Hideaway at Highbullen

Why go abroad when the UK itself has some breathtakingly beautiful places, ideal for escaping with your partner for a sneaky premoon or minimoon before jetting off somewhere exotic later in the year.

Highbullen Hotel in North Devon is the ideal place for this. Spread across a 127-acre estate between Exmoor and Dartmoor, this gothic-fronted country house hotel is a destination in its own right, with an 18-hole golf course, tennis courts, swimming pool and spa all within the grounds, means you don’t have to venture into the real world throughout your whole stay.

The historic Manor House dates back to 1879 and is home to 12 beautiful bedrooms, whilst a further 30 bedrooms can be found throughout the Estate as well as 4 stand-alonesumptuous self-catering cottages and finally the ideal accommodation for a romantic escape, the luxurious ‘Loft Suite’ located within the main hotel this suite is just spectacular, why would you want to leave when you have everything you need all behind the closed door.

Walk through the Loft Suite door directly into a small entrance area, complimented by a colour palette of yellow and grey Laura Ashley wallpaper, coat hooks that spell out Highbullen and your own private infa-red sauna, complete with colour changing mood lights and sound system, it’s a wonder we made it up the stairs to the first floor to explore the rest of the suite, but I’m glad we did, the contemporary luxe feel just kept on flowing.

The grey palette continued up the stairs into the main bathroom complete with a monsoon shower, White Company toiletries and a steam room, this isn’t just a suite it’s like your own hideaway apartment hidden away inside the historic walls of this beautiful country house. The lounge is spacious with a charcoal grey velvet sofa, complete with a Nintendo Wii, 3D Blu-ray player and even 3D glasses! Then there was the bedroom, absolutely gorgeous, from the sumptuously comfortable bed, floor to ceiling window complete with window seat to the freestanding bath, everything here was beautifully indulgent – the only problem was to steam, sauna or bath!

I chose to bath and hubbie chose to steam, it’s just like having your own private spa, one of which we would have happily luxuriated in for the duration of our stay, but bellies were rumbling and food was calling in the form of dinner in the hotels Devon View Restaurant, aptly named of course because of the stunning scenery that is visible from every angle of the room, thanks to the vast windows surrounding the restaurant. But first pre-dinner drinks served in the cellar bar, a cosy space for a drink, bar snack or game of billiards, which of course we played and of course I didn’t win!
We pursued the menu (one that uses locally sourced produce as much as it can) as we relaxed in the atmospheric cellar, G&T in one hand, menu in the other, until our starters were ready and we were lead through into the restaurant.

An amuse bouche of leek and potato soup began our culinary journey, full of strong delicious flavours asure sign of the delightful meal that was to follow. We had bothopted for the free-range chicken thigh for starters, which was served with apoached hen egg (cooked to perfection) on top of a sage crumble. The meaty flavours of the chicken were enhanced further by the egg and sage and proved to be a perfect combination of flavours for the palette.

Mains were a Tarragon mustard fillet of hake with crushed potatoes, broad beans, courgettes and bok choy. Colourfully presented, this dish reflected the flavours of springtime effortlessly and wasa mouth-wateringly delicious treat for the taste buds.

Hubbie’s mains was a roasted duck breast with fondant potato, roasted artichokes and braised red cabbage, a flavoursome dish that was cooked to perfection, a definite hit.

I decided to end the evening with a Belgian milk chocolate marquise which was served with banana and lime ice cream and toffee popcorn, the crunchy popcorn textures complimented the smooth delicious chocolate marquise effortlessly and the ice cream brought a refreshing after taste to the palette. Hubbie opted for the pineapple soufflé which was served with toasted coconut ice cream – the soufflé was light (as it should be) with the pineapple adding a delicious fruity kick.

Suitably full from some fabulous food, we debating another game of billiards (I could at least try to win at least one game), but the pull of our unique Loft Suite was too great, so we retired to our room for a little more spa-ing before retiring for a blissful night’s sleep.

Breakfast the next morning was a delightful assortment of buffet and freshly ordered dishes from the menu. I highly recommend the pancakes with maple syrup and hubbie loved the full Devon breakfast everything was so fresh and tasty.

It was a beautiful sunny day so we decided to head out to Woolacombe for a walk on the beach and some fresh sea air. If you’re not a beach lover there’s plenty of other things to entice you to explore, from pretty Devon villages with cosy country pubs and old churches to lovely gardens such as Castle Hill and RHS Rosemoor, the latter being home to the largest rose garden in the southwest. For walking enthusiasts, the South West Coast Path, Exmoor and Dartmoor are perfect for rambling walks, horse riding or simply taking in the wild and rugged scenery. The smell of fresh seaside fish and chips was so tempting, but we didn’t succumb (we can always come back tomorrow) as we were heading back to Highbullen and its newly opened Laura Ashley Tea Rooms for a Great British tradition – Afternoon Tea.

Designed in the distinctive Laura Ashley style, the room is just perfect in every way. From its spectacular scenery, lofty ceilings, stunning lighting and relaxing fire, the colour palette of light greys, yellows and whites accentuated with turquoise blue velvet chairs and accessories is the ideal place to enjoy afternoon tea, served of course on Laura Ashley crockery.

The afternoon tea itself was a decadent delight of savoury treats (hot fish goujons with tartare sauce and homemade warm duck and quail scotch egg, served with a mild curried chutney). Finger sandwiches, thinly cut without the crusts with fillings of egg mayonnaise, ham & mustard, cucumber & smoked salmon, and plain cream cheese as well as the tastiest smoked salmon crostini and Mediterranean savoury tart along with an appetizing selection of handmade cakes and warm buttermilk scones, one plain and one baked with golden raisins, served with Devon clotted cream and strawberry jam. Lovely fresh food served in a beautiful relaxing room, what more could you want?

Well maybe a massage, to melt away all the aches in my body from doing nothing! The spa is

a tranquil haven, perfect for a swim, unwinding in the jacuzzi, sauna or steam room or just relaxing in the sun on the terrace. I left hubbie chilling on the terrace whilst I spoilt myself with a massage that the highly trained ELEMIS therapist tuned to my bodies needs perfectly.

Highbullenis a mix of contemporary touches and modern luxuries, a peaceful and calming haven away from all the hustle and bustle of wedding prep, honeymoon planning or post wedding blues. A romantic retreat just for the two of you, where you can hear the cow’s moo and the birds sing and you can do as much or as little as you want in your own little Highbullen hideaway.