Thursday, August 6, 2015

The Doctor's House

This week, Andrew and I had a little 'stay-cation', meaning we took the week off work and enjoyed some time relaxing close to home.

We spent a night at The Doctor's House Inn & Spa in Green's Harbour, and as their website promises, it is "Just an hour from St. John's, and a million miles from anywhere."


A History of The Doctor's House
from  http://doctorshousenewfoundland.com/

The Doctor’s House Inn & Spa began more than half a century ago by a young Irish couple with big dreams and an extraordinary vision.

Dr. Charlie Boddie worked as a Doctor of Psychiatry at Her Majesty’s Penitentiary in St. John’s and built his country sanctuary bit by bit over several decades. He found joy and solace in “sculpting” the place, one of the many highlights being the house’s tower, where he loved to look out at the moon reflecting on the bay.

Mary Boddie was a gentle woman with a soft spot for animals, especially the Newfoundland Pony. She had an exquisite hand for gardening. This is obvious when exploring the grounds, each flower, tree and bush neatly placed. Not only has she created an oasis, she has built a sanctuary for poets, artists and wanderers, and the ultimate romantic escape.

For close to 50 years this beautiful Tudor-style mansion was ‘under construction’ while the doctor, his wife and family lived in a tiny section of it. Outside, they created beautiful gardens and stunning landscaping including a large number of maple trees and many flowering trees and shrubs that Newfoundland had never seen before. They also added several barns, chicken coops and outbuildings, and had Newfoundland ponies, cows, sheep, hens, and several different kinds of birds roaming the property.

Out of their dream, their story, came Newfoundland’s hidden jewel: The Doctor’s House Inn & Spa. A luxury retreat situated on over 100 acres, between the trees and the ocean’s edge, just an hour from St. John’s.


Needless to say, we had the BEST time! We lucked out with the weather and had two incredibly beautiful days. We enjoyed our time at The Doctor's House immensely. I just love the history of the place, and the gardens are spectacular. I loved that there were so many animals on the grounds. They have four Newfoundland Ponies, several goats, sheep, chickens, ducks, and we were awakened in the morning by a "cock-a-doodle-doo" (and I didn't even mind!).

Dining at The Doctor's House is fantastic as well. Seasonal foods are made from fresh, locally sourced ingredients and produce from their own on-site greenhouses. For dinner, we had a multi-course meal:
Andrew had Minestrone with Spring Garden Bounty: Peas & Favas, Romano Beans, Lime and Espelette.
I had Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Cured Egg Yolk, Cranberry and Pickled Anchovy.
We both had Herb Crusted Newfoundland Cod with Green Pea Risotto, Saffron & Leek Sauce and Apple Gastrique.
For dessert, I had Dark Chocolate Marquise with NL Sea Salt and Citrus Creme Fraiche.
Andrew had Homemade Sour Cream Donuts with Screech Caramel and Thyme.

I would highly recommend The Doctor's House for a unique, luxury getaway. Connecting with nature is good for your overall health and emotional well-being, and we need to do more of that. It's amazing what a relaxing night away from home can do to lift your spirits, and The Doctor's House offers the perfect escape. Whenever we have the chance to get away, I always come back with a fresh perspective on things. The peace and quiet and the simplicity of the surroundings allows for some serious thought and appreciation of life, family, and the opportunity to create meaningful moments. It's just what the Doctor ordered!

5 comments:

  1. Great commentary, wonderful fotos too..One can certainly say those folks truly enjoyed The Doctor"s House and all of its amenities. I'll be out there sometime soon...Bud Vincent

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  4. Nice write up. Thank you for all the details, Julie. Hope you and family doing well during Covid. All the best. Hope to run into your family sometime. Just has our staycation booked at Doctor's House this month..

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