Meanwhile on the Riviera...
...there’s award-winning beaches and flamingos aplenty. But first Sarah Trevelyan must leave the indulgence and pampering of her luxury lodge
LOUNGING in the hot tub, enjoying the sensation of the massage jets on my shoulders, my face tilted up to the sun with my eyes closed, I thought for a moment that I was back holidaying in sunny Majorca.
My two children were collecting fallen pine cones from the big fir trees that were next to our luxury holiday home in the Westcountry, playing a made-up game together, and my husband was sound asleep in a chair on the decking.
We were totally blessed with gorgeous weather and so making full use of the outdoor area of our Beyond Escape Deluxe Lodge in Paignton - dining, playing, sunbathing and relaxing in the bubbling hot tub.
Beyond Escapes Devon indulgent holiday resort is set in the glorious South Devon countryside near Totnes, with views down to the Torbay coastline, and perfectly placed for day trips to nearby tourist attractions.
We drove from Bristol on the Friday evening of a bank holiday weekend, so we had three nights staying in the luxury self-catering lodge. Arriving at 9.30pm after our two-and-a-half hour drive through traffic we were very kindly led in by the receptionist, who met us at the gate and ran ahead of us along the winding road of lodges until we reached our two-bedroom deluxe lodge with its own big hot tub. at the top of the resort.
We were very impressed with our home for the long weekend: Katy, our six-yearold daughter had a power nap in the car so was wide awake when we arrived - and was far too excited to go to bed. While she and her seven-year-old brother James ran upstairs to explore their bedrooms, my husband and I had a nose around the kitchen, which like the rest of the lodge was very stylish, modern and fully equipped. There was a welcome pack and very welcome homemade scones with jam and Devon cream. We enjoyed these - the Devon way, with cream first and jam on top with a nice cup of tea before unpacking and settling the children for bed.
The living area had a big flat screen television with numerous channels. The bedrooms were new, clean and modern and a good size and there were two ensuites, one with a bath and one with a shower.
The whole lodge was stunning - stylish decor, with a dark, luxury carpet running up the stairs and into the bedrooms. The underfloor heating was bliss to walk on in bare feet - white slippers were provided for adults - along with fluffy towelling white robes - which we discovered were very handy for the hot tub.
The following morning we ate a delicious breakfast at the sophisticated BE Tempted Restaurant. My son’s eyes nearly popped out of his head when he saw his
pancakes and blueberries arrive. I went for the yummy avocado and poached eggs on toast, while Jon made short work of his delicious traditional English breakfast with sausage, bacon, eggs, tomatoes, toast and black pudding - all sourced locally. We washed it down with delicious coffee and juice.
The site offers facilities to provide one with a decadent relaxing weekend - rare when you have two energetic kids - at the on-site BE You Spa, just down the stairs from the restaurant. It offers treatments from notable brands Elemis, ishga and Lava Shells.
There is a steam room, sauna and an outdoor vitality pool. There is also a BE You Gym for the more active with a view of the glorious Devon countryside down into Torbay.
To tire - um, I mean, entertain - the children, we spent a fun family day out at the impressive Paignton Zoo which is a short drive down the road. The flamingos, terapines, ostriches, giraffes, elephant, tigers, lemurs and peacocks were a few of our favourites from the day.
After the day on our feet it was bliss to return to our luxury lodge, take the cover off the hot tub and relax for the rest of the afternoon and early evening. The sun was shining brightly so we were able to stay warm even out of the hot tub, to dry off in the sunshine.
The restaurant terrace provided the perfect place for a sundowner, with the beautiful views across the stunning Torbay coastline. We chose to make the most of the glorious warm weather so enjoyed a relaxed informal al fresco meal back at our holiday lodge, a short walk along a gravel path from the restaurant, before putting the kids to bed and kicking back in the clutter-free, relaxing, cool surroundings watching the big screen TV.
The gorgeous, long, sandy stretch of Goodrington Sands is also a short drive away. With a Seaside Award, safe swimming conditions and loads of great activities, this family-friendly beach provided a fantastic day out. We rounded the day off with Sunday lunch at the Be Tempted restaurant where we enjoyed a very tasty roast dinner, beautiful and yummy puddings, washed down with a bottle of wine.
The next morning I went for an early run along the country roads to Totnes and back followed by a few stretches and shower back in the gym - while the kids had splash in the hot tub with their dad. Then we drove to Torquay, just a short drive away to visit the coastal zoo and aquarium Living Coasts to see penguins, otters, octopuses and much more. It was another entertaining and informative day out for the family. We had a good lunch in one of the marina al fresco restaurants before saying goodbye and heading back to Bristol.
The lodges are beautifully designed, cater for all your needs and in a good location to local family attractions.