Lympstone Manor opens doors
Lympstone Manor, a new luxury country house hotel, has opened its doors. The Grade II listed Georgian mansion in Devon has been restored and renovated by Michael Caines MBE. Once a private home, the property is set in 28 acres of Devon countryside, and offers expansive views of the Exe Estuary.
To create Lympstone Manor, Caines worked with Architect Rud Sawers to create the hotel layout and extension, and with Meraki, a dynamic London-based design duo, on the sophisticated interiors.
“The opening of Lympstone Manor is the realisation of a dream,” comments Caines. “Everything that I have achieved in my long career has brought me to this point where I can fully express my vision of contemporary country house hospitality for the 21st century. I can’t wait to welcome old and new friends to my new home!”
In a reflection of the local area, the guestrooms at Lympstone Manor are all named after birds that live in and around the estuary. Every guestroom reflects its namesake, from the blue jewel tones used in Kingfisher to the elegant grey textures found in Heron. Further, many of the guestrooms at Lympstone Manor come with their own terraces or balconies, so as to maximise on the hotel’s vistas.
The polished interiors of the guestrooms are mirrored in the public areas on the ground floor. The lounge has a light and airy feel with soft beige and cream details, and floor to ceiling French windows opening onto the garden. The walls are adorned with nautical maps – which reference the areas strategic vantage point for trade – and a curated collection of art. Complementing the cream tones of the lounge is the hotel’s copper bar, found at the end of the room.
Named after the nearby castle, the first dining room, Powderham, consists of six banquette tables in muted gold tones. The room’s wallpaper bears a more abstract vision of the Lympstone grounds and views of the estuary, while carefully restored Victorian panels surround the room. Meanwhile, the hotel’s private dining room, Mamhead, seats fourteen and is painted in terra ombra with dusty taupe chairs in velvet. The largest of the dining rooms is Berry Head, comprising eight tables, floor to ceiling bay windows and walls adorned with art.
With Caines at the helm of Lympstone Manor, cuisine and wine are at the heart of the experience. Having taken a year out to develop Lympstone Manor, Michael has had time to work on new dishes and concepts as well as recreating many of his signature dishes with local and seasonal ingredients. A La Carte dishes include Tartlet of quail and quail’s eggs, onion confit, black truffle and smoked bacon and a light quail jus; Braised Turbot, River Exe mussels and cockles with tomato and basil sauce, and Poached rhubarb with hibiscus and vanilla, lemon sponge, lemon curd and rhubarb sorbet.
