Dartmoor is a place that is filled with adventure. It’s wild, free, battered by the elements and as rugged as the tors which shape its landscape. Days of exploration mean that a cosy bed and a well-stocked bar are an essential part of any visit to Dartmoor. Here’s our list of the best hotels across the moors.
Two Bridges
Hotel
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 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.
Another Dartmoor destination that busts out the AA awarded food, the Horn of Plenty was voted Best Small Hotel in the Devon Tourism Awards in 2014/15. The rooms here are bright, grand and modern –and open out to sweeping views of 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 great food; it also sports a spa and a golf course. Stuffy and boring Bovey is not, and kids are encouraged to jump on the furniture and enjoy their time in this big and grandiose house. Make the most of the wine list, it’s nothing less than outstanding.
Just outside of Plymouth, in what is better known as ‘War Horse’ country, the Moorland Garden Hotel is a fresh and modern place in which to rest your head after a long day of the great outdoors. The rooms are fresh, and the Wildflower Restaurant is a place of beauty with views of the hotel’s beautifully kept garden which eventually gives way to rugged Dartmoor.
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 hike straight out of the doors and onto the moors. No, you go to Gidleigh Park to eat Michelin-starred food and drink Master Sommelier-picked wine. Celebrity chef Michael runs the kitchen here at Gidleigh Park, and Edouar Oger perfectly picks the wins to go with such excellent food.
