Combe House Hotel Gittisham

Winner of the 2007 Good Hotel Guide ' Country Hotel of the Year ' , as you drive onto the estate and Combe House appears before you, how can you fail to be impressed? A Grade 1 Elizabethan Mansion that takes you back to a bygone age. This is not to say that you won ' t be impressed by all the modern amenities that are on hand to make your stay that bit special, however. The welcome couldn ' t be warmer as the staff go out of their way to make you feel like one of the family and not just another guest passing through.

There are 3 Dining Rooms to choose from, but it doesn ' t really matter where you sit as in each the food is exquisite. The kitchens are run by 2 Masterchefs of Great Britain so we were expecting great things - and they didn ' t disappoint.

Our Sunday Lunch began with a crab salad and avocado cream which went down a treat and also pea cream, crisp Parma ham and quails eggs which was a dish declared the epitome of summer.

We had both chosen the guinea fowl as our main course and that arrived with soured cabbage, artichoke puree and morels. The guinea fowl was moist and very tender and beautifully offset by the soured cabbage. Finishing with a classic Cr me Brul e and a cheese course of artisan West Country cheeses we left feeling decidedly content.

As we strolled around this amazing house, taking in the heritage that is so obviously well preserved, we got a small glimpse of the care and effort that has gone into its restoration. It is obviously a work in progress for Ken and Ruth Hunt and the love that has gone into it is plainly on show for all to see. There is also a "Georgian Kitchen" where you can dine in private and enjoy a stroll back in time when electricity didn ' t exist. Lit only by candlelight it is a magical experience to savour especially at Christmas, that most magical time of year.