Mr and Mrs Grove first stayed at The Nare in 2009 and have returned at least once every year since 2015. During their regular visit earlier this year, they joined the Tuesday Drinks Party, a long-standing Nare tradition.

Each Tuesday, The Nare invites guests to enjoy Champagne and canapés in a relaxed setting. It provides a natural opportunity for conversation, to catch up with familiar faces and, importantly, to get to know guests a little better.

It was at one such Tuesday Drinks Party that Mrs Grove found herself chatting with Julie Johns, who has been at The Nare since May 1983. Mrs Grove mentioned that she and her husband would be returning in August, rather unusually for them, to celebrate her 80th birthday.

As conversation turned to the occasion, Mrs Grove happened to mention that she had never sat on a horse in her life. Her only previous experience had been a donkey ride on the beach as a child.

It was a passing comment, but one that Julie remembered.

Ahead of Mr and Mrs Grove’s return in August, The Nare quietly arranged a visit to nearby The Veryan Riding Centre as a surprise for Mrs Grove. She discovered what had been planned when she arrived at the hotel, with the ride taking place just a few days before she turned 80.

And so, with her milestone birthday just days away, Mrs Grove climbed into the saddle for the very first time, on a horse rather fittingly named Romeo.

Judging by the smile on her face, the surprise was a great success.

The story rather nicely captures the spirit of The Nare. At its heart is a very personal approach to hospitality, taking the time to know guests as individuals and understanding the little things that can make a stay particularly special.

A conversation over Champagne may seem a small thing, but occasionally a passing remark presents an opportunity to create a rather special memory.

In this instance, it happened to involve a horse called Romeo.

A very happy 80th birthday to Mrs Grove, from all of us at The Nare.