REVIEW: THE VICTORIA HOTEL, SIDMOUTH
Grand hotel encapsulates Sidmouth’s Regency glamour and timeless charm
Sidmouth is a wonderfully eccentric and achingly pretty Regency seaside town, where everything appears in technicolour, from the fiery reds of the Triassic cliffs, to its immaculate, kaleidoscopic floral displays; the patchwork, countryside quilt wrapped around it and blue seas, sticky chocolate sand, thatched roofs and pastel, Victorian buildings.
We are here for the annual Folk Festival, when Sidmouth turns its idiosyncratic dial up to 11, and Morris Dancers can be spotted sharing ice creams with hippies, nursing bearded dragons on their shoulders, while pensioners on unicycles wheel past George and Sabra, the town’s dancing, papier-mâché giants.
Barely a pebble has changed since I grew up there in the 80s and 90s, and this timeless charm is part of the appeal to tourists who flock there each summer.
All of this can be admired from the grand Victoria Hotel - our luxurious home for the weekend - which is perched across the beach on the steep ascent to the beautiful Jacob’s Ladder beach, with extraordinary views.
It was Sidmouth’s first purpose-built hotel when it opened in 1904 and encapsulates the essence of the town’s beauty, Regency glamour, flawless floral features and old-school style.
We’re flanked by an explosion of perfectly manicured flowers and an 18-hole putting green as we arrive at the hotel - 9,500 bedding plants have been grown on-site - guarded from seagulls by their resident peregrine falcons and hawks.
A peacock blue Rolls Royce Silver Seraph is parked by the entrance with the original number plate of the family Brend Collection brand which owns it - guests at the hotel can enjoy complimentary chauffeur driven trips in this into Sidmouth.
Inside, its grand lobby is traditional and formal but welcoming, with a sweeping, original oak staircase and colourful, seaside views through its large windows.
We head to our home for the trip, a fresh and contemporary, detached poolside suite on the hotel’s beautiful five-acre grounds.
It has champagne and mink furnishings and large French windows in the lounge and bedroom, opening onto our own private poolside terrace, complete with private hot tub, sun loungers, and table for al fresco cocktails.
It’s perfect for families, with a large, comfortable master bedroom and a sofa bed in the lounge, plus a handy kitchenette.
Our children are already excitedly hopping into their swimwear before we’ve even dragged our suitcase in. And the outdoor heated pool is a gem, with a bridge our children play Three Billy Goats Gruff beneath, loungers and tables and friendly staff, who bring us poolside Aperols… and apple juices. There is also a games room and bar.
We spend a gorgeous few hours, splashing about in the warm waters of this peaceful oasis, before getting ready for the dinner at their AA Rosette winning Jubilee Restaurant.
Foolishly, we haven’t checked the dress code, but the formal jacket and tie dinner rules are immediately apparent on entering, where all diners are immaculately dressed.
The staff are very kind about my husband’s shorts and tee combo, and thoughtfully hide him away in the corner of the restaurant, where I happily warm myself on the heat of his cheeks. One of my holiday highlights.
It is now that we meet Petr, and it is worth visiting the restaurant for him alone - go for the pork, stay for the Petr. A funny, warm and impossibly thoughtful waiter, who is just as attentive to the children as he is to us.
He brings my daughter a cushion to make her more comfortable and charms us all throughout the meal.
A band in pristine, white starched suits and bow ties perform live jazz on the stage beside us, while we work our way through the table d’hôte menu.
I start with a fresh pea, broad bean and asparagus starter, with feta and mint and my husband opts for the ham hock terrine.
My daughter is delighted by her melon ribbons starter and embraces her formal dining cosplay, with little pinky aloft.
Lemon sorbets arrive between courses - “what, ice cream with our dinner!?” Our chuffed little heathens exclaim.
My standout is the pork tenderloin main - salty, succulent and perched on a moreish cassoulet of braised white beans, tomato and bacon.
My husband opts for the roast sirloin of beef, with Yorkshire pudding and vegetables, which disappear quicker than you can say “loungewear.”
As a savoury-toothed tiger, I finish with the cheese board, and it’s a delightful, dairy journey across Devon, with slabs of Godminster Organic Cheddar, Sharpham Elmhirst, Devon Blue and Ticklemore Goats Cheese. It’s a welcome departure from the microscopic cheese shavings we’re used to in London, with generous wedges of each.
So often, children are approached as a bothersome afterthought in restaurants, but the menu and Petr make ours feel special - so much so, that my daughter draws a picture of him as a gift at the end of the meal, and she's thrilled by his reaction.
The following morning, we are all very touched, when he leads us back to the same table for breakfast, where we see that he has gifted her with a giant, A3 sketch book and left it on her chair. Such a pure and thoughtful gesture, which makes my daughter’s trip. We do not deserve Petr.
My husband is relieved to note that his casual attire is more welcome at breakfast, where our children dive into the excellent buffet table, heaving with raspberry crowns, apple coronets, maple pecans, fish, meat, cheese, cereal, yoghurts and fruit juices.
We choose from a range of made to order, grilled goodies, which include fish options like kippers and smoked haddock. And it’s perfectly prepared to our tastes, with well crisped bacon, deep orange yolked poached eggs, silky mushrooms and top quality sausages.
We’re here to experience the hotel’s brand new Source Spa, which is where we now take our bacon-filled bellies.
It’s a luxurious, fragrant and serene space, with a large heated pool, a modern gym, hydrotherapy spa bath, ice bath, aromatherapy sauna, and steam room.
The luxury spa rooms offer massages, facials, and body treatments, using their own premium Source Spa product range, and there’s an inviting chill out area outside, with bouncy marshmallow loungers and soft lighting.
The launch follows the recent success of the Brend Collection’s first Source Spa at its sister hotel, Saunton Sands in North Devon.
And it is a delicious cherry on the top of a particularly fine cake. We have a surprisingly calm morning, splashing about in the warm pool and relaxing in the hydro spa.
Then we check out for day two of the Folk Festival, in this unique tourist hotspot, to enjoy more of the prettiness, Regency glamour, immaculate floral features and timeless charm encapsulated by The Victoria Hotel.
The Victoria Hotel & Source Spa, The Esplanade, Sidmouth EX10 8RY. Our Poolside Suite was £422 a night, in August.
The new Source Spa is open daily from 8am until 7pm and is for the exclusive use of residents and members until the autumn, when new Spa Day packages will be available. Spa memberships will cost £125 per month, allowing guests unlimited access and can be purchased by emailing spamanager@victoriahotel.co.uk
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