The Best Places to Stay in Dartmoor National Park, UK

A Dartmoor destination that boasts consistently award-winning cuisine, the Horn of Plenty was voted one of The Times’s Top 40 Places to Stay in Britain in 2019. The rooms here are bright, grand and modern – and open out to sweeping views of the tors and moors.

This luxury manor house on the edge of Dartmoor is a destination all in itself. Here, style and dramatic Elizabethan architecture all come together in a mash of towers, stone archways and curious corridors. Fine dining is, of course, a given here, and the infinity pool and spa treatments only add to the Boringdon experience. The rooms here are lavish, and four-poster beds with cloud-like mattresses are standard.

Another five-star bolthole of luxury in Dartmoor, Bovey Castle is rich in gorgeous antique furniture and serves up great food; it also sports a spa and a golf course. Stuffy and boring Bovey is not, and kids are encouraged to enjoy their time in this big, grandiose house. Make the most of the wine list – it’s nothing less than outstanding.

You don’t just go to Gidleigh Park for the immaculate gardens, eclectic art and antique collection, or the comfortable beds and exceptional opulence. You don’t just go to Gidleigh Park for the location, for the views of Dartmoor, or to be able to walk straight out and onto the moors. No, you go to Gidleigh Park to eat Michelin-star food and drink master sommelier-chosen wine. Executive chef Chris Eden runs the kitchen here at Gidleigh Park, and Edouard Oger picks the perfect wine to go with the excellent food.

The Two Bridges, right in the heart of Dartmoor near Wistman’s Wood, is a gorgeous and luxurious place to rest your head for the night. Stepping into the Two Bridges is stepping into a world gone by – one of timeless elegance, warm luxury and comfortable sofas. Not only is this surprising oasis surrounded on all sides by big Dartmoor views, but the restaurant, which has been awarded two AA rosettes, offers big Dartmoor taste to boot. Go for the tasting menu, and taste some of Devon’s finest fine dining.

Set on 11 acres (4.5ha) of landscaped grounds, paddocks and woodland, the Moorland Hotel provides challenging walks and cycling along with breathtaking views of the moors where wild ponies can also be seen grazing. Agatha Christie aficionados will be fascinated to hear that the author finished her very first novel – The Mysterious Affair at Styles – over a two-week stay here. Find your own inspiration staying here, as you unwind amidst the tranquillity of Dartmoor National Park.