THERE'S a sign half way along the lane that takes you to Gidleigh Park saying 'take heart' — the mock Tudor mansion is so far off the beaten track that probably many guests believe they may be straying into lost heart of Dartmoor by mistake. But perseverance brings its rewards — before long, the vista opens out and the hotel, just re-opened after a huge refurbishment programme, appears, fronted by open parkland and the tumbling North Teign river. Gidleigh Park was built in 1928 and became a hotel in 1977. Last year, it was closed by new owners Andrew and Christina Brownsword and underwent a multi-million pound make-over, which increased its 14 bedrooms to 24, all individually furnished with antiques, beautiful fabrics and bathrooms which are the last word in luxury. The hotel gained worldwide acclaim for its food under its hugely talented chef Michael Caines, who has gained an unrivalled two Michelin stars for his stunning cuisine. Now a change in ownership and a huge cash injection herald a new era for the hotel. Michael, who has been head chef at Gidleigh since 1994, said: 'My culinary goal here is now focused on achieving our third Michelin star. The other key element that I've been able to develop is the whole food and service experience, by structuring the hotel in a manner that allows us to introduce elements that were not available before.' Michael said it was not just the public areas of the hotel which had undergone the star treatment — the kitchen and back house areas have been completely refurbished. 'We have state of the art cooking equipment that allow us to develop new and exciting cooking techniques as well enabling us to improve on the existing elements such as the bread for example. 'I've appointed a head chef, Ian Webber, to overlook the day to day running of the kitchen. He is developing well and was a previous winner of the South West Chef of the Year competition.' Michael said the whole team, both front and back of house, shared the ambition of achieving a third star. 'It's a dedication to detail and consistency that we strive to achieve. I'm very much the driving force and focus for this, but Andrew and Christina Brownsword share this ambition and want Gidleigh Park to build on the legacy the Henderson's (Gidleigh's previous owners) have created,' said Michael. 'Cooking at the highest levels, requires constant development of your menus and cooking style. We also champion and encourage the use of local and regional produce. 'These two elements working together create a unique experience which I hope gives our unique appeal.' Sue Williams is the general manager at Gidleigh. Following a career in a variety of four star properties around the UK, her last appointment before joining forces with Gidleigh's new owners was with the world famous Raymond Blanc at Le Manoir Aux Quat'Saisons. Sue was asked to take on the management of Gidleigh when the new owners purchased the hotel in February 2005. That year was spent re-designing and restructuring the building, which closed its doors in January 2006 to enable the eleven-month refurbishment to go ahead. Sue said: 'I am delighted we re-opened on time. From my time at Le Manoir I learned many things, not least that quality is not a coincidence. 'Passion, team and a genuine wish to deliver the very best in hospitality are the key ingredients to a wonderful hotel. It is our aim to provide the very best.' Resident manager Susan Kendall began working for the Brownswords at their Bath Priory Hotel five years ago. She joined the team at Gidleigh last November. Susan said: 'Gidleigh Park is more than just a building, it is a very special place that has to be experienced to be believed. 'I remember the first time I came up the drive, the house seemed to emerge in front of me and I was smitten. It is a true retreat.' Visitors to Gidleigh may quickly be struck by the abundance of wood panelling which seems to line every wall. The hotel's drawing room includes huge windows overlooking the parkland and river, which during recent wet weather quickly rose to a spectacular torrent. The extra bedrooms at Gidleigh have been created from the old servants' quarters on the second floor of the building. Immaculately decorated and furnished with huge attention to detail, the rooms' smaller windows are more than compensated for by charm and atmosphere. Susan said reaction to the refurbishment from the hotel's regular clients had been very positive. 'They were obviously going to be our harshest critics. When we re-opened the doors we were very excited but funnily, the first reaction was often "What have you done?" because the feeling at Gidleigh is still the same, the welcome is the same, the house is still in keeping of its period. 'Then when they sit in the drawing room, they start to notice the colours are more subtle, the furnishings are a bit more luxurious — then they see the wooden floor in the hallway, which is original but before it had been covered by carpet,' she said. When the hotel is fully staffed there will be around 60 on the payroll. Susan said it was a complete team effort which helped to produce the 'Gidleigh effect' — total relaxation as a result of stunning surroundings, food and atmosphere. Sommelier Leif Svendsen, a 45-year-old Dane, arrived at Gidleigh just before Christmas. With an immaculate CV which includes working with internationally famous chef Marco Pierre White during his 'wild boy' days of the 1980s and at Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, his encyclopaedic knowledge of the wine industry is being put to good use as he begins to put his stamp on the Gidleigh cellar. 'When I arrived there was £500,000 worth of stock — about 30,000 bottles,' he said. Leif has whittled the cellar down to around 10,000 bottles but widened the range of wines. He said there was a fine balancing act to running a cellar, when a wine's life span and maturing period have to be taken into consideration, so the sommelier did not end up with a glut of wines reaching their peak of drinkability at the same time. As sommelier, Leif has an enviable budget to invest in the cellar. He has just spent 'a substantial amount' purely on a particular 2005 Burgundy, predicted to be a very special vintage and the subject of huge demand within the industry. 'Buying that was worse than in Marks and Spencer on the first day of the sales!' he said. Leif, who cheerfully admits his profession is 'a dying breed', is experiencing a huge change in life, swapping the hustle and bustle of city life for the peace and rarified air of Dartmoor. 'I wished to get out of London because I wanted to prepare myself for 2010, when I try to become a Master of Wine,' he said. This elite qualification is the pinnacle of the wine world. Equal in status to a professorship, applicants are assessed by the Institute of Wine. Out of 100 applications a year, just three pass worldwide. Yet to appear elitist would be the very last thing the sommelier would wish. 'My job is to make it comfortable for people. It's very important for me to make contact with people before we even start to talk about what they would like to drink. It's very much a social thing. 'It's a fantastic job and I think a lot of people would think it's a very enviable job,' said Leif, who for all his love and enthusiasm for wine, does not exclude the more basic beverages in life. 'If I go out, I'd have a beer!' he said.
