Afternoon tea in Devon or dinner? The weekend hard decisions
Luxury afternoon tea in Devon, gourmet lunch or exquisite dinner – these are the hard decisions of weekend getaways and hopefully this article can help; our long time favourites Lympstone Manor and the Pig, stunning coastal walks, spa breaks, wine tasting, plus few more.
For lunch and early dinners with locally sourced, organic vegetables, we warmly recommend the Pig at Combe. In a grand Elizabeth building and wonderful tranquil setting of the Otter Valley, this Pig is lavish and perfect for foodies, walkers, families or romantic Devon weekend breaks.
Over 20 years since Robin Hutson launched his first Hotel du Vin in Winchester; he has long since sold the successful boutique hotel chain, moving on to stylish properties in rural settings: New Forest, Dorset and Devon, under The Pig brand.
Sitting on hills overlooking rolling countryside, the Pig at Combe welcomes with a wood-panelled reception and gorgeous cocktail bar; lounges with crackling fires and velvet sofas, leading into a gorgeous rural chic restaurant with covered gardens. The food in Pig at Combe is sourced from within 25 miles of the premises, while much of the fruit and vegetables come from the extensive kitchen garden, a walled area at the back of the hotel with blackberries, raspberries, tarragon, garlic and Chinese artichoke amidst few things. We loved our early dinner at the main restaurant and ravenously indulged into crudites and alioli, smoked tarama and warm bread, cod and spiced monkfish tails ; scallops cooked to perfection and fries and steak for kids. The house wine (a San Gimignano) flowed beautifully, whilst the 10 years old love their freshly made lemonade. There is also the The Folly restaurant, a cosy building beyond a lawn with Lebanon cedar trees; inside there’s a wood-burning oven in which tasty thin-crust pizzas are baked. Absolutely adored and will be back!
If a Michelin star meal is on the cards for a weekend in Devon, we warmly recommend Michael Caines’ Lympstone Manor. A Devon gem we discovered during the pandemic, Lympstone Manor is a fairly early pioneer of the new generation of country-house hotels, and seven years after opening is still thriving. The setting is absolutely stunning by Exe estuary and sloping vineyards, with our favourite contemporary sculptor Carol Peace gracefully spread around.
You can get onto the Exe Estuary Trail, a foot and cycle path that runs from Dawlish to Exmouth and right past the hotel, whilst Mickeys Beach Bar & Restaurant, Michael Caines’ other premises, can be reached in about 45 minutes on foot. A 3.5 hours trip by car from London or 2.5 hours by train from Paddington, this is a fabulous weekend in Devon destination for couple getaways or families with a generous budget: the lunches are fantastic, the pool is perfect for chilling, there are bikes and fabulous wine tasting can be organised.
Lympstone Manor is also a proud member of Relais & Chateaux close to the Jurassic Coast and has some fantastic afternoon teas at £50 per person or £70 including a glass of champagne – the best of Devon afternoon teas dare we say!? If budget conscious, just be mindful of the bubbles, Michael’s champagne is fabulous and is easy to have few glasses (or perhaps a couple of bottles 😅) by this idyllic setting, lavender lawns and fountain whispering, sun shining, birds chirping.
On other weekend getaways in Devon with friends we also stayed at Hotel du Vin Exeter: boutique and OK value for money, with a cute pool and covered jacuzzi, good breakfast by beautiful garden with lavender and sunchairs. Devon afternoon teas in here are also good in case one
If budget allows for the weekend in Devon the Pig at Combe makes a gorgeous upgrade; and for a proper splash and treat, head to Lympstone Manor. Parent duties pickup services from Procorda strings camp at Blundells School can’t get any better!
Summer camp in Devon we asked the 10, now 11 years old : the week at Blundells School with the fabulous Procorda strings camp was filled with lots of new and old experiences for all musicians, like trying out the viola at viola club, taking part in a massive string orchestra and composing with strange and wonderful new instruments, rhythms and sounds. An amazing week with excitement even when taking a break, with table tennis tournaments, swimming and playing table football and more!
For more seaside inspiration within 2 hours of London, check out our Best of Kent coast article: we are still raving about Botany Bay tall cliffs, art in Margate, Dover cliffs and Whitstable oysters. If you are after best sand dunes and saltmarshes, we reckon Chichester and Easter Head National Trust will be fantastic. Less patience and/ or time to drive? Check our list of 26 best day trips from London within an hour drive or within 30 minutes drive from Kensington, head here.
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