The Cary Arms & Spa in Babbacombe Bay, Devon
A 16th century seaside inn with a superstar restyle
“This used to be my local,” the Torquay taxi driver tells us when we descend the steep track to the spa hotel perched on the cliffs of Babbacombe Bay.
Really? The deluxe New England-style beach huts, sea-view spa and classily restored fisherman's cottages don't exactly shout 'local drinking spot'. The Cary Arms and Spa has had something of a reimagining since it caught the eye of America’s Cup yachtsman and hotelier, the late Peter de Savary who purchased it in 2009. Now part of the family's portfolio of luxury hotels, castles and marinas, the inn is a cool contemporary mix of beach huts, cottages and suites all with phenomenal views over the bay, with a swish modern spa and a top quality dining. But at its heart, it's still a traditional seaside pub.
First impressions
Reception is a typical country pub affair. A tucked away desk opens onto a public bar with softly lit wooden tables and benches and blackboard signs. Most tables have a dog under them – Cary is a dog lover’s heaven with dog bowls, beds, dinners and breakfasts provided.
On a sunny Friday lunchtime, the bar is a busy mix of stick and boot-ed walkers, locals and residents, with many family groups dining out on the terraced gardens.
Beyond the bar the scale of the de Savary reinvention unfolds – a collection of blue and white wooden beach huts and suites all looking out to sea, and a small, but idyllic spa and hydrotherapy pool with views directly across the bay. Ladies in dressing gowns gather outside the spa drinking in the sunshine and sea air on the loungers.
It’s all about the sea views here.
The hotel has unbelievably good views across the red cliffs of the English Riviera (so named by the Victorians for the warmer weather the coast enjoys) and there are myriad nooks and crannies inside and out from which to enjoy them.
Even on day three we’re still discovering new quiet little sitting areas tucked into the garden terraces around the hotel.
If all you need for happiness is a book, beer and sea view, this is absolutely for you.
Where we slept
There are lots of different kinds of rooms here - eight beach huts and suites, 10 sea-facing rooms and a mix of self catering cottages sleeping up to 8-10. We are staying in Beach Hut 2 which has bifold doors opening onto a big private terrace and two comfy Adirondack loungers to sip and watch the waves.
It’s a mezzanine design with the bedroom up a narrow staircase and overlooking the living area and out to sea. Big soft cushions, underfloor heating and a sleek modern bathroom gives a good blend of cosy and luxe.
There are plenty of nice touches such as the beautiful large Rose of England bone china mugs and good quality tea, coffee and biscuits – in the age of sustainable packaging, these edible sundries have replaced toiletries as the place to shine.
A decanter of sloe gin with two small glasses is much appreciated, as is the chilled rose and fresh milk for the tea in the fridge.
Other rooms are more spacious – the two-bedroom nautically themed suite with private sea facing terrace and roll top bath is rather special.
Most rooms other than the the beach huts have roll top baths as standard, but the huts have a privacy and calm that is quite unique.
What we ate
Not surprisingly, the focus here is seafood. The catch of the day comes fresh from Brixham market just 12 miles away – and local crab and scallops are a regular feature. There’s a good selection for meat lovers too with a West Country rump steak (£28.50) and a steak and ale pie (£20).
On the weekend we visit, the hotel has a Seafood Celebration Supper (£55 ph) with smoked salmon and chive cheesecake, a delicious hake wrapped in Parma ham and in a more adventurous swerve – a dish of battered monkfish scampi tacos with pea guacamole and mango salsa.
We mix and match across the supper and regular a la carte menu, with the stand out dish – pan fried scallops served with celeriac puree and caviar (£13.50) – delivering a fabulously salty punch of the sea.
Breakfast is excellent. With a short 8am-10am window, everyone arrives at 9am, which creates havoc for the service team.
But the food that comes out is piping hot and beautifully presented. Service is much more seaside pub that five star hotel, which rather adds to the charm: there’s a roar of laughter when the Glaswegian waitress shouts across the breakfast room “Who ordered the WHITE toast?”.
What's the vibe?
Rarely does deluxe hotel feel quite so chummy. Guests pop from table to table swapping walking stories and petting each others dogs. The best tables are the quirky snugs in the bar itself, with wide dramatic views over the bay.
There are a lot of hardy walkers here, many American accents (who wouldn’t love a 16th century coaching inn with a five star glow up) and plenty of mixed generations families celebrating big events.
The dogs help break down the barriers.
Dogs are welcome everywhere except at night in the dining room conservatory and there are specified dog friendly rooms on the ground floor. One couple even have a dog apiece on the chairs next to them as they eat dinner in the bar.
Time to pamper
I booked a 60-minute ‘balancing journey’ (£110) with a hot stones massage and jade facial. Therapist Steph talked me through how hot the stones would be (very) and how that would help release muscle tension.
The jade crystal would open my pores and remove negative ions (“Really?” muttered by inner cynic). Truthfully, it was one of the best spa experiences I’ve had, an excellent massage and yes, my negative ions definitely felt soothed.
There are only six loungers to sit on inside the spa, so you need to book a slot (£15) to use the sauna, steam room jacuzzi pool and ‘experience’ shower. If you’re having a treatment, you can use the spa for free.
Activities and experiences
With the South West coastal path running directly behind the hotel this is prime walking terrain.
The hotel has put together several walks in an excellent little guide. For a gentle option, you can stroll along the beach front to Oddicombe Beach (30mins) and catch the funicular cliff lift up to the little town of Babbacombe.
One of the delights of Babbacombe is a wonderful 600-seater 1930s theatre hall babbacombe-theate.com which attracts touring acts from February to October, as well as Christmas productions. For the past 35 years, it’s been run by one man, producer and artistic director Colin Matthews whose valiant efforts to keep the arts alive on the coast are much appreciated by locals.
Getting there
The hotel is at the bottom of a very steep narrow lane with limited parking.
A valet service to a resident parking zone helps, but the challenging access lane is not for the faint-hearted.
A much better option is to arrive by train. Most of the attractions here are easily reached on foot and Torquay station is a 15-min cab ride from the hotel. GWR runs a direct London Paddington to Torquay service (3 hours) with a long weekender deal (leave on Fri or Sat, return on Monday at 50% off the anytime return rate).
Christmas special
Every Christmas the hotel runs a very popular three-day house party. Guests arrive Christmas Eve and get to know each other over mulled wine and mince pies, while a Shirley Bassey tribute act in the evening revs up the festive spirit.
It's not cheap - the three-day package costs from £1,995 for two adults or £2,795 to stay in the Beach Hut, but the price includes all meals over the three days, including champagne breakfast and Christmas dinner, with quizzes, live music and billiards.
What's the damage?
The beach hut costs £370 for two people per night, including breakfast.
See more at caryarms.co.uk.
Our photos from the stay
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