Web real vacation reviews

We needed to stay the night somewhere near Exeter and just plumped for The Courtyard, Thorndon House in the village of Rewe. We knew nothing about it and just booked on the internet in a hurry because they had free rooms.

We drove from London and after 7 miserable traffic laden hours arrived in the village. You turn off the main road and drive up a narrow lane by the church car park. At the end, three buildings sit cheek by jowl with each other. On the left a massive structure which looks more like a railway station than a farm building, on the right a traditional farmhouse and sandwiched between a single storied windowless wall with one door in the middle. This was the entrance to the courtyard.

First appearances can be deceptive, and thankfully this time they certainly were. This place is terrific. A three winged arrangement round an ornamental pond overlooking an escarpment gives the courtyard so much light and space that you almost feel you are getting too much of a good thing. Thankfully Shirley and Paul are experts at putting guests at ease. The rooms are enourmous and stylishly decorated with odd quirks that lift them above the usual done-to-death designer stylings you seem to see in every other BandB these days.

The real glory came in the morning when Shirley cooked a spectacular breakfast and invited us to enjoy it outside on the terrace overlooking Devon's beautiful exe valley. It was a lovely morning and the coffee was as good as the view.

We both agreed there was no possible finer start to the day.