The Most Romantic Hotels to Book in Devon
You need only to have watched The Holiday to understand the magic of hunkering down in a country retreat. Irresistibly romantic, you’ll find crackling fires, world-renowned wine cellars and tubs big enough for two. Of course, with settings as idyllic as those found in Devon, you might just find it’s your relationship to nature that’s most rewarding.
1. Hotel Endsleigh
Boutique Hotel, Hotel
Part of The Polizzi Collection’s triptych of luxury abodes, Hotel Endsleigh oozes romance – think arches entwined with roses, lush Grade I listed gardens, a softly-lit grand hall and rustic Italian dinners. This Regency-era former fishing lodge is the ideal bolthole for lovers wanting to bunker down: settle into one of the monogrammed robes with a book from the ornate and well-lined library, and listen to the gentle trickling of the Tamar river that runs adjacent to the fairytale gardens – it’s the only noise for miles around.
2. Dart Marina Hotel
Boutique Hotel, Apartment
This is a choice pick for social media savvy couples wanting to sneak a few likes between sailing or sinking espresso martinis in the nautically themed River Terrace. Dart Marina offers Scandi-by-way-of-New-England elegance all wrapped up in neutrally toned throws. With an atmosphere to match its “cool, calm, classic” aesthetic, you’ll find this waterside retreat washes away any stress leaving you to float off to Cloud 9 – Dart Marina’s vintage coffee van, which pitches up by the river to serve beer, bottles of rosé and caffeinated beverages from 10am-8pm every day.
3. Salcombe Harbour Hotel
Spa Hotel, Hotel
5. Gidleigh Park
Luxury
6. The Horn of Plenty
Hotel
Loosely meaning a hollow horn stuffed with “inexhaustible gifts of celebratory fruits,” the hotel version of this poetic saying also teems with culinary delights and an air of festivity. Room Three in the Main House is crowned with a chandelier, clawed roll-top bath and a palette of French lavender. Velvet trimmings – from plush ottomans plonked in front of the drawing room fire to a fuchsia runner at the foot of cushy king-size beds – lend decadence to this 18th century country retreat.
7. Lympstone Manor
Boutique Hotel, Luxury
The celebrity chef Michael Caines, behind Lympstone Manor, encourages guests to “experience the exceptional” at this five-star country house. His most celebrated relationship might be with wine (“wine is one of the most civilised things in the world,” he says), so expect an impressive offering; you’ll want to ramble around the vineyard before heading to the curated Wine Tasting Room. You could bypass all of this and head straight to the Michelin-star restaurant, where an expert sommelier knows what works with butter-poached Brixham turbot.
8. Cranberries Hideaway
Boutique Hotel
Cranberries are best enjoyed in sauce form and next to a generous chunk of breaded brie in The Cranberries Kitchen. Between the name and the refurbished 17th century barn, Cranberries is characterised by country quaintness – offering cottages fitted with inglenook fireplaces and chunky leather armchairs in the old dairy, and a bubbling hot tub overlooking the valley in the old milking parlour. Thanks to swathes of rolling countryside and a spa for pre-big day pampering, it’s a popular spot for weddings; the wood-beamed honeymoon suite has a striking ballet slipper bath.
Travelling with a four-legged friend? Discover the best pet-friendly hotels in Devon. Or, for more budget-conscious accommodation, book into the best cheap hotels in the county.
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