WHAT/WHERE

A Muddy favourite since its £2million spa refit in 2020, Lincombe Hall Hotel‘s classic villa-style exterior belies the exquisitely updated interior which aims for a more modern guest experience.

It’s not only the sumptuous Spa, the entire hotel has been redesigned by the owners working alongside Ashburton-based Ashton House Design to create an elegant, beautifully curated space that is a joy to be in. The newest edition is a delightfully designed outdoor Terrace with views over the outdoor pool and grounds.

THE VIBE

Luxurious and welcoming, the staff throughout were consistently helpful, friendly and relaxed. Our lunch was served in the Brasserie decorated in deep jades and emeralds with fabulous ceiling fans, sparkling mirrors, cool lighting and a calm ambience.

At the far end of the restaurant is a sleek and shiny bar with access onto the newly completed Terrace milling with hotel guest, including the occasional spa guest who’d appear to grab a G&T.

SCOFF & QUAFF

My family’s eating habits range from omnivore to vegan so I have become accustomed to choosing restaurants based on whether the vegans can have anything remotely interesting to eat so pleased to say here had an impressive range of choices, created by Head chef Jon Pearce who’s joined Executive Head chef Phil Sampson.

This menu is fantastically inclusive and has interesting and varied options for all (still surprisingly rare I find).

With this in mind we chose a plant-based option as a starter: a tofu crème brûlée with beetroot and pecan nuts – a new one on me and it looked so pretty.

fish and chips at Lincombe hall hotel, Torquay

Main courses were more traditional with my son choosing the fish and chips which was declared delicious, with the fish freshly caught in Brixham that morning and perfectly cooked. The tartar sauce got a particularly large thumbs-up as did the batter which was made with local Bay beer.

On the manager’s recommendation I chose the mussels cooked in Sampford Orchard Cider, fresh cream and samphire which was absolutely delicious.

Local food is championed throughout including the drinks menu – charmingly annotated with the Devon, Cornish or Somerset flags to proudly declare their various southwest origins, with an excellent selection of gin, cider, beer and rum.

Portions were extremely generous so we uncharacteristically swerved the delightful looking dessert menu as we were heading to the spa and didn’t want to sink like stones.

THE SPA

It may have cost a pretty penny but the Lincombe Hall Hotel Spa was worth each and every one of them.

It has a pool big enough to feel like you’ve had a proper swim before you hit the fun bit. The multi levelled hydropool was great fun and when we’d been well and truly bubble-massaged we headed into the Scandinavian sauna followed by a gorgeously aromatic aromatherapy steam room which really cleared the sinuses and woke up the brain. Then on to the Ice Room with its wall made entirely of ice – very Stranger Things but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The Himalayan salt room is apparently very good to detoxify and felt highly relaxing, like a return to the womb with its glowing pink salt walls.

If you feel so inclined, it might also be worth spending some time in their state of the art gym. My boy was fascinated by the range of entertainment options available on the machines. He felt Netflix would be a good incentive for him whereas the two-for-one cocktail offer would be more likely to give me the nudge to do an extra few km.

Most importantly: the changing room, if they don’t have one of those whizzer things to dry your swimming suit is it even a spa? This one not only had the marvellous whizzy thing but plenty of easy to use lockers, showers, changing rooms, quality toiletries and hair dryers.

AFTERNOON TEA

After all that splashing about, we headed back to the lounge where the designer’s skill was once again evident. They have a particularly stunning wall mural and various different but colour coordinated areas in which to sit and enjoy a drink or a cup of tea or in our case the full afternoon tea.

To start with the basics, it looked spectacular and, in line with the hotel’s modern ethos, consisted of a variety of dainty, delectable morsels, no huge piled plate of sandwiches and scones the size of a baby’s head.

Pastry chef Jordan Bartholomew has chosen intriguing flavours with so many things to try, so we opted for one vegan and one non-vegan afternoon tea, both were equally tasty – not always true of vegan cuisine.

I’m already planning a gift voucher for my vegan child as the array of delicacies was glorious and as the menu changes every six to eight weeks you could happily make it a regular occurrence and it would never get boring.

Stand-out delights were the vegan strawberry and champagne jelly, courgette pakora with mango chutney and olive focaccia with red pepper hummus and on the non-vegan menu, the pistachio choux bun, the Devon crab croustade and the mango and passion fruit tart.

THE MUDDY VERDICT

On sunny days the new Terrace adds a lovely relaxed space, either just to relax and have a drink after the Spa or perhaps to gather with friends for a cocktail or two before heading out for a night out in Torquay. It adds another string to this chic hotel’s bow and whether you opt for lunch or tea, I’m confident you’ll be glad you came.

Good for: a girl’s get together, couples, friends, or anyone in need of rest and relaxation. As manager Peter Watson pointed out, there are a number of excellent eateries nearby in Torquay so it would also work as a good base from which to explore if you chose to stay a little longer.

Not for: not for the kiddywinks I’m afraid this is adults only. If you are old school and hoping for the traditional Fawlty Towers vibe of some Torquay Hotels, definitely give this a miss.

The damage: prices vary according to which package you choose but the Spa and Dine package which includes full use of spa facilities for two hours and either a two-course lunch or afternoon tea for two starts at £149 pounds for two adults.

Lincombe Hall Hotel,Meadfoot Rd, Torquay TQ1 2JX. Tel 01803 213361

Review: Afternoon tea & spa at Lincombe Hall Hotel, Torquay

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