A delightful stay at Ilsington Country House Hotel, Devon

After a long day’s driving what a relief it was entering the beautiful tree-lined entrance to Ilsington Country House Hotel. The warm welcome I received from the lovely gentleman on reception was just the start needed to relax after my day.

Following check-in I popped to my stunning Superior room to drop off the bags, and was so pleased to see the enormous bed I was going to have all my to myself that night – crunchy feathery bliss – as well as the breath-taking view of the rolling Dartmoor hills. The hotel’s chickens and turkeys pecking away in the distance just made it feel all the more tranquil.

As I was staying on a Monday in mid-October, the hotel was a little quieter than usual. There was no problem taking a table straight away in The Blue Tiger Inn for a relaxed but delicious dinner. I ordered the steak and chips which came accompanied by my arch enemy – a portobello mushroom – and it’s a testament to the amazing skills of the chef that I ate it and it was amazing!! I followed this with a lemon posset topped with lime and pistachio meringue which was easily one of the nicest pudding I’ve ever eaten and I was very tempted to order another one!!

I couldn’t stay at Ilsington without taking the time to go and enjoy the Tibetan-inspired spa. It was tough relaxing in the sauna before a long, gruelling session sitting in the hydrotherapy pool being massaged by the jets and trying not to fall asleep. I was lucky enough to have the place to myself as it was a little later in the day. The hydrotherapy pool relaxed me straight into bed for a sound, unbroken sleep with the comfiest pillow I’ve ever slept on, sadly one didn’t fit in my case!!

The only two regrets of my stay: not having more time to enjoy a spa treatment and not going for that second lemon posset!!