piece of brill, with a creamy crab mash and peppery braised fennel underneath, all dribbled in a naughty crab butter. The ever-so-slightly pink duck breast, daringly spiced with warm cumin, came with a rich fois gras veloute. Interestingly, the roasted beetroot brought an earthy sweetness, which really worked, while dark spring greens added texture and depth.

With just five options for each starter and main, less was certainly more – each dish was carefully conceived. And from scallops and Lyme Bay crab to roast lamb rump and poached chicken, there didn’t seem to be a bad choice on the menu.

Desserts were kept simple but beautifully presented and a nightcap in the bar with petit fours was a relaxing end to the meal.

There are many special things about Combe House.

There’s the impressive meandering approach up to the manor and the 250-year-old Cedar tree which towers reassuringly next to it.

It’s got the sturdy oak door, historical 16th century artwork, dark wood panelling, and obligatory stag heads that you would expect to find at a country manor. But it’s also got roaring fires, creaky floorboards and comfy deep pile sofas, perfect for sinking into with an array of Sunday supplements. Rooms (there are just 15) come with a Roberts digital radio and flat screen TV. Every comfort has been thought of including duck-down eiderdowns, squishy mattress tops and rich, thick, light-erasing curtains.

The grounds are full of hidden treasures. There are peaceful woods and meadows to explore.

Tucked away in an remote spot is a thatched open-air store house complete with hot running water and a romantic bath where you can soak up the view across the 3,500 acres of land, extending as far as the eye can see towards Dartmoor.

For total escapism there’s even a beautifully restored thatched cottage with its own walled garden.

But most of all Combe House has a wonderfully relaxed and informal atmosphere which is totally organic and comes with years of experience. You feel you are in safe hands.

“There’s plenty more for us to do here”, Ken confides, “There’s always something, but it’s our life. It’s all we know.”

And as long as guests continue to express the desire to never want to leave he quietly knows he is doing that ‘something’ right.

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