Set on 15-acres in the East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty—a protected designation for some of the UK’s most scenic landscapes—Glebe House was opened by Hugo and Olive Guest in 2021. The duo reimagined the former vicarage into a working homestead and nine-room boutique hotel with a restaurant at its heart. Under head chef David Knapman, whose background includes Michelin-starred kitchens, food shapes the entire experience: Bread is baked daily, butter is churned in-house, pigs and chickens are raised on the property, and the menu hinges on whatever is harvested in the garden that week. Painted interiors and original artworks lend a lived-in feel. Last year, a wood-fired sauna and two cedar cabins were added, each with private sunken outdoor baths, all overlooking Coly Valley.

When

Glebe House is open year-round, but it truly sings in late spring and early autumn, when soft light, an abundant kitchen garden, and the surrounding landscape are at their most beautiful. Summer brings swimming in the heated outdoor pool and Saturday beach dinners, while quieter months in the off-season offer good-value packages with dinners and complimentary bottles of local spirits, making it feel especially serene.

Where

Perched above the village of Southleigh, three miles from the Jurassic Coast and 15 minutes from the shingled shore at Beer Beach, Glebe House feels quietly removed while still being well placed for exploring. The Axminster train station is only eight miles away, but a car is recommended as Devon’s narrow, winding lanes are part of its charm and allow for greater flexibility. A two-and-a-half-hour drive from Heathrow Airport, it’s just far enough to feel a world away from London’s bustle.

The Proprietors

Former Londoners Hugo and Olive Guest—he a broker-turned-self-taught-chef, she an artist whose canvases and murals fill the house—transformed Hugo’s childhood abode into an estate inspired by Italian agriturismos, where land and table are inseparable. In 2025, chef David Knapman, formerly of The Fat Duck and Maison Lameloise, joined Glebe House as head chef and business partner.

The Scene

This late-Georgian family home has become a live-in art and culinary studio, where turmeric yellows, hand-painted shutters, copper baths, and William Morris wallpapers harmonize with Olive’s paintings. Designed alongside Studio Alexandra, the interiors feel layered and collected over time, with wooden floors softened by rugs and surfaces dotted with fresh-cut flowers.

The Crowd

Glebe House attracts those who prefer to plan trips around a restaurant reservation. It also suits design lovers, couples in search of a true escape, friends reconnecting over unhurried dinners, and families with shaggy dogs and a love of freshly baked bread. Evenings unfold communally, with guests gathering on vintage sofas for drinks by the fire before dinner. It’s a place for people who care about where their food comes from—and who like to be on a first-name basis with the cook.

Rooms

Nine individually designed rooms are spread across the main house, annex, and two cedar cabins, and none of them are remotely generic. Rooms in the main house feature period fireplaces, freestanding baths, and Olive’s signature interiors, while the cabins are best for privacy with super king beds, wood burners, kitchen nooks, and secluded decks with sunken outdoor baths that overlook the valley below. Dogs and families are welcome in the cabins, and cots are available on request.

Service

The staff at Glebe House is largely local, and service is warm, unpretentious, and actually present. There is no formal reception desk, just someone who greets you in the front hall. Hugo and Olive are at the heart of it all, and he might even serve you a course or two at dinner. Plates of freshly baked cookies are strategically left atop heaters to keep warm, and breakfast is complimentary.

Food

Food is the main draw. Evenings begin with cocktails and snacks in the living room before moving into the dining room for a seasonal six-course menu. The more relaxed three-course Kitchen Supper runs all week and highlights comforting dishes like chicken pie, roast duck, foraged salads, and lasagna. Breakfast, especially the full English breakfast, is a highlight, served as morning light floods the sunroom.

Wellness

The wood-fired sauna, hand-crafted locally from Douglas fir, is tucked into a quiet corner of a garden and features a circular window that frames Coly Valley and Southleigh beyond. A cold plunge and hot outdoor shower or a dip in the outdoor pool complete the circuit. There’s also a tennis court available year-round.

Impact

Nose-to-tail cooking, fermentation, and careful preservation make full use of each season. Vegetables are picked from the kitchen garden, pigs and chickens are reared on the land, and other ingredients are sourced nearby, often from local farmers and fishermen. Experiences like mackerel fishing, beach dinners, bread and salami making, and visits to Castlewood Vineyard keep guests connected to the surrounding Devon landscape.

Beyond

Five miles south are the dramatic limestone cliffs and shingled villages of the Jurassic Coast. The village of Beer is ideal for a dip and, yes, a pint; Charmouth is known for good fossil-hunting; and Lyme Regis suits a rainy-day wander. The South West Coast Path is within easy reach, with routes for both serious hikers and casual walkers alike. Closer to home, the surrounding lanes can be explored with one of Olive’s illustrated walking booklets, a packed Glebe lunch, and no fixed plan.

Drawbacks

Glebe House is small, intimate, and deliberately unhurried—its greatest strength, but also something to be aware of before arriving. Guests who are expecting efficient five-star formality and anonymity may be disappointed as there’s no room service, spa, or traditional concierge. For those who come for the food, the quiet, and the character of a real homestead, it offers a deeply satisfying English countryside experience.