I visited the seaside hotel named one of the best in the UK – with direct access to the beach and amazing cocktails

PERCHED astatine the precise borderline of a northbound Devonshire cliff, looking retired implicit the moody Atlantic sea, Watersmeet Hotel is thing if not dramatic.

From the balcony of my chamber I tin ticker the prima acceptable implicit the water’s horizon, punctured by the craggy silhouette of Lundy Island – it’s undeniably the cleanable mounting for a romantic break.

The edifice is located successful the peaceful seaside municipality of Woolacombe, with the rugged North Devon seashore close connected its doorstep.

It’s not conscionable my deluxe country that offers an epic outlook. Whether you’re successful a classic, a family oregon a suite, it’s good worthy opting for a oversea presumption of Watersmeet’s precise ain small cove, Combesgate Beach.

There are steps down to the enactment from the edifice but cheque the clip arsenic the formation vanishes according to the changing tide.

When we weren’t cosied up successful our robes connected the balcony watching the rolling waves, we were taking vantage of the fantabulous rambling trails astatine our fingertips.

The 20-minute stroll on craggy paths and grassy heathlands to Morte Point was challenging acknowledgment to steep tracks but precise achievable and worthy it for the large views.

The peninsula’s sanction virtually means “death point”, arsenic ships and boats utilized to travel a cropper connected the rocks hidden beneath the foaming Atlantic.

In 1852, 5 ships were wrecked crossed the winter, but this mightiness person been down to infamous thief Elizabeth Berry.

Folklore says that she utilized to necktie lanterns to the tails of horses to tempt boats in.

When they became stranded she would drown the sailors by holding them nether h2o with a pitchfork, earlier stealing their belongings.

There was nary motion of specified enactment connected our ramble, luckily.

Over immoderate heather and broom-covered hills, we soon recovered ourselves successful the colony of Mortehoe.

It’s location to an eerie-looking religion adjacent the cliffs wherever thieves were hung arsenic a informing to different would-be crooks.

Luckily, the locals are overmuch friendlier these days, peculiarly those backmost astatine Watersmeet, wherever we tucked into a well-earned supper.

The hotel was named the Best Waterside Hotel for UK and Ireland 2024 by Conde Nast Johansens and that’s successful portion down to the cracking food.

Head cook John Cairns joined backmost successful April this twelvemonth and has transformed the paper into a fine-dining experience.

Starters see a creamy mushroom risotto laced with tarragon oil, and a chickenhearted liver parfait served with hunks of brioche bread.

Hearty mains see a perfectly cooked venison loin and confit pork belly with smoky mash.

If you are feeling fancy, lavation each crockery down with a wine pairing oregon a cocktail.

With tables placed adjacent to immense windows overlooking the water and the prima twinkling a ruby reddish arsenic it sets, you would beryllium hard pushed to find a amended meal spot.