Bovey Castle

Bovey Castle is a five-star hotel in North Bovey, on a 275-acre estate inside Dartmoor National Park that has run as a hotel since 1930, when the Great Western Railway opened it as a golf resort. The building stands three floors above the valley, with Edwardian gardens on one side and the River Bovey below. Now part of the Eden Hotel Collection, it sits roughly 15 minutes from the A30, giving a quick route on and off the moor.

An 18-hole championship golf course wraps the grounds, with a driving range and golf academy alongside it. The Elan Spa runs an indoor pool and gym, and estate activities range from archery and falconry to clay pigeon shooting and guided Dartmoor tours. Bedrooms span Mews and Classic rooms up to Grand State suites and separate estate lodges; each has tea and coffee facilities and a TV, and some look over the gardens or the golf course.

Two restaurants cover dinner. The Great Western Grill serves steaks, grills and dishes such as dressed Brixham crab salad, while Smith's Brasserie takes a Mediterranean turn, with a fire pit and views across the valley. North Bovey is a small Dartmoor village with little beyond the hotel itself; Moretonhampstead's shops and the Dartmoor Prison Museum in Princetown are both a drive away across the moor. Parking is free and on site.

**Best for:** golfers, spa breaks and anyone touring Dartmoor by car who wants a country-house base with two restaurants on hand.

**Less good for:** guests without a car, since North Bovey has nothing else within walking distance beyond the estate itself.