CELEBRATED & RATED
Recognised Among The World's Best
The World Finds Its Way To Exmoor Cliff Retreat
Recognition rarely arrives by accident.
Since taking ownership in 2021, Exmoor Cliff Retreat has earned more than 30 national and international awards and accolades, establishing a reputation that extends far beyond North Devon and Exmoor.
Since 2022, Exmoor Cliff Retreat has been recognised with Tripadvisor’s prestigious Best of the Best award – Tripadvisor’s highest honour, reserved for the top 1% of places to stay worldwide.
For a six-bedroom luxury guest house overlooking the Bristol Channel, that achievement is exceptional.
Repeated recognition at a global level has placed Exmoor Cliff Retreat alongside some of the most highly regarded places to stay anywhere in the world. National honours including AA Guest Accommodation of the Year England 2022, multiple AA Breakfast Awards and a growing collection of hospitality, tourism and travel industry accolades have further cemented its reputation as one of Britain’s most celebrated and recognised independent guest houses.
The result is a reputation that now extends far beyond North Devon. Guests travel from across the UK and around the world. Travel writers, broadcasters and journalists have shared the Highcliffe story with international audiences. Thousands of guest reviews and recommendations continue to reinforce what award judges and industry experts have already recognised.
The sections that follow explore the people, personalities and experiences that sit behind the awards – and the reputation that continues to carry the Highcliffe story around the world.
The People Who Matter Most - Our Guests
Awards are judged. Articles are written. Recognition is earned.
But the opinions that matter most will always belong to the people who have experienced Exmoor Cliff Retreat for themselves.
Every review tells a story – a special celebration, a long-awaited escape, a first visit to Exmoor or a return to a favourite place. Together, these experiences have helped build a reputation that extends far beyond North Devon and continue to inspire new guests to discover Exmoor Cliff Retreat for themselves.
The accolades may have attracted attention, but it is the voices of our guests that continue to define the Highcliffe experience.
Sue Caffrey and her husband Andy are Exmoor Cliff Retreat regulars - Listen to why they love coming back again and again:
Stanley Tucci & The Art of Hospitality
Over the years, Exmoor Cliff Retreat has quietly welcomed guests from across the worlds of food, travel, media, music and hospitality.
Among them has been actor, writer and renowned food enthusiast Stanley Tucci – whose appreciation for authentic travel experiences, exceptional food and thoughtful hospitality perhaps makes him a rather fitting guest for Exmoor Cliff Retreat.
As Stanley Tucci famously once said:
“I judge a place by breakfast.”
Thankfully… breakfast is something we take very seriously.
Served in our light-filled conservatory overlooking the sea, breakfast at Exmoor Cliff Retreat has become one of the defining parts of the guest experience – combining locally sourced ingredients, plated service, homemade touches and panoramic coastal views stretching across the Bristol Channel towards South Wales.
For many guests, breakfast here becomes less of a meal… and more of a memory.
In Good Company
Exmoor Cliff Retreat has quietly welcomed an eclectic and fascinating mix of musicians, writers, photographers, hospitality professionals, globally travelled guests and returning visitors from across the world.
Guests have included:
- Richard Finney of Captain Fawcett fame
- renowned musician Rupert Gillett
- respected rugby personality Phil Davies
- German Michelin-starred chef Elmar Zuspann
- triathlon athlete Jade Kingdom
- acclaimed children’s author and producer Jean Maye
Alongside countless returning guests who now feel very much part of the wider story of Exmoor Cliff Retreat itself.
One breakfast table may host conversations about music, travel and creativity.
Another about Michelin-level cuisine, hidden Exmoor walking trails, photography, food, wine or favourite hotels around the world.
Interesting people somehow keep finding their way here.
And we rather like it that way.
Featured & Recommended
Awards may have opened the door, but it is independent voices that have helped carry the Highcliffe story even further.
Over the years, Exmoor Cliff Retreat has been featured, reviewed and recommended by travel writers, journalists, broadcasters, bloggers and hospitality commentators whose audiences span the UK and beyond.
From respected travel publications and national media to influential content creators and independent reviewers, these voices have introduced Exmoor Cliff Retreat to thousands of prospective guests.
Their articles, reviews and features offer something particularly valuable: independent perspectives from people whose profession is discovering exceptional places, experiences and destinations.
Collectively, they have helped establish Exmoor Cliff Retreat as one of the UK’s most highly regarded independent guest houses and introduced audiences around the world to this remarkable corner of North Devon.
We invite you to explore some of those stories below.
Featured in the Media
But look up from the town square and you’ll see one building that surveys the land… It’s called Exmoor Cliff Retreat and its rather a special place… I don’t think you’ll find a better stay for you and your suitcase… You’re greeted with a welcoming cream tea, or even a cheeky cocktail… Before you are led to your immaculate bedroom with impeccable attention to detail… Spotlessly clean, fine art adorns each and every wall… Complimented by wonderful views
Jill Franks QVC TV Presenter ( pictured with husband Larry )
With just six rooms Exmoor Cliff Retreat has all the individual charm you’d look for in a boutique hotel and will appeal to those who normally stay in a small luxury hotel. It’s technically a bed and breakfast or guest house since it doesn’t have a restaurant, although the Devon cream teas and gin bar are most welcome! Read on to discover all we enjoyed when we stayed at Exmoor Cliff Retreat in this review.
Travel Journalist Heather Cowper relaxing in the new Exmoor Cliff Retreat Gin Bar
It had been a while since I last adventured into Devon and it was a pleasure to come back and even more of a pleasure to explore the beauty of Lynton and Lynmouth.
The stay at Exmoor Cliff Retreat was a short escape that I shall not be forgetting in a hurry. This is how 5 star bed and breakfast guest houses are supposed to be with a lot extra. The location, the view, the rooms, the hosts, the food, the afternoon tea, the decor and of course the walks and things to see around. What is not to love?
Bald Hiker Guest Review
The hosting of Robert and Richard was exceptional during our stay. Nothing was too much trouble for them and they make extremely attentive hosts.
THE DIARY OF A JEWELLERY LOVER
Having travelled extensively across the UK, Holly loves writing about the places she’s visited. When she’s not writing, you can find her painting and walking her Irish setter.
Holly Dodd is a freelance writer and history buff
This adults-only bed and breakfast is in Lynton, 600 feet above Lynmouth and near the woodlands and waterfalls of Exmoor.
Sea views come as standard with a setting this close to the coast – the water is visible from every bedroom and from the conservatory where breakfast is served each morning.
This luxurious, quiet setting is great for relaxation and for socializing in an intimate setting.
Each luxurious room at Exmoor Cliff Retreat features an individual design that blends the beauty of tradition with the comfort of modernity.
Travel Magazine Review
Exmoor Cliff Retreat in Lynton, Devon is a bed and breakfast establishment that is first and foremost all about a good night’s sleep in a beautiful bedroom followed by a fantastic breakfast. And hosts that cannot do enough for their guests.
Experienced Traveller Review
The Exmoor Cliff Retreat is a gorgeous 5-star Bed & Breakfast on a hill overlooking Lynton and a short walk from the town centre. We stayed here and can highly recommend it as a great place for couples looking for a romantic break or luxurious getaway.
Wanderer of the World Review
Charming. Luxurious. Romantic. These are just some of the words we would use to describe Exmoor Cliff Retreat, a fabulous 5-star B&B in Lynton, Devon.
If you’re looking for somewhere to celebrate a special occasion or you simply want to add a little bit of luxury to your escape to the Devonshire countryside, then Exmoor Cliff Retreat might be just the ticket.
Press / Media Kit
For journalists, broadcasters, travel writers and content creators looking to learn more about Exmoor Cliff Retreat.
Bloggers, Influencers and YouTubers have all enjoyed trips to Exmoor Cliff Retreat to help us support our marketing activity.
At certain times of the year, we reach out to influencers to support various experiences and events with us. To be considered for our Influencer Programme, please contact us with the following information:
Return • Relax • Repeat
Perhaps the greatest compliment any hospitality business can receive is a returning guest.
Many of our visitors return year after year, celebrating anniversaries, marking milestones and creating new memories in a place that has become part of their story.
Some first arrived after reading a review. Others discovered us through an award, a recommendation or a travel feature. Whatever first brought them to Exmoor Cliff Retreat, many choose to return again and again.
Long after the awards have been announced and the articles have been written, it is these returning guests who remain at the heart of everything we do.
Their loyalty speaks volumes. Their recommendations are invaluable. Their return visits are deeply appreciated.
The greatest award, after all, is being welcomed back.
Book Direct • Best Rates Always
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