The story
Lympstone Manor is a luxury five‑star country house hotel in Devon, set within 28 acres of woodland, vineyard and shoreline on the Exe Estuary. The Grade II‑listed Georgian building houses 21 guestrooms and suites, six shepherd huts, and the Michelin‑starred restaurant that has made this estate a destination for Modern French cuisine.
The restaurant is the vision of chef‑owner Michael Caines MBE, whose world‑renowned cuisine earned Lympstone Manor a Michelin star just six months after opening in 2017 – a recognition it has retained ever since. The dining rooms serve a variety of menus, from tasting menus to à la carte, each drawing on the finest seasonal ingredients. The cooking is precise, elegant and rooted in the French tradition, yet distinctly of its place.
Guests can also choose the informal Pool House Restaurant & Bar, set around a heated outdoor swimming pool, for a lighter experience. Private dining, afternoon tea and alfresco dining on the terrace are further options, all supported by a world‑class wine cellar with over 600 bins.
Beyond the plate, the estate includes a 10.8‑acre vineyard producing award‑winning English wines and spirits – the gin and eau‑de‑vie have earned medals at the International Wine and Spirits Competition. Vineyard tours are offered from May to September.
Lympstone Manor’s excellence has been recognised with a suite of accolades: alongside its Michelin star, it holds five AA Rosettes (placing it among only 19 restaurants in the UK), two Michelin Keys for the hotel, and was named Best Dining Experience in the UK at the Condé Nast Johansens Awards.
The hotel offers a “quietcation” programme of nature‑led events – watercolour workshops, sculpture and poetry walks, and a Book Butler – designed for digital detox and restoration. The rhythm of the tides and birdsong replace the noise of daily life, while service remains attentive but unobtrusive.
Whether you come for the Michelin‑starred Modern French cooking, the vineyard, or simply to unwind by the estuary, Lympstone Manor delivers a complete experience that is both luxurious and grounded.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
High quality cooking
Embracing the country house genre with charm, sumptuously sited Lympstone Manor boasts picture-perfect views across its own extensive vineyards to the Exe estuary, plus three gracious chandeliered dining rooms, luxe bedrooms, and a front-of-house team well-drilled in old-school 'silver-ish' service. Where Lympstone parts company with tradition, however, is in the food. Michael Caines' cooking, with its roots in France and Britain, is a tantalising mix of classic and modern. His carte and tasting menus are deftly executed by head chef Jordan Denning and, while breaking new ground is not the game here, the cooking shows off superlative produce and gains vitality (as well as identity) via its use of sharp flavours to point up the main ingredients. A delicate nugget of warm Lyme Bay lobster offset by a mango and lime vinaigrette, cardamom, curried mayonnaise and oscietra caviar is a delightful interplay of sweetness and acidity, while salted cod with dabs of confit lemon, samphire, crabmeat and chorizo foam creates a multi-layered sensation. Other revelations have been the straightforward pleasure of new season's Powderham Estate lamb – a gloriously flavoured rib chop – with pea purée, a dice of braised boulangère potatoes, balsamic-glazed onion and a glossy truffle jus. Similar contentment is to be found among the desserts, especially a delicate apple mousse with Granny Smith apple sorbet and vanilla foam. As for the wine list, Lympstone Blanc de Blancs and rosé sparklers head up a stunning collection that is resplendent in quality and imagination for those with the readies. Fine wines by the small glass are a flawless bunch. It’s also worth noting that the Pool House overlooking the heated pool and vineyard sets a more informal tone, with a broadly appealing menu that aims for easy satisfaction.
4 Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence
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