Finance Monthly December 2019 Edition

S pread across a 125-acre North Devon estate between Exmoor and Dartmoor, Highbullen Hotel is the perfect spot for a relaxing weekend getaway. Once you enter the grounds of the hotel, you feel like you’ve escaped from civilisation, but if you worry about its isolated location – don’t; its 18-hole golf course, tennis courts, swimming pool and a spa make it a destination of its own right where you won’t feel bored for a second. Wherever you are in the hotel, you’re surrounded by uninterrupted lush greenery as far as the eye can see, while at the same time, Highbullen Hotel is a convenient base from which to explore myriad picturesque villages, quaint pubs and of course, the beach, which is only a 40 min drive away. The hotel is country-luxe personified: fires crackle at every turn, cosy lounges invite intimate nightcaps, and the attentive staff on duty make the manor house feel like a home. Rooms here are in keeping with the charm and cosiness of the house - each of the 12 bedrooms in the main building is lavishly decorated with antique furnishings, exquisite chandeliers and swagged curtains. For the best views, book one of the hotel’s Golf View rooms. In addition to these, there are a further 26 contemporary rooms in buildings across the estate which cater for bigger groups of people. For afternoon tea, pop into the recently opened Laura Ashley Tea Room. Designed in the distinctive Laura Ashley style, it offers a menu of different types of afternoon tea, brunch and cakes and provides guests with unrivalled views of the stunning British countryside. The fine-dining 2AA Rosette Devon View restaurant serves seasonal and local produce with a modern British theme across all dishes, which could be paired with an array of sublime wines from the restaurant’s wine list. For a more casual meal or lunch, head down to Cellars Restaurants for fish & chips, a pizza or a Shepherd’s pie. Breakfast is served at Devon View and comprises a small buffet, as well as cooked-to-order classics such as full English, eggs and porridge. A short walk away from the main house is the modern Pavilion, where there’s an indoor lap pool, a fully-equipped gym, a sports bar, a steam room, a sauna and a spa offering a number of relaxing Elemis treatments. In addition to the 18-hole golf course which surrounds the hotel, there are also four hard tennis courts, two half-courts for children, croquet lawns and an outdoor pool which is available in the summer only. For more information and to book your stay, please go to http://www.highbullen.co.uk 59 www.finance-monthly.com TRAVEL - UNITED KINGDOM