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Friday, October 09, 2015

A romantic destination – Kandy Shepherd


 A highlight of my visit to England last month was a one-night stay at the beautiful art deco hotel on Burgh Island on the coast of Devon.

The wonderful 1930s hotel on Burgh Island in Devon in the UK

 One of the hotel’s claims to fame is that Agatha Christie was inspired by Burgh Island to write two of her most famous novels—Evil Under the Sun and Then There Were None (originally published with a title considered now to be offensive.)

I thrilled to the idea of visiting this hotel, which is cut off at high tide from the village of Bigbury-on-Sea with no way off the island. It’s where Agatha Christie got the idea of a household of potential murderers cut off from escape and trapped in each other’s presence. The actually hotel and island were the setting of the “Evil Under the Sun” episode of the television series Poirot (Christie’s famous detective). I recognized the setting straight away.

Art Deco splendor 

 Agatha Christie is said to be the best-selling author of all time. What fun it was for me as a writer to stay in the place that so influenced her writing. Our little visit was with both my bridesmaids and their husbands and it was a wonderful (yes, expensive!) treat to celebrate us all being together. Who knows what inspiration the stay will give me for future stories…

The hotel was established in the 1930s with famous celebrities of the time staying there. Apparently they welcomed the privacy and isolation. The rooms are named after famous people who stayed there over the years and are beautifully decorated in the Art Deco style—much of it original. Having a drink in the ancient (1336 AD) Pilchard Inn was also a memorable experience.

Having a drink at the ancient Pilchard Inn was quite an experience

 As you can see from my photos, the weather wasn’t wonderful but we didn’t mind. The rain held off for a walk around the rugged coastline and the rest of the time we spent enjoying the luxury of our surrounding. And the excellent food. The hotel staff were brilliant too. My only regret was that I didn’t get to ride the water tractor, the unique mode of transport that drives through the water with the enormous tires on the sandy bottom of the channel.

This eccentric vehicle is the sea tractor that transports guests to and from the island through the water

 Is it no wonder that Burgh Island came second in the Mills & Boon Romantics awards for most romantic destination?

Is there a romantic destination you’d like to visit—or already have visited? A destination that turned out to be not so romantic after all? I’d love to hear about it. I’ve got an advance copy of my next Harlequin Romance, Gift-Wrapped in Her Wedding Dress, to give away. Make a comment if you’d like to be in the draw. Please include your email address.



Gift-Wrapped in Her Wedding Dress (yes, it’s a Christmas themed novel!) will be released next month on November 1. It’s an intensely emotional story about a brooding billionaire Scrooge and a vivacious party planner. 

The billionaire's Christmas proposal… 

Billionaire Dominic Hunt's Christmas ball is a chance for hard-working party planner Andie Newman to make her name. She's intent on convincing gorgeous Dominic that decking the halls is the way to transform his brooding reputation, but he has an alternative idea—a festive proposal! 

After Dominic unexpectedly helps Andie with her own emergency, she says yes! The engagement is meant to be just for show, but as Dominic and Andie are surrounded by the magic of Christmas, they find their fake feelings are becoming all too real…


Kandy Shepherd is an award-winning author of contemporary romance and women’s fiction. She lives on a small farm in the Blue Mountains near Sydney, Australia, with her family and a menagerie of four-legged friends.

Visit Kandy at her website


Connect with Kandy on Facebook and Twitter

10 comments:

Laurie G said...

I would like to visit the Amalfi Coast in Italy. The Five Fingers area looks beautiful and romantic.

When our four children were young, we wanted to get a way for a romantic weekend up in northern Wisconsin near Cable. We wanted to relax and cross country ski. Unfortunately the weather took a turn for the worse. It was -56* with the wind chill. You could not venture outside at all. Our car engine froze overnight. Luckily we did get to spend time together and the room came with a fireplace!

Laney4 said...

I must be a cheap date. Romantic for me is having the house to ourselves, clean sheets, bubble bath, and later a good book.
seytype at Hotmail dot com

dstoutholcomb said...

I loved Hawai'i!

Barbara T. said...

Blackpool, England is my choice. No idea if it is considered romantic, but one can make it so, bobbipad@gmail.com

Kandy Shepherd said...

Laurie, I would love to visit the Amalfi Coast! We had the opportunity once but severe storms and floods lashing Italy made it impossible. One day...
Love your story of the freezing romantic weekend!

Kandy Shepherd said...

Sounds very romantic to me Laney!

Kandy Shepherd said...

Hawaii? Yes, very romantic dsoutholcomb! A fabulous destination.

Kandy Shepherd said...

Barbara T, wasn't Blackpool once a popular honeymoon destination? It mus be romantic! And, as you say, you can make it romantic.

Liz Fielding said...

I caught Evil Under the Sun on the TV a couple of days ago, Kandy and knowing you'd been there I watched it again. Lovely pics.

Kandy Shepherd said...

Thank you Liz! I'd love to see the show again now that I've been to Burgh Island!