Bovey Castle

We stayed two nights in a room on the top floor, it was a lovely room but my goodness was it hot because of the heatwave. With the windows open and the fan on all was fine in the end but weirdly the bathroom felt like the heating was on and cold water tap run like a hot water tap. On the whole the service was good, we had some amazing massages and the spa team were very lovely. We did have some trouble with noise on the last morning, very early but hopefully this is looked into. One night a particular bar man was also rude and felt condescending, not a five star service. The grounds are beautiful and views from each of the social rooms were amazing. Nick who I believe was one of the managers works so hard and was great, a real credit to the hotel, he was great with the other staff members and trying to train them, the reception team were always professional and a young man with curly/wavy hair on the bar at lunch on Sunday was also exceptional.

Majestic building, amazing location, superb dining experience. Booked an overnight stay on our way home from Cornwall, dinner, bed and breakfast, travelling with a large dog. The ground floor room requested (room 1) was clean and comfortable with an accessible bathroom, which was fine apart from the non soft-close toilet seat which took us both by surprise!!! Arriving mid afternoon, the room was like an oven; it would have been appreciated had the curtains been drawn and the bedroom and bathroom windows opened to ventilate and shade. A circulating fan was provided but was noisy so not conducive to a good nights sleep. The bed was very comfortable but pillows could be plumper. We dined in the Great Western Grill and the food was beautifully presented, delicious, and service was excellent, if quite formal-not a criticism, just an observation and probably reflects our preference and experiences at other hotels. The staff were without exception, polite and approachable. Breakfast was taken in the Gt Western Grill and was, again, all we could have wished for, plenty of choice and perfectly cooked. We did not use the spa on this occasion so cannot confirm whether a recent scathing review of this facility bore any resemblance to the truth. I hope not! Bovey Castle sits amidst an awesome Dartmoor landscape and is surrounded by a premier golf course. I was up early to walk our dog before the temperature rose so didn’t have to dodge any golf balls. I would recommend a short walk down to Marian’s Garden-wildflower beds and fruit trees within a walled garden. A very peaceful spot. In conclusion, this is a high-end hotel and delivers on most counts. For me though, it lacked the warmth and country-retreat experience we enjoyed at Swinton Park earlier this year. This may reflect the season, but it’s possible our tastes are a little “earthier”!

Beautiful building in a stunning location with amazing views and grounds. The exterior is very well maintained, and the hotel feels grand and luxurious in many areas. Some of the staff were particularly lovely and friendly, the food was good, and the cocktails were excellent. The room was spacious with a very comfortable bed, and there were a few thoughtful touches for our birthday stay which were appreciated. However, I can’t quite give it 5 stars. The room was very hot and stuffy. Thankfully a fan was provided, but with the upcoming heatwave I imagine it could become quite uncomfortable. The property could also do with a bit of TLC in places. There were stains on the carpet, marks and scratches throughout the room, some low-level damage around the skirting boards, and a leaking ceiling in the bar area. While I appreciate the leak may have been unexpected, listening to water dripping into a bucket while trying to enjoy a drink wasn’t particularly relaxing. My biggest disappointment was the number of hidden charges. This is already a very expensive hotel, with premium prices for cocktails, spa treatments and other services, yet there seemed to be additional service charges added to almost everything. Cocktails, spa services, room service trays – very little ended up costing the price that was advertised. It felt unnecessarily sneaky and left a sour note on what was otherwise an enjoyable stay.

We stayed in room 13. It was the hottest room I’ve ever been in. The heat was radiating through the walls. The clothes were actually really warm in the wardrobe. The toilet seat was even warm. The window latch was broken so we couldn’t even open that. The duvet was a massively thick feather duvet. We had been at a wedding else we would have driven home. We got up really early with my hair visibly wet with sweat. I had to get out. I complained the to receptionist and I have never received an apology or anything. The room was a torture chamber and very expensive. Shocking

Went to Bovey Castle today for lunch with my daughter, the food was really good, the staff we're excellent , but the downside was the noise, we ate in the bistro and for nearly all the duration of our lunch the bar staff we're moving metal barrels around, spoiled the whole experience for me, surely these jobs can be done when guests are around