A Historic Hotel - The History of Combe House, UK

COMBE HOUSE, DEVON WINS SILVER AT THE NATIONAL
ENJOY ENGLAND AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE 2008

Combe House in Gittisham, near Exeter, Devon has won a coveted national Small Hotel of the Year Silver Award 2008 at the ‘Enjoy England Awards for Excellence’, the highest accolades in English tourism. Presented at St George’s Hall, Liverpool on 23 April the awards, known as the tourism ‘Oscars’, celebrate the very best quality, help to raise standards across the industry and secure England’s place as a world-class holiday destination.

Entrants need to demonstrate exemplary facilities and exceptionally high qualities of customer care reflecting the expectations of today’s traveller. In addition, it’s important they show a commitment to sustainability, recycling and the environment. The national awards are run by Enjoy England in association with Visit Britain and the Caravan Club.

Owners Ken and Ruth Hunt are thrilled with the award, “This unexpected honour for our small, country house hotel reflects back on the wonderful, welcoming, happy and hard working team whom we regard as our family,” said Ken. “We are also fortunate to be in a stunning location with the West Country’s larder right on our doorstep. We couldn’t have achieved it without the honesty and integrity of the people who look after us so brilliantly from the local plumbers and electricians to our wine suppliers and local food producers. This award is for them too.”

The award follows on Combe’s winning a Michelin Rising Star for the second year in succession for its fresh, seasonal menus created by Master Chefs Hadleigh Barrett and Stuart Brown, and their team. The hotel also won the prestigious Country Hotel of the Year 2007 César award from the Good Hotel Guide.

Historic Combe House, a privately owned and wildly romantic Grade I Elizabethan manor, is hidden on a secluded wooded estate where Arabian horses and pheasants roam freely. Accommodation is in fifteen luxurious en-suite bedrooms and suites, some with four-posters and stunning views across the valley to Dartmoor beyond. Tucked away at the entrance to the mile-long drive is the beautifully restored Combe Thatch Cottage – a romantic hideaway for two with its own private walled garden.

MICHELIN RISING STAR AWARD
FOR COMBE HOUSE, NEAR EXETER, DEVON

Combe House, near Exeter, Devon has been awarded a Michelin Rising Star for the second year in succession for its culinary excellence in the 2008 Michelin Red Guide, which is one of the most recognised and influential restaurant guides in Europe featuring only 122 restaurants in the UK with one or more stars.

Rising Stars were introduced in 2005 by the Michelin Guide to draw attention to restaurants that represent the gourmet dining ‘stars’ of tomorrow. Combe was one of just five establishments across the UK listed as being in line for their first Michelin Star.

Hotels and restaurants are visited anonymously on several occasions by Michelin inspectors to gauge the consistent quality of products and services offered to the customer; they settle their own bill. Readers’ comments are also a valuable source of information in the selection; inclusion in the guide is free, entries are updated annually and the criteria for the various classifications are the same in all 21 countries covered by the guide.

Combe has won numerous hotel and dining awards since coming under the ownership of Ruth and Kent Hunt ten year’s ago, but the tributes for this latest accolade go to the hotel’s two resident Master Chefs of Great Britain; head chef Hadleigh Barrett, 30, and sous chef Stuart Brown, 28. “This honour reflects the outstanding contribution to food excellence by our two Master Chefs”, said a delighted Ken Hunt. “We owe it to their relentless pursuit for culinary perfection”.

According to Hadleigh Barrett, “We couldn’t have achieved this without the people who supply us with such superb local home-grown produce. Having the West Country’s larder right on our doorstep, means we are spoilt for choice. It makes it a joy to create and prepare dishes full of taste and flavour.”

They are ardent about sourcing the freshest and best quality local ingredients for their menus; fish is bought most days from Brixham and hand-reared Ark Chicken from Morestone Barton Farm, Cullompton while the lamb, pork and beef comes from Gatcombe Farm, Seaton. Vegetables are from Bakers Farm, near Ilminster, run by Devon man John Rowswell, and all preserves are made on the premises using fresh seasonal fruit.

Hadleigh's cookery has progressed through his experience at some of the top hotels in the country including two years at the five star Pennyhill Park, Surrey and a year at the two Michelin starred L'Ortolan restaurant in Berkshire. Since joining Combe House in 2001, he has developed his own distinctive style that focuses on using the finest local produce and presenting it in new, exciting and contemporary ways.

Sous chef Stuart Brown came to Combe seven years ago as Chef de Partie from the Horn of Plenty, Tavistock, Devon.

COMBE HOUSE WINS ‘EXCELLENCE IN TOURISM’
SMALL HOTEL OF THE YEAR GOLD AWARD 2007

Combe House, near Exeter has won the coveted South West ‘Excellence in Tourism’ Small Hotel of the Year Award for 2007 - 2008. The awards, known as the ‘Tourism Oscars’, celebrate the finest in the West Country and aim to promote and reward the very best in the tourism industry.

Entrants need to demonstrate exemplary facilities and exceptionally high qualities of customer care reflecting the demands of today’s traveller. In addition, it’s important they show a commitment to sustainability, recycling and the environment. The awards are run by South West Tourism in association with First Great Western and South West Water.

As the gold winner in their category, Combe House will automatically go forward to represent the region in the national Enjoy England Awards for Excellence, which are being held in Liverpool in April 2008.

Owners Ken and Ruth Hunt are thrilled with the award, “This unexpected honour reflects back on the wonderful, welcoming, happy and hard working team whom we regard as our family,” said Ken. “We couldn’t have achieved it without them.”

This award follows on Combe’s winning the prestigious Country Hotel of the Year 2007 César award from the Good Hotel Guide, the leading independent guide to hotels of character and quality in Great Britain and Ireland. The annual César awards are given to special places each of which is considered to be outstanding in its own class. They are named after César Ritz, the most celebrated of all hoteliers.

Historic Combe House, a privately owned and wildly romantic Grade I Elizabethan manor, is hidden on a secluded wooded estate where Arabian horses and pheasants roam freely. Accommodation is in fifteen luxurious en-suite bedrooms and suites, some with four-posters and stunning views across the valley to Dartmoor beyond. Tucked away at the entrance to the mile-long drive is the newly restored Combe Thatch Cottage – a romantic hideaway for two with its own private walled garden.

Combe House has won numerous hotel and dining awards for its contemporary-British cuisine created by its two resident Master Chefs of Great Britain; the most recent was Taste of the West 2007 Restaurant Class Silver Award.

Combe House at Gittisham, Devon - the Good Hotel Guide UK Country Hotel of the Year 2007 - is the perfect country retreat for a romantic getaway. This wonderful Grade I Elizabethan Manor is hidden in a glorious wooded Devon country estate, near Exeter , where Arabian horses and pheasants roam freely.

It offers tranquillity, country house charm with personal touches and highly acclaimed cuisine. Yet for all its elegance and romantic style, this splendid historic house has a relaxed, friendly and uniquely informal atmosphere where guests relax in intimate comfort.

"This is a country house where guests can enjoy complete peace and tranquillity", say owners Ruth and Ken Hunt. "We have encouraged our team to treat everyone as treasured house guests and our greatest reward is when they don't want to leave".

Guests step through the heavy oak door into the wood panelled Great Hall and instantly feel like they've entered a private home. There are deep, cosy sofas around a huge roaring log fire, treasured antiques, ancestral portraits on the walls, fresh flower arrangements and magazines on tables. From here a comfy lounge with rich furnishings leads to a snug bar - the perfect place to enjoy an aperitif and canapés before dining.

The restaurant encompasses two candlelit dining rooms. The Green Room has beautiful hand-painted murals on the walls and exquisite chandeliers while the second has French doors opening onto the gardens with superb views of the estate and beautiful Devon countryside.

Combe won the Taste of the West prestigious 'Devon Restaurant of the Year' award 2006 for its contemporary-British cuisine created by its two resident Master Chefs of Great Britain, Hadleigh Barrett and Stuart Brown. They are ardent about sourcing the freshest and best quality local ingredients for their menus; fish is bought every morning (except Sunday) from Brixham and hand-reared chicken from Morestone Barton Farm, Cullompton while the Ruby Red Beef is from the Combe Estate. Vegetables are from Bakers Farm, near Ilminster, run by Devon man John Rowswell, and all preserves are made on the premises using fresh seasonal fruit.

For that extra memorable lunch or dinner, guests can also dine in the hotel's unique Georgian kitchen - this magnificent room has been beautifully restored in conjunction with English Heritage to recreate an authentic dining experience. The original cast iron range and wood fired cloam bread oven have been returned to full working order while the room is equipped with Georgian cooking paraphernalia including gleaming copper saucepans, stone jars, bottles, fine porcelain dishes and various antique utensils. As part of the overall experience dining is by candle and lamplight - there's no electricity here.

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 where owners Ruth and Ken spent sixteen years, mostly as hoteliers, before returning to the UK.

Accommodation in the main hotel is in fifteen luxurious en-suite bedrooms and suites, some with four-posters; a special treat is the new Linen Suite which occupies part of the original Victorian laundry. Individually styled to reflect the charm of an old English manor with fine antiques and handcrafted quilts, many have stunning views down the valley and across the beautiful Devon countryside to Dartmoor beyond.

Combe is approached by a mile long private drive from the picture postcard village of Gittisham. Tucked away in the woods at the entrance is the newly restored Combe Thatch Cottage - a romantic hideaway for two with its own private walled garden. The original cottage features have been enhanced and embellished with comfortable contemporary furnishings in shades of natural linen and limestone, all complimented by carefully placed fine antique pieces and fresh flowers. For special occasions, a Combe House chef can create a romantic candlelit dinner for two discreetly served in the dining alcove.

The hotel is located in one of Devon's finest and totally unspoilt locations surrounded by old beech woods, gardens and meadows. Guests can wander down the drive to Gittisham village which dates back to Saxon times. It was once described by HRH Prince Charles as "The Ideal English Village" with its pretty cob and thatch cottages, Norman church, village green and babbling stream.

Visitors can also browse the many antique shops and art galleries in the nearby town of Honiton, also known for its lace; drive into Exeter and explore the magnificent Roman city and its cathedral or visit the attractive coastal resort of Sidmouth, just 20 minutes drive from the hotel. From here a scenic route leads through the pretty fishing villages of Branscombe and Beer to the World Heritage Coastline between Lyme Regis and Charmouth, which is also a haven for fossil hunters. Powderham Castle, Bicton Park Botanical Gardens and Forde Abbey are also nearby while the world-renowned Eden Project is an easy day trip.

Combe House is around three hours drive from London and 20 minutes from Exeter, yet the atmosphere and surroundings are worlds' apart. The nearest train station is two miles away at Honiton offering links to London Waterloo (for transfers to Europe via Eurostar) while Exeter Airport is a mere 10 minutes drive. Many guests take advantage of Combe's chauffeur driven collection car service (optional extra) from London or one of the city's airports with a self-drive hire car awaiting their arrival at Combe. There is also a helipad within the grounds.

Combe can be reserved exclusively for house parties and gatherings as well as for weddings for 2 - 100 guests (150 with a marquee on the croquet lawn) and it's licensed for civil ceremonies in three elegant rooms and the Great Hall.

COMBE HOUSE HOTEL, NEAR EXETER WINS GOOD HOTEL GUIDE COUNTRY HOTEL OF THE YEAR CESAR AWARD

Combe House Hotel & Restaurant at Gittisham, near Exeter has won the prestigious country hotel of the year 2007 César award from the Good Hotel Guide, the leading independent guide to hotels of character and quality in Great Britain and Ireland.

Regarded as the Oscars of the hotel industry, the annual César awards are given to special places each of which is considered to be outstanding in its own class. They are named after César Ritz, the most celebrated of all hoteliers.

Hotels cannot buy their entry as they do in rival guides, so the readers are given completely impartial advice to assist them in finding a good hotel.
Those included are special places with a distinctive character; in common they offer good service, a warm welcome and the feeling that the customer comes first. The readers play a crucial role by reporting on existing entries and recommending new discoveries; the editors then back this up with an anonymous inspection where necessary.

The Guide describes Ruth and Ken Hunt as thoughtful hosts, justly proud of their restoration of the house. On an anonymous visit their inspector "had great fun in a lovely place amid glorious surroundings". The food was judged as being exceedingly good.

Entries within the Good Hotel Guide feature unbiased comments from former guests. Those for Combe portray the hotel as "A lovely place" with "Excellent service and "Well-trained young staff that suit the surroundings."

Thrilled to receive the award, Ken Hunt said: "This unexpected honour reflects the myriad of lovely people who come and stay with us and the wonderful, happy and hard working team whom we regard as our family."

Combe House, a wildly romantic Grade I Elizabethan manor, is hidden on a secluded wooded estate where Arabian horses and pheasants roam freely.

Accommodation is in fifteen luxurious en-suite bedrooms and suites, some with four-posters and stunning views across the valley to Dartmoor beyond. Tucked away at the entrance to the mile-long drive is the newly restored Combe Thatch Cottage a romantic hideaway for two with its own private high-walled garden.

Combe House has won numerous hotel and dining awards for its contemporary-British cuisine created by its two resident Master Chefs of Great Britain; the most recent was the Taste of the West, South West Restaurant of the Year 2005.

COMBE HOUSE, DEVON
ROMANTIC ELIZABETHAN MANOR
FOR STYLISH WINTER WEDDINGS 2006

Combe House Hotel and Restaurant, a wildly romantic country hideaway near Exeter, comes into its own for exclusive winter weddings. The sight of the stunning Elizabethan Manor nestling in its 3,500-acre estate on a clear, frosty morning or with a sprinkling of light snow will charm city and country dwellers alike.

Winter weddings are a growing trend - the bride isn't competing with her guests' packed summer calendar; Britain's favourite honeymoon destination, the Caribbean, is at its glorious best and it costs less to get married!

Combe have put together several wedding packages reserving the entire hotel, its gardens and grounds exclusively for either a day or a weekend. The house can accommodate up to thirty staying guests in fifteen en-suite bedrooms and suites, with a four-poster for the bride and groom, and up to a hundred visitors for winter weddings. While it might be fresh outside, the atmosphere inside is warm, intimate and welcoming enhanced by the crackling log fires.

During the winter months, the couple will discover there's nothing more romantic than a grand wedding by candlelight - at Combe there are four intimate rooms licensed for civil ceremonies. For smaller weddings a champagne reception can be held in the beautifully restored Georgian kitchen by oil lamp and candlelight, or for larger parties there's the Green Room with its intricate hand painted murals and twinkling glass chandelier.

The elegant Panel Room provides the perfect setting for the wedding breakfast with a special celebration menu created by the hotel's resident Master Chef of Great Britain, Philip Leach, and afterwards guests can dance until the early hours in front of the huge open fireplace in the historic Great Hall.

Throughout January (excluding New Year), February and March 2005 Combe House is offering special prices for exclusive wedding use. For one night midweek, Sunday - Thursday, the rate is £3,300, while for a two-night weekend party the winter rate is £6,950 (summer rates are £4,000 and £10,000 respectively). Prices include accommodation and breakfast for 30 guests and exclusive use of the entire house and gardens.

Combe was voted amongst the top two most romantic hotels in Britain by Rooms for Romance and is an AA Top 200 Red Star hotel for 2004.

COMBE HOUSE HOTEL, NEAR EXETER STRIKES GOLD!

RAC Gold Ribbon Award for Superlative Hospitality

Combe House Hotel and Restaurant, near Exeter, Devon has been awarded an RAC Gold Ribbon - the motoring organisation's premier accolade which recognises accommodation at the very pinnacle of its star rating offering superlative standards of comfort, hospitality, food, service, customer care and guest awareness.

Delighted proprietor Ruth Hunt said 'We are absolutely thrilled. This is a fantastic reward for all the commitment and hard work that our wonderful team has put in over the past few years'.

Hidden in a secluded 3,500 acre wooded valley where beautiful Arabian horses and pheasant roam freely, the Grade 1 Elizabethan Manor has become one of the West Country's most highly acclaimed hotels since it was acquired and refurbished by Ruth and Ken Hunt some five years ago. The RAC Gold Ribbon follows a string of restaurant awards including four RAC dining accolades, two AA Rosettes and a Master Chef of Great Britain ward for head chef Phillip Leach.

Combe House is approached by a mile long drive from the picture postcard thatched village of Gittisham. Guests are welcomed into the oak panelled Great Hall with its huge roaring log fire, comfy sofas, treasured antiques and amazing fresh flower arrangements while accommodation is in fifteen luxurious en-suite bedrooms and suites. The hotel offers tranquillity and country house charm with personal touches yet for all its elegance and romantic style, this splendid historic house has a relaxed, friendly and informal atmosphere.

'DEVON CELEBRATION OF FOOD' AT COMBE HOUSE
SPECIAL LUNCH AND PRIVATE VIEW OF WORKS BY
RICHARD ADAMS

Combe House Hotel and Restaurant, a secluded Grade I Elizabethan manor near Exeter, will be marking the Devon Celebration of Food on Sunday, 3 October with a special lunch created by their resident Chef of Great Britain, Philip Leach, using the best of local produce. Guests will also be treated to a private viewing of visionary artist Richard Adams' latest collection, Enchanted Picnics.

Arriving from 11am, visitors will be able to meet the artist and chat over a glass of wine and canapés in Combe's faithfully restored Georgian kitchen while viewing his works. The three- course lunch, which applies a contemporary flair to traditional Devon recipes, will be followed by coffee and homemade fudge - all for £29 per person (last orders 2pm).

Richard Adams' figurative images follow a long-standing English tradition of eccentric visionary art encompassing artists such as Richard Dadd and Stanley Spencer. The exhibition celebrates the idyll of the country picnic and sharing a meal in the open air against the backdrop of the unspoilt Devon countryside. There's a cloth laid in a tree's dappled shade, a hamper burgeoning with freshly baked pies and seasonal fruit and people perfectly dressed for the occasion ready to savour the feast before them. But they are joined by mystical creatures, nymphs and fairies who delight in the fun, lifting this commonplace scene into the world of fantasy.

Since numbers are limited, places should be reserved in advance by calling 01404 540400 or email stay@thishotel.com and, for guests wishing to stay overnight, prices start from £140 B&B. Details can also be found at www.thishotel.com.

For press enquiries, photographs and a possible facility visit please contact:
Pat Edgar, PR Matters                                               Tel:      01494 764932
Brambling House, 7 Finch Lane                                Fax:     01494 764408
Little Chalfont, Bucks HP7 9NE                                 Mobile: 07836 786043
24 April 2008                                                            Email:   PRMatters@dsl.pipex.com

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