Fowlescombe Farm

Fowlescombe Farm Hotel Review | Hotels Above Par

"Set on a 450-acre regenerative farm in the South Hams, this feels less like a hotel and more like a handful of suites spread between a Victorian farmhouse and renovated barns, opened to guests after Caitlin Owens’ family took over in 2018 and she and her partner, Swiss-raised Paul Glade, retreated here during lockdown. Glade, working with Basel and London design studios, brings a restrained, pale-oak minimalism—flagstone floors and bespoke Bristol-made joinery—softened by woven tapestries, huge sheepskin pouffs, sink-into armchairs, and local art. Rooms feel like a sleek home-from-home stocked with Devon fudge, flame-roasted nuts, English sparkling wine, Salcombe pilsner, and, in larger suites, well-equipped kitchens. Outside is improbably idyllic: apple trees heavy with fruit, wildflower meadows, butterflies, and vegetable patches landscaped to attract pollinators and to feed the place, with chefs plucking herbs and ferrying produce to the on-site restaurant. Service is quietly exceptional—staff know you by name, welcome you with loose-leaf tea in the communal sitting room, and include a 20-minute pickup from Totnes station after a scenic coastline-hugging ride from London Paddington. A stay folds in three meals a day and a rolling roster of wholesome activities: yoga in the greenhouse, egg-collecting for your Florentine or full English, damson picking, sea swims at nearby Mothecombe Beach, Salcombe day trips, and daily cake at teatime; despite its grown-up feel, kids and dogs are genuinely welcomed without disturbing those visiting a deux. If there’s a gap, it’s the wellness side—for now—though a large natural swimming pond and sauna are slated for March 2026 alongside forest bathing, Dartmoor trail running, and mindful pursuits like flower pressing (and I’m hoping for an old-fashioned massage or facial, too). With just 10 suites and starting rates around 550 USD per night, it’s an improbably idyllic Devon retreat powered by true farm-to-fork living." - Jessica Burrell