The Holcombe

The old Ring o’ Bells village pub is now a relaxing restaurant-with-rooms, transformed by new owners and trained chefs Caroline Gardiner and Alan Lucas in a 2020 lockdown makeover. It is ‘surrounded by farmland so it felt like a lovely country retreat’, says our inspector. A dog-friendly lodge in the grounds had an enclosed porch area, a king-size bed, a log-burner, fresh milk, ‘delicious home-made biscuits’, a bath and walk-in shower. Rustic-chic house bedrooms mix antique and modern, hand-printed fabrics, merino throws, raw brick, soothing paint shades. One has an in-room bath and mosaic wet room. You can eat by the fire in the dog-friendly bar, or in the restaurant. ‘They are very focused on sustainability and grow a lot of vegetables.’ Among ‘beautifully presented dishes’ those particularly enjoyed were ‘perfectly spiced cauliflower Korean “wings”, a stone bass with potatoes and salad, and vegan chocolate mousse with raspberry sorbet’. Breakfast brought ‘fresh orange juice, croissants, delicious scrambled eggs with smoked salmon’ – a sausage for the pooch. ‘The food was definitely the star, but the relaxed, welcoming atmosphere was also much appreciated.’