Cary Arms – The Inn on the Beach
Tip top for flip flop fun
For all the loving attention we received down at Babbacombe over a wet and very windy weekend last Spring we decided that the Cary Arms should be called the caring arms. It’s like staying with your favourite aunt who takes you out for big teas, long walks and cosy evenings – and just gets you feeling yourself again.
Set on the water’s edge of Babbacombe Bay outside Torquay, this Victorian inn is great for a sneaky romantic weekend, an adults only break from it all, or a full on summer holiday for the family in one of the four self catering cottages. And it’s very dog friendly in true Enid Blyton style – I mean what’s an adventure without a willing mutt in tow.
If owner entrepreneur Peter de Savary was a MasterChef finalist you can bet your bottom dollar that he’d be the one taking all the risks. He specialises in doing up tired, unloved yesteryear hideaways of the rich and famous like Skibo- and Bovey Castle. As soon as they’ve benefitted from his Midas touch they become palpable palaces of pleasure once more, leaving a wake of bemused hoteliers wondering why they hadn’t spotted the potential. The eight hotel bedrooms at Cary Arms are fresh New England styled abodes with long views across the coast from the private sea facing terraces. Simples. Bucket, spade, sun, a glass of Chablis or two and everyone’s happy.
Better grub than pub
The food is way above normal pub grub, with a deep rooted respect for the surrounding waters and countryside. The menu changes daily and includes local specialities such as Devon beef, Lyme Bay lobster, Brixham crab salad and grilled spatchcock spring chicken. Do try the Otter ale pie, a local favourite. And escape into the nautical themed residents’ saloon for a quick tipple of local ales from Otter and Bays.
Beach pamper
The Cary Arms in-house therapists use Yon-Ka (a leading Parisian spa and skin care brand) in the cosy treatment room for facials, massages, pedicures and manicures. There’s a fabulous Gommage treatment, hot stone, Swedish massage and fairly comprehensive choice of pampering.
In a nutshell the Cary Arms has all the qualities of your favourite pub with a good dollop of boutique beauty. Golfers are kept happy a few minutes from the hotel at the south Devon Links; there’s excellent fishing, boating and bathing all in the bay; and some of the most gorgeous coastal scenery around accessible from your front door. In fact the walks around this part of the English Riviera are renowned for their enjoyment due to the particularly sunny climate and south-westerly winds and sea currents.
A word of warning; their space is limited and it gets booked months in advance so call now if you’ve got something special in mind.
