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Spa B&B specialising in feeding both body & soul. Offers house-cooked veggie/vegan meals, massage & outdoor hot tub, and courses in cooking, digital photography or knife making. 25 private acres with meadows, woodlands & river. Transfers available. Pets welcome. Open Mon-Sun 09:00-21:00.
16 Reviews
First Review by Alyson
Erik10
Points +25
Very tasty and inspiring! - Edit
We had a nice stay at UTLT. For breakfast there were serials, croissant, pain-au-chocolat, fruits, and on request, "overnight oats". Nikki cooked a delicious and healthy vegetarian and vegan dinner every night. Very tasty and inspiring!
Read moreThe garden with a great view is super atmospheric. UTLT is the ideal place to relax and unwind. The rural environment adds to that.
I've been photographing for quite a few years, but I still benefited a lot from Sean's photography workshop while he adapts the content to your level. The B&B has a good price-quality ratio.
Pros: Accommodates to vegan with excellent meals, Relax and unwind, Good price-quality ratio
Guest
Joost
Points +49
Relax and eat with a view! - Edit
Wonderful place to relax, have a great vegetarian or vegan lunch (most from their own garden!) and enjoy the amazing view. Next to that you can enjoy the hot tub, massage, cooking work shop etc. Owners are very friendly! Stayed here for 2 weeks.
Read morePros: vegan or vegatarian. Home grown vegetables.
Cons: Can't think of any!
Guest
ClaraThióPera
Points +132
Wonderful week in a wonderful place - Edit
Good vibes is what we take home from this wonderful week at the B&B. The vegan food is just delicious, the views and the relaxing atmosphere are just perfect. We also had a massage and took a dip in the hot tub, it was very restoring. Thank you Nikki and Sean for it all :)
Read moreGuest
Lorris
Points +13
Week-end de détente - Edit
Un oasis improbable au cœur de la Charente.
Read moreL’accueil de Nikki et Sean est très chaleureux, et la cuisine végétarienne est succulente.
Under The Lime Tree
Merci beaucoup! Prendre bien soin, Nikki x
Read moreGuest
PandA16140
Points +13
A relaxing afternoon - Edit
Just back from an afternoon with Nicky, After a dip in the hot tub we had lunch and it was delicious and all home grown and home cooked we especially liked the fig pie! Followed by a superb hot stone massage.
Read moreCan highly recommend it
Pros: The Hot Tub, The Hot Stone Massage, The Food
Under The Lime Tree
Thank you for popping up for you Spa day. Hope to see you again soon so that we can do it all again! All the best, Nikki x
Read moreGuest
FrancoisvL
Points +40
Wonderful restorative week - Edit
We recently spent a wonderful and restorative week at Under the Lime Tree. Although we did not take advantage of the spa and massage services on offer, we did love the location and the accommodation. We also ate several wonderful vegan dinners which, besides being great value, were also very tasty and eaten in the great company of Nikki and Sean. Vegan and vegetarian options are hard to find in rural France, and so these meals were very welcome and highly recommended.
Read morePros: Excellent food, Great peaceful location, Friendly and interesting hosts
Cons: A bit off the beaten track (could also be a pro!)
Under The Lime Tree
Thanks so much for your lovely review! Good vegan & veggie food is definitely hard to find in this area of France, so I'm delighted that my cuisine was not only available, but top-notch too! Thanks a mill. Be well, Nikki x
Read moreGuest
KarenLM
Points +8
Spa Day - Edit
We enjoyed a truly idyllic spa day at UTLT.
Read moreLovely pampering and superb treatments in a warm, friendly & relaxed atmosphere.
Lunch was a feast of vegetarian and vegan dishes and quite delicious.
Thank you so much to Nikki xx
Under The Lime Tree
Thanks a mill for organizing your spa day and for taking the time to review us. It's good that you're local and can come up for some delicious treats often! On that basis, see you soon! Nikki x
Read moreKarenLM
Can’t wait ? x
Read moreGuest
JoannaMaryseBelalcá
Points +18
Wonderful holistic experience! - Edit
My husband and I have just come back from a fabulous spa treatment and lunch at Under The Lime Tree and we have left feeling totally fresh, peaceful and renewed! UTLT is unique in its approach to welcoming guests - the hosts make you feel truly special as they welcome you into their own home and you get a glimse of their lifestyle as they treat you as an old friend during your time there. Great food (a real party for the palate!), great setting, great conversation and great company! Thank you N and S - we will be back!! Love Joanna and Juan x
Read moreUnder The Lime Tree
Thank you so much for your beautiful review! It's always good to see you and catch up with your news. Keep up the good work! Big hugs, N & S xx
Read moreGuest
Kaddytree
Points +18
Such a beautiful and relaxing place with delicious vegan meals - Edit
We loved staying at UTLT. The hosts Nikki and Sean were very friendly and it is a perfect place for relaxing and enjoying delicious vegan food. The Children (12 years old) liked the swing, the hammock and the whirlpool a lot.
Read moreWe had two nights there with our family before we moved on to Paris and were so happy to find this beautiful resort, where we could gather some energy.
The atmosphere is very calm and peaceful. We would really like to come back to UTLT some time.
Updated from previous review on 2019-07-18
Under The Lime Tree
Thanks so much for your lovely review. I look forward to welcoming you back to UTLT when you're ready for another gathering of energy! Stay calm! Nikki x
Read moreGuest
Eih
Points +56
Hearty welcome and excellent service, I recommend - Edit
We spent 3 nights at Nikki's and the four of us loved it. We were a bit scared to come across bugs in the barn but luckily it didn't happen. There is a mosquito net above each bed and I guess the bats also take care of this "issue".
Read moreWe had vegan breakfasts and dinners and everything was very colourful, tasty, healthy and filling. I wish I could cook just the same. We were only two vegans but everyone loved it.
The location is great, it is peaceful and cosy. Nikki made us see the Moon through her telescope and it was amazing. Unfortunately I think it was too cloudy to see Jupiter.
Under The Lime Tree
Next time you come, hopoefully the skies will be clearer and you'll get to see Jupiter - my fav planet, along with Saturn! Thanks for taking the time to review Us at UTLT - it's very much appreciated. All the best, Nikki x
Read moreGuest
DC10
Points +49
Our happy place :) - Edit
It’s hard to add anything new to what the other reviewers have said, other than we’ve stayed with Nikki and Sean at UTLT three times and we have booked up for the fourth already - as we “never go back to the same place twice”, making an exception for UTLT is testament enough. It really is our happy place, it’s so peaceful and chilled, and staying with Nikki and Sean is like staying with old friends... not to mention Toby the cat😄The setting is glorious, and you can explore the beautiful countryside by foot or car. Spending time in the hot tub admiring the view is a glorious experience. The food is wonderful - I like to think I’m a good cook, but hats off to Nikki, the dishes she produces are amazing, and always inspire me to try new recipes and ingredients when we go home. It’s also lovely to share the dinner table with Nikki and Sean and/or other vegan/veggie guests (all the most interesting people stay at UTLT!).
Read moreAs an aside, I would strongly recommending travelling to UTLT by train if possible, not only is it more environmentally friendly, but it is more relaxing and a treat in itself. If you’re travelling from the UK, hop on Eurostar, spend a cheeky night in Paris (any excuse!) and then hop on the TGV to Angoulême (just over two hours). Nikki can pick you up at the station, or you can pick up a hire car there if you want to do some sightseeing. But to be honest, you probably won’t want to leave UTLT!
Pros: Fabulous hosts, Fabulous food, Fabulous setting
Under The Lime Tree
Thanks for your great review! Your 'happy place" awaits you at any time! It's also really lovely for us to have our visitors come back year after year - or in your case, twice a year! - because it feels like catching up and being very comfortable with old buddies. I shall work on new recipes to make your mouth water! Merci merci, et a bientot! x
Read moreGuest
CarduusKilts
Points +8
Bliss guaranteed! - Edit
My husband and I are local to UTLT, having lived in the area for nigh on five years, but have never managed to experience its delights. Thank goodness we have finally managed to do so! Lots of our friends have raved about their experiences here so we kind of knew in advance that it would be a lovely experience...
Read moreAn amazing two days for my husband, who spent his time with Sean making a knife - I could have said "on a knife-making course" but that sounds far too pedestrian! Sean clearly brings a quiet passion and feel to everything he does, and transmits this to his students. Gary learned another new skill, and I got a beautiful kitchen knife, which we shall both use.
For my part, I booked in for a half-day of pampering to coincide with Gary's course. The plan was to have lunch, followed by hot-tub time then a massage treatment. As Storm Miguel was just about to pass overhead, Nikki suggested that tub time take place before lunch and thank goodness we did that - it was amazing to relax and do nowt in a warm atmosphere while nature was raging above and around me. In between the strong gusts of wind and scudding clouds, the sun occasionally broke through and gave me a taste of what it must be like in more clement weather! Stunning views across the Charente countryside... Then came lunch. Wow. Not only was it plentiful, it was colourful and delicious. Every mouthful savoured and savourable. Needless to say, I came away with both of Nikki's cook-books and lots of ideas/information. And a happy full tummy!
After that came my treatment. I opted for the hot-stone massage - it's something I've always wanted to experience. I certainly was not disappointed! Nikki's expert hands found all those knobbly spots that needed smoothed out. Hot stones rock! (Sorry about that... couldn't resist!). I was left feeling zen and invigorated, all at once! As I write this review the day after, I am still feeling the positive effects. If you do visit UTLT and get the chance of one of Nikki's treatments, then I urge you to take it. Suffice to say that Gary and I plan to be regular visitors...
To sum up - I just didn't want to leave! We only live down the road (literally - less than 5 minutes' drive away!) but I wished that we could have booked in as guests. The warmest of welcomes, the nicest of chats, the yummiest of food - have I got over the message that I loved it?! Go get yourself some bliss at Under The Lime Tree! Your body and soul will thank you...
Pros: Amazing food, Excellent massage treatments, The warmest of welcomes
Under The Lime Tree
You can move in any time! What a splendid review, thanks so much for such detail. It's true that we all need to keep mind, body & soul in good regular shape and that's hard to do in a fast moving world of materialism & distraction. BUT UTLT is a wee sanctuary away from all of that - I hope you do in deed make it a regular feature of your well being. Mmmm - think I might book myself in...ha ha!
Read moreGuest
RHILL
Points +16
Perfect! - Edit
It's pretty hard to find a B&B in the west of France that offers vegan, gluten free meals, but Nikki from Under The Lime Tree was happy to adapt to our particular needs. Great massage, great hot tub, great chat and the quiet company of an elderly cat called Toby. What's not to like?
Read morePros: Idyllic location, Original vegan dishes , Curios, creativity and craft in abundance
Under The Lime Tree
Thanks so much for taking the time to review Us at UTLT! Dietary requirements are no problem, so I'm glad you felt looked after and at home. All the best, Nikki
Read moreGuest
HilarySilverman
Points +15
Overnight Spa - Edit
A warm welcome from the owner of Under The Lime Tree, Nikki, who is lovely.
Read moreWhat a beautiful setting! It is so peaceful. We spent an hour sitting in the outdoor hot tub, relaxing and taking in the amazing views of the 25 acres of meadows and woodland.
I then enjoyed the most amazing hot stone, full body massage. Nikki is an expert!
Nikki then prepared a delicious 3 course dinner for us. All freshly prepared, and taking my friend’s Keto diet into consideration.
I thoroughly recommend Under The Lime Tree.
Pros: Very friendly, Interesting, Excellent food
Under The Lime Tree
Thanks for you lovely review! It's wonderful to hear that you felt so relaxed and look after in only 24 hours - what a difference an overnight Spa makes! Hope to see you again soon, Nikki
Read moreGuest
LisaCupcake
Points +659
Great experience, fantastic food! - Edit
I recently visited Under the Lime Tree for the first time, together with my sister who was visiting from the US. I live in Paris, so don't get to see real nature very often, but this B&B was quite easy to get to. It's just a 2.5 hour TGV ride, and the owner will pick you up and take you back to the train station for a small fee.
Read moreThe setting is gorgeous... a nice view of hills and trees surrounding the property, a lovely vegetable garden, and of course the lime tree itself... all of which can be admired while you relax in the outdoor jacuzzi. The B&B is in a series of adjoining old stone buildings, and the kitchen, where you dine with the hosts and other guests, is especially cozy. The guest room my sister and I stayed in was very comfortable.
We were greeted several times by Nellie the Cat, a friendly long-haired tabby who reigns over the gazebo and looks on as you enjoy the jacuzzi. :)
For me, the three-course dinner was the highlight of the stay. We had a slice of mushroom-chickpea loaf with mango salsa for the starter, a number of main dishes (red lentil and sweet potato bake, a gorgeous red cabbage, mango and pomelo salad with goji berries and pumpkin seeds, roasted vegetables, a green salad, and really good bread), and an amazing chocolate-chestnut pie with mango sorbet and red currants. We also had a hot breakfast the next morning (polenta, sautéed mushrooms and tomatoes, warm raisin rolls, tea/coffee and juice).
What was also great was sharing this lovely dinner with the hosts and other guests, and hearing their stories and experiences — something that isn't possible if you stay at a hotel when traveling.
My sister had a massage and loved it. I will undoubtedly try that next time too.
We each bought a copy of the Under the Lime Tree cookbook and are looking forward to trying the recipes at home!
Pros: beautiful setting, comfortable accommodations, great food
Under The Lime Tree
Thank you very much for your comprehensive review! There's a lot to do here, as well as permission to do nothing at all - so it really suits whatever mood you're in when you wake up! Look forward to catching up when you're next in the area. Be well, Nikki
Read moreGuest
Alyson
Points +755
Great place for relaxation - Edit
My boyfriend and I stayed at UTLT for 4 nights recently and had a wonderfully warm and friendly welcome from the owners Nikki and Sean. We stayed in the gite, which is the former pigsty, and it was really cosy. We spent time walking around their land (30 acres), their woodland, relaxing in the courtyard, using the out door jacuzzi hot tub, borrowing their bikes for a ride of 11 miles around the countryside, going for short jogs, eating, chatting, reading, relaxing, oh, and having some of the treatments Nikki offers too. The food was excellent and plentiful. Very varied meals each evening and also great company as you eat with them around their table! Made friends with their two cats too, and the couple of hens. A great place for vegetarians, vegans, or those other people who eat meat and fish! Those on a low budget could stay in the barn dormitory, or for medium budgets there is a room in the house. They also have a teepee! They can collect/drop off from local train stations for a small fee which is much cheaper than a taxi. Very easy to get to from Paris on the train. Highly recommend.
Read morePros: Vegan food, the whole place, friendly welcome
Under The Lime Tree
I was just thinking that 7 years on, everything you mention in your lovely review is still available, oh! except that nowadays, there is a company dedicated to hiring out bikes! Star gazing and astronomy might also be new - you'll just have to come & see for yourself! Be well, Nikki
Read moreGuest
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