I felt very brave as I prepared to celebrate my 16th wedding anniversary, for the first time we left my daughter in charge over night so my husband and I could enjoy an overnight excursion. We booked a stay in the Combe Grove Manor hotel which is located about ten minutes south of Bath. We had never driven into Bath, opting to take the train to avoid parking hassles and so I was taken aback by how the beautiful the countryside surrounding that city is. We drove by enough lush green rolling hills and tree lined roadways to make my heart soar. Getting up to our hotel high on a hillside, we drove through some breathtaking forest with a road so narrow that any time a car drove in toward you, you became much more intimate with the foliage.
It was hard not to feel a little like you were entering a fairy hideaway when you drive under the ancient archways that welcome you to the hotel property. I was sad to have forgotten my camera, left only with my phone to capture the splendor that the grounds and hotel offered.
It was fairly wet and misty for the duration of our stay which stopped us exploring the wilderness the way I would have liked but I admired the view as much as I could. Fortunately we got the full benefit of all this scenery from our rooms window.
The manor itself has obviously had many modern updates and the rooms themselves feel very up to date, while still using what appear to be many antique pieces.
However as you walk the halls and they creak and grown and the window panes complain against the wind you realize that the building has lived many lifetimes.
Once we had had lunch and checked into the hotel we headed back down into the valley to explore Bath once again. We spent the whole afternoon wandering the cobblestone streets shopping and enjoying what is fast becoming my favorite city. We finished our day with dinner at one of Jamie Oliver's many restaurant, and we were not disappointed. The food was amazing, the ambiance was fresh and fun, and by British standard the service was beyond good.
I loved our little holiday tucked away in our Fairy forest, I only wished we had longer and could have taken advantage of the pool, yoga studio, gym and full spa. Maybe next time.
