Bovey Castle

We previously stayed at Bovey castle in the main building a few years ago and absolutely loved it. We are currently here again in a lodge this time but the whole experience is very different. Overall the place is lovely, the setting is beautiful and generally the staff are friendly but there have just been lots of small things that haven’t been enjoyable. Today we were told the kids zone for our two young kids cost £25 per day. This isn’t a manned facility, it’s a room for kids to play in under parent supervision. For a hotel to cater for families and kids, I have no idea why they charge for it and it was free when we previously stayed. The lodge is very different to the luxury room we stayed in before. It is spacious but feels a bit sparse and not luxurious or homely. The oven pan was disgusting and could do with a new frying pan and didn’t have basics like salt. I understand if they want us to eat in the restaurant but booking it for the times we wanted in the evenings we were told there were no spaces. My wife and eldest son wanted a round of golf with an instructor and left two messages at reception for the golf shop to contact her to arrange the pro, but neither message was passed on and it became too late to get an instructor. And the continental breakfast for £20 per person was disappointing. Overall I’d say it’s a lovely place for a romantic couples weekend or you are out an about the entire time but for young families it wouldn’t be my choice again.

We had an absolutely wonderful stay at this hotel! From the moment we arrived, the service was outstanding. Every member of the team was friendly, attentive, and genuinely eager to make our stay enjoyable. They were especially amazing with our children, so patient, caring, and kind, which made us feel completely at ease.|The activities were excellent, well organised, fun, and run by enthusiastic staff who clearly love what they do. There was something for everyone to enjoy, and everything was handled so professionally.|The hotel itself is set in a beautiful location, with stunning views, the hotel is very grand, with large fireplaces, and wonderfully relaxing. Every detail, from the decor to the peaceful atmosphere, added to the overall experience. We left feeling refreshed and already can’t wait to return.|Highly recommended for families or anyone looking for a perfect getaway!

Bovey Castle is truly 5 stars in every aspect. The welcome, the staff and the service are what makes this hotel stand out. Yes it’s pricey but it’s worth it for the ambience. All public areas have a stunning atmosphere, 2 restaurants, the informal Smiths brasserie and the fine dining Great Western Grill. Lovely choice and a fine selection of wines. Bedrooms are beautiful and immaculate and the grounds are simply stunning. A walk around is a must. The golf course is of championship standard and the spa is superb. We will without doubt be returning.

Spent a lovely evening there to celebrate my husband's birthday. Check-in is quite late at 4pm so the room was not ready when we arrived. However, we were greeted by the receptionists who said we could wait in the lounge or bar but we opted for a walk around the grounds and were and given a map. It is a truly stunning location and so we enjoyed a stroll before returning to be shown to our Valley View room. This was a beautiful, large, stylish room and bathroom both of which were immaculately clean. There was a nice touch of a little display of chocolate and fruit on a 'Happy Birthday' plate. The other nice touch was having proper milk and bottled water in the mini-fridge.|Unfortunately, one of the restaurants is not open on a Sunday night so we ate in Smith's Brasserie which was very good. The other restaurant the Great Western Grill was open for breakfast the following day and is more formally set out. It would have been nice to have been able to try their evening menu. |The public rooms of the Castle are absolutely stunning with some incredibly carved staircases and panelling . They are beautifully furnished and with the fires lit in most of the rooms it was possible to sit and enjoy the views in comfort. |All the staff, from the door, concierge, reception and restaurants are excellent, being attentive without being overbearing. On checking-out, I stupidly left two items behind in the wardrobe, which after a couple of phone calls were located and I was able to book an online collection and they were promptly parcelled up and returned to me by the reception staff. Many thanks for their help! |We were able to leave the car for a couple of hours and once again enjoy the surroundings of this very special place and hope to be able to stay again at some point.

What a great experience. Our whole marriage arrangements were conducted by the lovely Sophie T. Sophie made the day perfect for us. The timing was to perfection. The whole day could not have been better. The castle as a wedding venue could not be beaten. The food was superb and the staff looked after us. Sophie kept a discreet but watchful eye on the formal ceremony and even helped my partner into her wedding dress. Sophie T was without doubt the star of the day in the castle and went above and beyond our expectations.

A wonderful place for a half-term holiday. Families should head for the beautiful lodges, where they'll have plenty of space to noisily romp around without disturbing other guests — but still be able to use the hotel facilities. The kids were made to feel at home by the staff, with highlights being a ride on a golf buggy, meeting the chickens and ferrets, and watching the falconry display. The pool was good too, and it's a smart move to have clearly stayed hours when children are welcome. Venturing out into Dartmoor to let them really let off steam is highly recommended, but the estate is large and has a good playground too. Overall, a great stay, and we're likely to be back.

Went for afternoon tea absolutely wonderful. Staff welcoming, pleasent and helpful throughout. We sat in the lounge which was quieter than the restaurant only about 4 tables set up lovely setting. The afternoon tea was a gift and consisted of a selection of sandwiches, sausage rolls, cakes along with 2 types of scones with jam and cream and of course lots of tea of your choice. There was so much to eat one lovely member of staff did us a little box to take away what we couldn't manage! Overall fantastic thank you!.

What a place, we got married here on Monday stayed there over night. The service and welcoming was something we have never experienced before. The food and drinks were on another level. The whole experience was some we shall never forget. We shall have to save to come back for our anniversary as the experience is just amazing. Top job to those involved. Thankyou for making our special day so special

Fantastic castle resort set amidst acres of beautiful English countryside. Stunning location. While we were there for the NYE package (our activities might not be the norm year round), there were plenty of activities to keep us busy including archery, table tennis, clay pidgeon shooting, hiking, practice putting area, driving range, full 18 hole championship golf course, spa, indoor pool ( with sauna and steam room), afternoon cream tea, falconry event (bird exhibition including a very cool owl), live music, and fancy course dinners. Pros: 1. Beautiful castle with great sitting rooms on the main floor. 2. Wonderful cream tea every afternoon. Delicious scones and jam and tea. Wonderful loose teas. 3. Beautiful golf course. 4. Attentive staff and some were exceptionally friendly. 5. David-the ex sommelier and now the events manager-was fantastic. He was knowledgeable and passionate about his wine knowledge. Great guy. 6. Room turn down service. 7. Gorgeous indoor pool. 8. On location spa with many treatment options. Cons would be the following: 1. Secluded location means you pretty much do everything at the hotel. No option to walk to other options...but you can pretty easily drive into town (we didn't explore this option). Some might say the remote location is a Pro. 2. One dining room option can get a bit boring for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Decent food but not fantastic and the food was not consistently good over the course of 3 days. 3. Older style rooms. 4. Our room, number 40, had a great view but the window was a bit small and then ceilings were a bit low. 5. Central heating means the room can get hot and there's not way to change the temp other than to open the window. 6. We had incorrect charges on our final bill....but they easily removed the charges without any argument. 7. Our hallway to our room often smelled like food. Wasn't a pleasant smell.

It is one of my favorite places that we stayed at during our trip around England. Set in a picturesque park (Dartmoor National Park) in southwest England, in a region called Devon. It is the epitome of a country retreat! Fantastic service from the moment you step in to the you check out. The classic double guest room is very comfortable, roomy enough to spread out. The room was always stocked with bottled water and milk in the mini fridge, as well as fresh healthy snacks of nuts, dried apricots, and fresh strawberries. They provide you with luxury brand name toiletries. Lots of fresh clean towels as well as robes and slippers. There is internet access in the room through a cable - no wifi in the area at all! Lots of public rooms for guests to sit and relax and enjoy a drink or afternoon tea which we did and it was absolutely delightful! The hotel has two restaurants to offer guests. The Edwardian, serving up contemporary British cuisine, and the Castle Bistro serving up foods like pizzas and burgers although i had the leg of lamb and that was just amazing!! The food at the Edwardian was okay. The food at the Castle Bistro was better. The hotel also has a spa, which we didn't use but we did use their pool and sauna/steam rooms. There are changing rooms at the pool as well as showers for the guests. The pool is indoors but looks out to the park - gorgeous views. Bovey Castle also has a golf course for those who like golf. There are also lots of other activities like fishing, tours of the area, falconry, and gin making. I highly recommend it if you can afford it. I can't wait to return!!

I was lucky enough to visit Bovey castle as part of an extended Like Minds conference session last weekend. First and foremost, you can't help but fall in love with setting. In the middle Dartmoor, it's windswept, scenic and beautiful. We were greeted by a rather dapper young man in hunters and wax jacket, who took our bags to our room. Always a nice touch. Built in 1906 for Viscount "WH Smith" Hambledon and set in the 368- square-mile Dartmoor National Park, the 'castle' has a rich heritage and buckets of cultural appeal. I like that it felt authentic instead of pretentious. The inside of the hotel itself is gorgeous. It's a little like stepping back in time, with art deco styling dripping from every corner. I loved the giant bath (though at first was slightly suspicious of the colour of the water - but that's just the countryside apparently), and nice little touches like fresh fruits, nuts and fudge upon arrival. The golf course got a good review from those I was staying with, and there's a nine-hole putting green on the lawn next to the croquet and boules. If that's not your thing, then there's also tennis, archery, fishing, mountain- biking, and pheasant-, duck- and deer-stalking. I went to the Elemis spa for a facial, which wasn't exactly cheap (£70 for 50 minutes), but worked wonders. I'm fairly picky, but it definitely lived up to its price tag. Food-wise, we had a great dinner as a group, and the breakfast was mighty tasty (though I'd go for continental instead of full english). I'll definitely be going back, next time spending some more time in the spa and taking in a lot more of the countryside to boot.

Better when it was the Manor House Hotel but now very aspiring WAGs kind of place. We went in a large family party and had an excellent long weekend.

Lovely scenery and decor but terribly let down by the food and service. Went to attend a friends wedding. The room was booked months in advance but we were given room 1 which is a disabled room. Room 2 had serious water leakage. Water was literally dripping from a crack on the bathroom ceiling. Appalling service at the bistro. The waitress had to photocopy more menus as they ran out. French onion soup with no cheese. I complained to the waitress and after 15 mins I was presented a plateful of roughly chopped cheddar cheese! Breakfast was good at the Edwardian restaurant but the carpets smelled of rancid milk. The sort of smell you get in the nursing home. Very expensive, poorly sign posted and remote location. Nearest railway station is Exeter st davids. Cost you £50 to get a taxi to bovey castle. No mobile phone reception bring your GPS along. Weather at bovey castle erratic and does not follow the met office forcast. If it rain the main road to the hotel get flooded. Dont go in winter unless you drive a snow plough. The English B roads are poorly treated.I won't go there again. Trust me I live in Devon.

went on new years eve and had the best night, great food and the best fireworks display