I concur wholeheartedly with the other hugely positive reviews here about Bovey Castle – it is a really exceptional hotel, even by 5 star standards. Bovey Castle has it all: fabulous facilities, excellent food, a truly stunning location and genuinely friendly staff who manage consistently to hit the right note of ensuring guests’ comfort at all times without ever being obtrusively ‘there’. What impresses most about this hotel is how we felt transported back to the decadence of the 1920s and felt as though we were visitors to a friend’s country castle, rather than just guests in the usual stuffy carbon-copy 5 star hotel.
Recently I arranged a Spring weekend break here for a large group of staff from the company I work for. I received exceptional service in arranging the event from their events co-ordinator. Every detail of our stay was finely planned and no request was too much trouble. None of us was disappointed with our stay and we also took part in a variety of activities that the hotel had to offer, including clay pigeon shooting, hawk walks, games of golf, local designated walks (they even provide you with wellies!), massages and special treatments in the spa. I have heard nothing but positive reports from the group who went. Each morning of our stay we enjoyed a large and varied breakfast, comprising of traditional English cooked breakfast items and a varied and extensive continental breakfast buffet. This was followed by a complimentary daily falconry display in the grounds by the castle’s resident falconer.
The bedroom my partner and I stayed in overlooked the beautiful grounds and was spacious and decorated to a really high standard. The only thing that let the room down was the bathroom which was perfectly pleasant but ever so slightly shabby and rather more basic than I would have expected (shower extension over a bath with screen; no mixer taps on the sink). There were some lovely little touches in the room, such as fresh fudge made on the estate, sloe gin provided on the coffee table and hand made shortbread biscuits with the teas and coffees. Every time we returned to our room, we found it had been attended to and was pristine, yet the service at all times was inconspicuous - just as you would wish for.
The evening meals in the Palm Court Dining Room were very good indeed, as was the superb level of service, but it was the post-dinner drinks in the Piano Bar which truly made our evenings (think pianist in the corner playing some 1920/30s classics in sumptuous gentleman’s club ‘leather sofa and cigar’ surroundings).
The draw backs? A night’s stay is quite pricey (although it stands up well in comparison with many 4 and 5 star hotels in London) and although some of the activities are complimentary, many charge a small fee. The castle is hard to find when driving or it’s a 30 minutes taxi drive from the nearest train station. So unless you’re from Devon or surrounds, you may have quite a complicated / long journey. It rained out a few of our activities when we were there. It didn’t detract from our stay, as there were plenty indoors to keep us amused (gym, snooker room, wine tasting and a stunning swimming pool with steam room and sauna as well as a spa) but it did make me think how much more I could have enjoyed the estate if the sun shone consistently, so I would definitely recommend a summer visit!
Bovey Castle truly is a cut above the rest and I found very little lacking during my stay. I’ve certainly not stayed in better in the UK and am already planning a return trip next year. Bovey Castle is a rare jewel as it is the attentiveness, pleasantness and efforts of the staff which elevates this hotel beyond being simply in the top notch hotel league. I would say that it is infinitely worth both the money and the schlep!









