Hotel Endsleigh – Devon, England
A Grade I historic house set in 100 acres of fairy tale woodland, follies and grottos created by Humphry Repton, the last great English landscape designer of the eighteenth century. The Duke of Bedford, who owned a third of Devon, laid the first stone in 1814 for his fishing and hunting lodge, ideally situated on the edge of Dartmoor, as he thought it the prettiest part of his estate. It is calm, remote and quiet – a restoring place to stay.
Panelled walls, fire places, crested stained glass windows, decorative wallpaper, and narrow staircases, are just some of the original features that give Hotel Endsleigh its thoroughly unique edge. Combined with Olga Polizzi’s exceptional eye for design, juxtaposition of period and modern furniture and striking artwork, you’ll find it hard to match. For unspoilt and unhurried, far from the madding crowd rural luxury, this is the place to be.
At A Glance
Boutique Hotel
Why We Love It:
For its tranquility and for escaping the everyday.Style:
19th Century aristocratic.Location:
Situated in Milton Abbot, near Tavistock - between Dartmoor in Devon and Bodmin Moor in Cornwall.Rooms:
13 rooms & 6 suites.Swimming:
The hotel has a membership for its guests at a nearby country club with a 25 metre pool, leisure pool and gym.Children:
Children are welcome.Accessibility:
Specific hotel rooms are wheelchair accessible with adapted toilets. As well as the lounge, bars and other facilities being wheelchair accessible.Open From:
All year round.rooms
This is a boutique retreat and all of the rooms and suites have a 5 star feel. Each bedroom is a lovely size, with vintage bathrooms, elegant beds and floral fabrics, and verdant views over the surroundings. Most of the rooms and suites are in the Main House, with the rest privately tucked away in the Stables and the Gatekeeper’s Lodge.
food
In the atmospheric dining room, with its wooden panelled walls and early Victorian décor, expect to feast on delicious local and seasonal produce, with plenty of game, fresh fish and seafood from the coast nearby. There’s a strong Italian influence from the hotel’s owner, Olga Polizzi, and all the dishes are fabulously presented. Breakfasts are worth getting out of bed for, with homemade granola and a full English that will set you up for the day.
Afternoon tea is a ritual that should not be missed – sandwiches, then scones with clotted cream, whilst reclining in wing back chairs in the sedate comfort of the library. For celebrations and large parties, there’s private dining available in the stables for up to 80.
activities
This is a place to relax and recharge your batteries. Should you want to venture out, you can do a tour of the garden with the Head Gardener Ben, (it has the country’s longest raised herbaceous border) or maybe put on some wellingtons and walk the grounds. Dartmoor is within easy reach, with its pretty villages and soaring tors, or make a day trip to the beach with a picnic. You’ll find archery, canoeing, horse riding, segway hire, tree top adventures, cycling and fishing all on the estate or very close by. There’s no Spa at the hotel, but therapists can be booked for in-room treatments.
Location
Milton Abbot, Cornwall
Milton Abbot, near Tavistock - between Dartmoor in Devon and Bodmin Moor in Cornwall. Around four hours by car from London, or take a two hour train to Exeter and it’s an hour from there.
