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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, 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 CHARM

A Romantic Devon Country Retreat where Guests Relax in Intimate Comfort

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.

Exclusive and Romantic Dining Experience

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.

Suites and a Cottage

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.

Picture Postcard Setting

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.