Hotel Endsleigh

Rooms

This 19th-century cottage orné was never intended to be a hotel, so the rooms and suites come in all shapes and sizes, some tucked under the eaves, others with glorious valley views (worth the extra cost). All have antique pieces - a marble-topped dressing table, an oval studded mirror - to lend a touch of elegance, but the best thing about them is their restfulness. There’s little gadgetry (just a flatscreen TV and DVD player); instead you get books to browse, calming Farrow and Ball hues or intricate hand-stencilled wallpaper, and - best of all - total silence.

We stayed in the spacious Room 5, which had gorgeous Chinese wallpaper, a deliciously comfy bed with a chaise-longue at its foot, and a deep bathtub in the ensuite. Other standouts include Room 4, which was the Duke of Bedford's room (its ensuite, down steep steps, was his prayer room), and Suites 1 and 2, which occupy their own wing at the end of a welly-lined corridor. We particularly liked the ground-floor option (Suite 1), whose French windows open onto a sheltered suntrap.

Other suites sit in the courtyard outbuildings, with lounges, wood-burners, kitchen corners and rolltop bathtubs; there’s also Suite 17, a thatched gatehouse a mile up the drive, which would suit a privacy-seeking couple (with or without children) who don't mind the extra walk to dinner.

Features include:

• Bathrobes
• Central heating
• Cots available
• DVD player
• Hairdryer
• In-room treatments available
• Safe box
• Toiletries
• TV
• WiFi

Eating

Afternoon tea is laid out in the library - a generous spread of delicate sandwiches and cakes, accompanied by champagne if you wish (tuck in, but be aware that it will appear on your bill). The library and neighbouring lounges, all warmed by fires and lit by dancing candles, are also the scene for evening drinks, served by smartly suited staff or available from the honesty bar.

Dinner, taken in the panelled dining room or outside under parasols, is an elegantly presented 3-course affair (set price), with service to match the setting. Ingredients are largely seasonal and local, with the odd exotic cameo (fennel confit, Italian burrata). We tucked into a creamy celeriac velouté with truffle oil, followed by breast of guinea fowl with dauphinoise potatoes and a burnt aubergine puree, and a tender lamb loin on a bed of glazed seasonal vegetables – all very tasty and very satisfying. For dessert we chose a decadent gateau opéra oozing with rich chocolate ganache, and a selection of delicious cheeses.

Breakfast is in the best English tradition, with everything from grilled kippers and eggs Benedict to Drambuie-laced porridge. There’s also a buffet of mueslis, yoghurts and pastries. Lunches are available, too, but if you're heading out staff can rustle up a picnic or advise on the best gastro pubs for miles around.

Features include:

• Bar
• Kids' meals
• Organic produce
• Restaurant
• Vegetarian options

Activities

• Explore the magnificent grounds, landscaped in the early 19th century by Humphry Repton, pupil and successor of Capability Brown (a book of his hand-drawn plans is on display near reception). You'll find an immaculate parterre garden radiating around a fountain; a rose-covered walk; an endearing shell-lined grotto; a magical, octagonal dairy house hidden on the far bank of a tumbling dell; fiery Japanese maples, giant Douglas firs and weeping beech (Repton planted half a million trees!); and no shortage of blissful riverside walks
  
• A little further afield are Dartmoor and Bodmin Moor, perfect for windswept hikes and rides (the hotel can fix you up with horses and tack)
  
• You can borrow a fishing rod and try your luck on the river: 8 miles of the best salmon and sea trout fishing in the UK. A ghillie is on hand to help (additional charge)
  
• Game and clay pigeon shooting and falconry days can be arranged, too
  
• It's only 25 miles or so (45 minutes' drive) to the stunning north Cornwall coast (Bude and Boscastle), and a similar distance to the south coast around Plymouth (we loved the sea-filled vistas around the Noss Mayo headland, especially when followed by lunch at The Ship Inn)

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Birdwatching
• Boules
• Clay pigeon shooting
• Croquet
• Fishing
• Hiking
• Horse riding
• Plantlife / flora
• Private guided tours
• Table tennis

Kids

This is a child-friendly hotel, and the larger rooms can accommodate an extra bed (small charge) or baby cot (free) - some can take 2. The property is dog-friendly too, so perfect for a full family adventure.

Best for:

Babies (0-1 years), Children (4-12 years)

Family friendly accommodation:

Several rooms and suites can fit an extra single bed and / or baby cot on request, or have a sofabed. Suites will provide more space, and some have kitchenettes. Suite 18 and Junior Suite 21, located in the outbuildings, both have a handy bunk-bedded room for kids. There's also Suite 17 in the old gatehouse (a mile from the hotel), which can sleep 3-4 in a double / twin room, on a sofabed and an extra bed.

Cots Available, Extra Beds Available, Family Rooms

Distances:

• Airport: 1 hour (Exeter)
• Hospital: 15 minutes

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Hotel Endsleigh is set in 108 acres of private parkland overlooking the Tamar Valley, on the Devon / Cornwall border. The nearest village is Milton Abbot (5 minutes); the nearest town is Tavistock (15 minutes).

By Air:
Exeter (85km) is the nearest airport, and then Newquay or, for a wider choice of flights, Bristol. For lists of airlines serving these airports, click on the links below.

An alternative - the quickest and most exciting option, of course - is to come by helicopter. There is a landing space below the hotel, and reception can arrange flights.

By Train:
Exeter station, served by trains from London Paddington, Bristol, the Midlands and the north, is an hour away by car.

By Car:
The hotel is 15 minutes off the A30. It's about 4 hours from London and the Midlands, and 2 hours or so from Bristol. If you intend to explore the area, you will almost certainly need a car - see our car rental recommendations. Alternatively, if you're only coming for a short time and are happy to stay put, there are taxis in Tavistock and the hotel can arrange transfers.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.

More on getting to the UK and getting around