History oozes from every corner of Combe House. From the family portraits that line the walls of the magnificent, oak-panelled Great Hall to the 300-year-old cedars of Lebanon that give the gardens around this grade 1 listed, Elizabethan country house an exotic, almost Mediterranean air.
But while Combe House remains in touch with its illustrious past, it has a firm hold on the present as well, combining modern standards of hospitality and comfort that complement perfectly the timeless atmosphere of elegance and grace.

Nowhere is this illustrated better than in the dining for which Combe House is, rightly, renowned. Stunning contemporary dishes, created by chefs Hadleigh Barrett and Stuart Brown and using locally sourced produce, are served in the atmospheric surroundings of two adjoining dining rooms, one of them featuring murals depicting fantasy scenes from the life of the house and its grounds. Private parties are also catered for in the faithfully restored Georgian kitchen, lit by oil lamps and candles and warmed by the wood-fire stove in the magnificent ancient iron cooking range.
Fresh fish and shelfish arrive daily from the Devon coast, meat is provided by local farms and fruit, herbs and vegetables are taken, whenever possible, from Combe House's wonderful Victorian kitchen garden, a feature fully deserving of a visit in its own right.
The resulting food is a delight - an enticing melange where top quality fish and meat is perfectly cooked and presented in dishes of subtlety and imagination. Monkfish, sweet and melting, is balanced against a brandade of salt cod, with chorizo and roasted peppers; lamb, rich and tender, is served with a pea puree, roasted garlic and boulangere; a light and delicate crab mayonnaise is enhanced by both the sweetness of watermelon and the warmth of chilli; and the richness of beef carpaccio is offset by the sweetness of beetroot and the peppery hit of radish and watercress cream.
The accommodation at Combe House is similarly balanced between timeless comforts and contemporary style. The highly individualy suites and bedrooms - all intriguingly named after people who have left their mark on Combe House - include the classic, four-poster charm of Willington and the thoroughly modern atmosphere of the recently restored Linen Room, with its cool stone tones and minimalist chic.

Dogs are warmly welcomed at Combe House, where a number of the rooms are particuarly suitable for pets. The hotel also has a delightfully restored thatched cottage (pictured right) located in the picturesque and peaceful village of Gittisham, which nestles at the foot of Combe House's mile-long drive. The Cottage, which has a secluded and fully walled garden, is the perfect location for pets and can be used either for self-catering or as an annexe suite for the hotel. The cottage, which sleeps two, has a cool interior with limewash walls and contemporary furnishings. Hints of linen and stone abound. The bathroom features a gleaming copper tub while the kitchen boasts an impressive new Aga range. Hosts Ken and Ruth have ensured that the cottage has everything a dog could need, from feeding bowls to beds and toys - and have even commissioned an excellent and entertaining booklet of 10 nearby walks, all "approved" by Toby the dalmatian.
The walks range from a half-hour stroll through the woodlands surrounding the hill-fort at Blackbury to the more bracing challenges of the nearby Jurassic coastline. And for a not-too-taxing morning stoll, the three-mile circular route around the estates 3,500 acres would be hard to beat.


Click on the pictures to view the Paws For A Walk gallery of Combe House, Devon