Intimate Luxury at Orestone Manor Country House Hotel

Orestone Manor is an independent family run, classic country house hotel located in the beautiful South Devon village of Maidencombe. The hotel's USP is its location - it offers spectacular sea views over Lyme Bay and beyond. The hotel is run by Neil and Catherine D'Allen (both chefs) and is a cosy refuge offering outstanding food with intimate luxury.

Orestone Manor has a lot of history attached to it. The Georgian manor house was the former home of the acclaimed narrative painter, John Callcott Horsley, best known as the designer of the first Christmas card. In 1857, Horsley painted a portrait of his famous brother-in-law, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, which now hangs in the National Portrait Gallery.

Orestone Manor Country House Hotel

Orestone Manor Country House Hotel


Style and ambience


Not only is the hotel located in a beautiful location, it also has a delightful ambience. The lounge was cosy with a number of comfy sofas and fireplaces. It felt more like a beautiful family home rather than a hotel. The walls were adorned with lovely paintings and there was a beautifully curated collection of objects of art.

Orestone Manor Country House Hotel

Orestone Manor Country House Hotel



The hotel has 14 bedrooms each done up in an unique style. Rooms are categorised as Classic Rooms, Sea-View Rooms, Superior Rooms, Feature Rooms or Speciality Suites based on their size and style.

Our check-in was quick and we were then escorted to the coach house conversion (a Speciality Suite) by Neil, one of the owners. Neil showed us around the split-level suite explaining all the features included in the brand new contemporary suite.

Shire - Luxury duplex suite


Just a few meters away from the main building of Orestone Manor are two coach house rooms - Shandry and Shire. We stayed in Shire during our visit.

Orestone Manor Country House Hotel


Shire is a split-level luxury suite that boasts of a well-kitted bedroom, a separate lounge and balcony on the upper floor, a private outdoor hot tub and private parking space just outside the suite entrance.

The bedroom had a comfy king sized bed, flat screen TV with Sky TV, and other amenities like iron and ironing board, hair dryer and lots of storage space. The room had colour changing ambience lighting that could be controlled with a remote. The bedroom led out to a small outdoor area with a hot tub!

Orestone Manor Country House Hotel

Orestone Manor Country House Hotel

Orestone Manor Country House Hotel

Orestone Manor Country House Hotel


Orestone Manor Country House Hotel


The bathroom was luxurious, extremely clean and had a large powerful shower. Fluffy robes and towels and luxurious toiletries from Highland Aromatics were provided. The 'His' and 'Hers' sinks were a nice touch.

On the upper floor was the living room with a comfortable sofa, a bean bag and another flat screen TV. The kitchenette included a small fridge, tea/coffee making facilities and a hospitality tray. And a roll top bath! Yes, an indulgent, free standing bath that exuded luxury and style. The living room led out to the balcony which afforded beautiful views over Lyme Bay.

Orestone Manor Country House Hotel

Orestone Manor Country House Hotel


Orestone Manor Country House Hotel


Orestone Manor Country House Hotel


Orestone Manor Country House Hotel


The Shire suite was amazing - spacious, well-furnished with a modern contemporary décor and beautiful views down to the sea. It had all the amenities of a luxury hotel and offered seclusion as well. We could have stayed there forever!

Dining


The restaurant at Orestone Manor was awarded two AA rosettes for fine dining and it is easy to see why. The main restaurant offers a lovely ambiance coupled with attentive yet discreet service. The menu is focussed on fresh and local produce and offers a lot of choice. We were very pleased to a see a Vegetarian menu with lots of options and sampled Vulscombe Goats Cheese, Beetroots and Walnuts (starter), Lentil Nut Loaf, Cherry Tomato Sauce, Market Vegetables (main course) and Wild Mushroom Tagliatelle, Spinach Perogi, Tarragon Cream and Pine Nuts, Salad (main course). With a strong focus on quality and taste, each dish we sampled won us over. An Assiette of Miniature Desserts was a lovely way to round off the meal before heading back to our suite.


Orestone Manor Country House Hotel

Orestone Manor Country House Hotel

Orestone Manor Country House Hotel


Breakfast the next morning was in the Conservatory Restaurant. The food and service matched the experience of the previous night.

Out and about


Orestone Manor is a lovely place to spend a relaxing weekend or even a longer break. It is ideally located to visit many of the popular attractions in Devon. From glorious beaches to the stunning landscape of Dartmoor and from historical buildings to picturesque coastal towns, everything is within easy reach. Check out Visit Devon's website for more information on things to do in Devon.

Book your stay


We enjoyed our stay at Orestone Manor - a beautiful tranquil location, comfortable room,  good food and friendly staff.  If you are looking for a hotel with a friendly ambience, superb food and attentive staff, we highly recommend Orestone Manor.

Rooms at Orestone Manor start from £110 for a Classic Double in the low season (November to March) to £325 for the Garden Hot Tub Room in high season (June to September). The prices for the Coach House Suites range from £250 to £350 depending on the season.

For more information or to make a booking, use the details below.

Orestone Manor | Rock House Lane, Maidencombe, Devon TQ1 4SX
Telephone: 01803 897 511

As mentioned earlier in the post, Orestone Manor is the birthplace of the Christmas card. In 1843 a batch of 1,000 Christmas cards were designed by Sir John Horsley of which fewer than 20 remain in existence today. One sold at an auction in 2001 for £22,500, while the mint condition version in the V&A Museum is worth £25k. To celebrate the birthplace of the Christmas card, the family-owners of Orestone Manor have designed a modern day Christmas card based extremely closely on Mr Horsley's original design and the hotel is giving away luxury packs of these cards free to all guests staying or enjoying dining at the hotel in the run up to Christmas.

Orestone Manor Country House Hotel

Orestone Manor Country House Hotel


*Our stay at Orestone Manor was complimentary as a part of a press visit. All opinions, as always, remain our own.

54 comments:

  1. Wow, looks like a great trip and very cosy. Exactly what I like to get away to

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  2. These look stunning! I want to go now. Would be great.

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  3. This place looks amazing! A great review, I enjoyed reading it, thanks!

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  4. A very beautiful part of the country.

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  5. Wow that looks amazing. Thats the way to holiday, I can't cope with camping and caravans. I need a bit of comfort on holiday.

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    1. I enjoy all kinds of holidays but one with luxury and comfort would top my list :)

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  6. Looks nice -I like that you have a view of the sea

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  7. Looks stunning !! I am so jealous ... wish I could have come in your suitcase !!!

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  8. This looks amazing, such a lovely place to stay

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  9. This seemed a wonderful place to stay until I saw that there was a bathtub in the kitchen/lounge. Why do people do this? It may be nice but it just looks wrong. I don't understand this new trend. It is luxurious enough to have a balcony hot tub, a roll top bath in the wrong place is just overkill. Such a shame because the rest of it seems wonderful, especially the balcony hot tub.

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    1. I understand that not many are in favour of this new trend to have a roll top bath in the living room/ bedroom. But yes, the hot tub in the balcony would be a hit with everyone.

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  10. Love the look - and sound! - of this place. Guess I'm going to have to save a few pennies and treat myself to a very welcome, and overdue, break later this year...!

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  11. That looks amazing, we're always on the look out for nice places to stay around the country so we'll definitely keep this in mind.

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  12. What a lovely looking house, would love to visit. Looks a good breakfast too.

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  13. Looks like a dream place to indulge -extravagance at its best
    Definitely on my list for 2017 -my idea of heaven

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  14. Wow! True decadence, I'd love to stay there, real luxury

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  15. Absolutely love the interior design, I could just do with a few days downtime their.

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  16. Absolutely lovely. My favourite has to be the hot tub on the balcony I'm not sure id ever leave!

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  17. Oh wow! I'm in love with the view from that balcony. That saxophone lamp is so unique too. Very cool.

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  18. I would love to escape here with my partner but no kids. What a lovely getaway

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  19. I would love to go and stay at Orestone Manor Country House Hotel

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  20. Looks absolutely stunning...really lovely photos. It's in such a beautiful part of the world too. x

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  21. Really interesting place to stay. Bathrooms looks lovely and I love the roll top bath.

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  22. Wow, that sounds amazing, I love the hot tub, how relaxing.

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  23. wow how beautiful. Oh to be sat in a hot tub right now he he xx

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  24. You had me at the photos of the food! Looks wonderful ~ lovely photos.

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  25. I love the Cotswolds and once lived there (in Moreton-in-the-Marsh as it was called then) and so I know what a wonderful place it is.

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  26. Looks absolutely gorgeous. We travel a lot so I will definitely bear this lovely place in mind.

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  27. Would love to stay here that breakfast is mouth watering

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  28. Wow the Shire Suite looks amazing. I love Devon too, such a lovely place

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  29. Wow, looks amazing, what a fantastic place to stay .x

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  30. Looks very luxurious and cosy and set in perfect surroundings

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  31. Looks amazing, what a treat to stay here!

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  32. wow, looks great, some fantastic decor in the property and the breakfast looks fab, making me hungry!

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  33. This looks an amazing place to visit but one I can only dream about! :)

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  34. Now this is my idea of luxury.What a beautiful place to stay

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  35. Place looks amazing, could do with a visit

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  36. This place looks lovely! I love the way it is decorated, very cosy but relaxing and luxurious too.

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  37. Stunning house and the food looks amazing x

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  38. Looks like the kind of place I would feel completely at home

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  39. Wow. Im so jealous. Looks so lovely. Id love to stay here.

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  40. Thanks for showing me this place. I'd love to stay here

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  41. Lovely looking place! I love the look of the beetroot starter too - that's made me hungry!

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  42. Looks amazing and seeing the food has made me hungry. Definitely looks worth a vis for a nice romantic weekend

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  43. This looks fantastic. I'm often dreaming of a weekend getaway :)

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  44. Wow this place looks simply beautiful I am truley jealous x

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  45. It is beautiful! I so want to visit Devon, never been that part of the country yet... need to make a plan.

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  46. This place looks amazing & beautiful would love to go there

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  47. Wow! Stunningly beautiful x x

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