Country manor retreat
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Destination: Devon, UK
Vacation: Luxuriously grand escape
Seeking: Outdoor pursuits and royal-standard dishes
Highlight: High-end experiences
When the weather starts to turn, the best thing to do is embrace the UK’s winter chill with a cosy stay somewhere indulgent. We’ve been retreating to Devon and the stunning moorlands of Dartmoor National Park for years, but this winter we treated ourselves to a long weekend stay at the renowned Bovey Castle hotel.
Standing within 275 acres of beautiful countryside, the hotel is every bit as grand as its name suggests. Pulling up on a cold but blue-sky day, we’re greeted by ornate fountains and the moody, dark stone of the castle.
The rooms are elegant and refined with well-stocked minibars and homemade sloe gin – ours also has a huge claw-foot bathtub. And with so many country pursuits to choose – from archery to falconry – you can easily balance luxury with all-out adventure.
Bovey Castle first opened as a hotel and golf resort in the 1930s by the Great Western Railway. Now, the hotel is perfect for anyone with a taste for grandeur and the great outdoors. The newly renovated restaurant, The Great Western Grill, will more than satisfy the foodie crowd. Chef Mark Budd has designed a menu sparkling with ingredients like fresh truffle, lobster and local game. And there are several private dining rooms if you want a more intimate feast.
With 60 beautifully designed rooms, a championship golf course, spa and swimming pool, it’s no wonder that it recently became part of the prestigious Pride of Britain Collection.
Scroll down to find out more about our stay at Bovey Castle. You might also like to read our article on luxury Devon hotels with pools and for more UK luxury travel inspiration read our feature on beautiful boutique hotels in Notting Hill and find out more about our stay at the iconic, chic and welcoming The Store, Oxford hotel.
Book your stay
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“Nestled in the rolling valleys of Dartmoor National Park, you will find 5 red star luxury.”
Best food & drink
1. The Great Western Grill
The newly updated Great Western Grill restaurant is headed by chef Mark Budd – whose portfolio includes The Ritz, The Dorchester and even the Royal Family. The menu pairs local meat with limited edition dishes like the exceptional Exmoor caviar.
I’d recommend settling in for five courses and trying the wine pairings, too. Highlights include the grilled lobster Thermidor with a delicate spiral of saffron linguine, the hearty Dartmoor beef Wellington and the perfectly baked banana and sticky caramel soufflé.
2. Smith’s Brasserie
I can imagine the hotel’s second restaurant coming alive in the summer with its great terrace offering endless views of the grounds. This is the place to book for a relaxed lunch and tuck into the Tapas-style snacks and small plates – from coconut calamari to Moroccan lamb fritters.
3. The Ring of Bells
This high-end local pub is worth lacing up your walking boots for. You can follow the hotel’s path directly to the pretty village of North Bovey. Here, the Ring of Bells pub – a 13-century thatched inn no less – serves 100% locally farmed all-organic drinks and dishes. The grass-fed roast beef and locally caught scallops are incredible, and don’t leave without trying a couple of the local organic beers, too.
Stay
Bovey Castle has 60 individually designed rooms, with most in the historic manor and a handful of others in the private mews building. There are also a handful of private stone lodges located on the grounds, near the tennis courts.
We stayed in a Junior State Room with a huge king bed, ornate wallpaper and a plush seating area. The views of the surrounding woodland help to melt away the stress of our busy week – as did the free-standing bath and TEMPLESPA products in the bathroom.
Explore
One of the best things about Bovey Castle is the sheer number of activities on offer. We tried the off-roading experience with an instructor, and took one of the hotel’s huge Landrover Defenders for a spin. The experience is incredible as we thunder up and down the hills and streams of the surrounding grounds.
You can also try your hand at falconry – or just experience the falconry display each morning just after breakfast – meet the local deer in the hotel’s deer park or sharpen your archery or shooting skills.
For a very cosy time, book onto the gin and cyder-making. In a candlelit barn, you can taste the sweet tartness of the first apple press and learn how to make homemade strawberry and raspberry gin liqueurs.
But, the adventures don’t stop at the hotel. The heather-strewn moors of Dartmoor National Park are right on your doorstep. The hotel offers bespoke guided tours if you need a little guidance. And the jaw-dropping trails and waterfalls at Lydford Gorge are only a short drive away.
Unwind
Elan Spa and Studio create the ultimate escape. In the pool area, there’s a whirlpool, steam and sauna, and you can take in the stunning views of the grounds from the poolside. Upstairs, the tranquil spa offers everything from TEMPLESPA facials to Indian head massages.
And don’t forget the many drawing rooms across the hotel. We find that each have their own roaring open fire, but our favourite is the one closest to the bar serving up classic cocktails with a twist. Or, park up with a book and order a Devonshire cream tea straight to your seat. Bliss.
Hotel info
BOVEY CASTLE
North Bovey,
Dartmoor National Park,
Devon,
TQ13 8RE
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