Newmarket and Ely Living Apr - May 2024

STYLISH
Stays
Tucked away in a delightful enclave
of coastal Devon, the Cary Arms
& Spa occupies a dramatic and
achingly beautiful site in scenic
Babbacombe Bay. This historic
coaching in has welcomed many
visitors over its illustrious history -
including royalty - so we felt right at
home embarking on a weekend in
here, with our two small dogs in tow.
With ten elegant sea-facing rooms
and suites at the inn, four restored
fisherman’s cottages and eight
brilliantly quirky deluxe beach huts
and beach suites, there’s a good
fit for any guest. Our bolthole was
a luxurious beach hut - perfect
for that extra bit of privacy. These
serene spaces feature a dramatic
mezzanine level, with a porthole
framing uninterrupted views out to
sea, as well as their own terrace to
enjoy the morning or evening rays.
Knowing we are a nation of dog
lovers, many hotels and holiday
lets have become more flexible to
allow our four-legged friends along
for the trip, but few places use the
term dog friendly and mean it with
as much love and care as the team
at the Cary Arms. The hotel really
makes holidaying with your dog easy
- pooches are presented with a cute
bag of goodies on arrival, as well as
a bed and water/food bowls to make
them feel at home - the restaurant
is dog-friendly too and the staff
were making sure all the dogs were
catered for at breakfast by sliding
them a sausage or two - with their
owner’s permission of course.
The restaurant is one of the
destination eateries in the area, with
a menu of modern British classics
alongside seasonal daily specials.
Fish, is of course, the dish of the
day, and the setting enjoys the same
panoramic views as the rest of the
hotel; it makes for a very special
dining experience. If you’re lucky,
you’ll be able to spot the local seals
trying to steal a bite from fishermen.
The bay area is a haven for walkers,
with the three-week English Riviera
Walking Festival (4th-19th May this
year) drawing hiking enthusiasts
from far and wide. The opening
weekend of the festival is planned
to coincide with another celebration
of local culture, the Brigham Pirate
Festival. Attracting thousands, the
event is a swashbuckling mix of
seaside shenanigans and piratethemed
fun, celebrating the area’s
rich heritage of smuggling.
Babbacombe Bay was a popular
landing point for smugglers, just
far enough from Torquay to be
reasonably safe for the smugglers
to get ashore and wind their way
through a network of secret paths
and tunnels. You can explore many
of these hidden tunnels and caves
- just make sure to check tide
timetables!
There are lots of walks to enjoy
straight from the hotel - and with
enough fish and chip or cake stops
to keep you powering up those
steeper cliff edges. Once you’ve
pounded the shoreline, you can
then take a well-earned soak in
the hotel’s spa. The glass faceted
sea-facing spa includes a waterfall
hydrotherapy pool, relaxation
area, steam room, sauna, exotic
experience shower, gym, and two
treatment rooms - perfect for some
indulgence and to really melt away
the tensions of the week.
There are few weekend stays were
I’ve left feeling quite so refreshed,
well-fed and contented - if you’re
planning a UK coastal break, the
Cary Arms certainly ticks all the
boxes. It’s perfectly located for
seaside exploration, and the team
go above and beyond to make
sure your stay is as comfortable
as possible. In an age where time
to recharge is in short supply, I
wouldn’t hesitate to visit again.
Katie Thomson
www.caryarms.co.uk
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