Cary Arms & Spa

Queen Victoria thought of Italy as she viewed the ‘red cliffs and rocks and wooded hills’ that surround pebbly Babbacombe Bay, and for la dolce vita look no further than this spa hotel. Sitting beneath Babbacombe Downs and the Coast Path, it is spread across several levels at the water’s edge; there’s even a bell to ring if you spot dolphins while dining outside. Coastal-chic bedrooms which bring to mind a New England inn are designed to take advantage of the lovely situation, most with a balcony or terrace. Two ground-floor doubles are dog-friendly, with access to the terraced gardens. Duplex beach huts have hand-made furniture, modern artwork, and wall-to-wall glass doors that fold back on to a sun deck, affording views across Lyme Bay to Portland Bill. In the cosy inn, decorated with nautical artefacts, seasonally inspired dishes run from a crab sandwich or a pint of prawns to Lyme Bay lobster and Devon beef, with a separate menu for vegans and vegetarians. The resident pianist plays on Saturday night, while a guitarist will sing to you over your Sunday roast.