Bovey Castle
Kitty Finstad visits Devon’s Bovey Castle…
‘What’s the purpose of your visit today, sir?’ asked the affable chap, dressed in, erm, tweed knickerbockers, as we pulled up into the grand circular drive.
‘We’re staying!’ my companion responded cheerily. And so the car was whisked away while we were ushered into the sunlight-bathed Cathedral Room. ‘Champagne?’ Well alright then.
So this was Bovey Castle – luxury hotel, championship golf course, sporting estate and Elemis spa – set in 400 acres of breathtaking Dartmoor National Park, and a whole planet away from the Westway, with truly stunning views of utter lushness from every corner of the place. A most English of English country estates, Bovey doesn’t suffer from the stuffiness you might expect of this type of resort. Instead, it’s all relaxed and charming service, with an emphasis on making you feel like a guest at a (very wealthy) friend’s very well-kitted-out home.
Which is just what we got from the newly built granite lodge (one of 14, left) where we decamped for the weekend. Having partner Nielsen’s 14-year-old daughter and her friend with us, the three-bedroom, three-bathroom, two-terrace lodge meant we could all spread out and do our own thing. The decor was carefully thought out: lots of groovy contemporary fabrics, textures and patterns, but all sympathetic with the rustic-luxe feel of the place. Set back from the main house (which features 63 spacious rooms and suites) and with pretty, pretty views of the grounds, it’s the kind of place I can easily imagine coming back to for a winter break with friends.
But here we were on one of the sunniest weekends of the year, so lunch on the Bistro terrace beckoned. While Nielsen and I finished our G&Ts, the girls set about exploring. They did the rounds of the grounds, hitting the swimming pool, putting green, tennis court, mini-croquet and the snooker room; Bovey offers plenty of organised kiddy activities – from rock climbing to canoeing, plus a special play barn for under-sevens.
In other words, we didn’t have to worry about the girls being bored while Nielsen and I sloped off to The Spa. With pores dulled by city pollution and London Underground grit, we were both due for some serious dermal maintenance. My therapist, Suki, was friendly, knowledgeable and had impressively strong hands for such a petite young thing. I opted for the Visible Brilliance facial – Elemis’s top-of-the-range anti-ageing treatment – and emerged clean, fresh, glowy and feeling 10-years-younger refreshed. The bonus? Actual birdsong outside the window – a far cry from the traffic noise that can pollute some urban spas. I met a similarly dewy-looking Nielsen in the spa’s lounge. He was
so impressed with his Skin IQ facial that he immediately switched moisturiser allegiance.
It seemed criminal not to let other guests bask in our dewy radiance, so we treated ourselves to a martini in the Oak Room bar before dinner – all fantastically friendly service, tasty mini-bites and spectacular views. Had we been on our own, we’d have opted to eat in Mulberry, Bovey Castle’s intimate dining room, but our three-course meal (£42.50) in the Edwardian Dining Room pleased the younger palettes. Lots of fresh local produce including fish from Brixham and lamb from nearby Launceston (and for breakfast, Bovey’s own eggs).
After a coma-like sleep in our king-sized bed and breakfast back in the buzzy Edwardian, it was time to start making our way back to London. We thanked our knickerbockered (OK, plus-foured) pal on the way out as he was rolling past in a golf buggy, remarking that it must be an OK kind of place to work.
Bovey Castle
North Bovey, Dartmoor National Park,
Devon TQ13 8RE
(01647 445000/www.boveycastle.com).
From £225 per night, including full English Breakfast
