Bovey Castle

The Christmas decorations made the common areas look lovely, and we enjoyed a swim and a rest on the loungers after the long drive. Our junior suite upgrade was huge, and the big bath was a treat after dinner. The meal at the Great Western Grill was tasty and nicely presented. The service let things down in a few places. I’d emailed about booking breakfast because the room guide mentioned it, and was told we didn’t need to. On arrival, though, we were told reservations were required and nothing was available after 8.45, so we had room service instead. Breakfast itself was fine, but the jams were missing and it took so long that everything was cold by the time it arrived. Reception also gave me the wrong pool code, wasting time when I wanted to swim before child-free hours ended. At the restaurant it took 20 minutes to get a top-up of water. The bedroom decor felt oddly out of place in the historic building, with its dated beige and millennial grey.

The food was really good, and the afternoon tea itself was quite nice. We arrived at 3pm near the end of service, and since we’d added people the day before, we had two tables with about three feet between them. That part was our fault, but when we asked to push the tables together, we were told it would spoil the look of the place. One server started pouring a wine that was much more expensive than the one we’d ordered. We caught it, and he said he’d put the other wine on the bill instead. Some children were seated separately, and their meal was shared between two, which made it hard to work out. The staff seemed keen to get us out quickly, which was fair enough, but even though we were among the last people there, extra tea and jam took well over ten minutes to arrive. The service could have been better.

The lodge is spacious, though it felt sparse rather than luxurious or homely, especially compared with the luxury room we stayed in at Bovey Castle’s main building a few years ago. We loved that earlier visit, but this stay has felt quite different. The setting is beautiful and the place is lovely, and staff are generally friendly, but a lot of small things have been disappointing. For our two young children, the kids zone costs £25 a day. It’s just a playroom with parents supervising, and it was free on our previous stay, so I don’t understand the charge at a hotel that caters to families. The oven pan was disgusting, the frying pan needs replacing, and basics like salt were missing. I understand the hotel would prefer us to eat at the restaurant, but when we tried to book for the evenings we wanted, there were no spaces. My wife and eldest son wanted a golf round with an instructor. She left two messages at reception asking the golf shop to contact her about arranging a pro, but neither was passed on, and by then it was too late to get an instructor. The continental breakfast at £20 per person was disappointing too. It might suit a romantic weekend or people who are out all day, but I wouldn’t choose it again for a young family.

There’s loads to do at Bovey Castle, from outdoor activities to quieter ways to unwind. The grounds are gorgeous for a walk or simply taking in the scenery, and the whole place makes a lovely getaway with its natural setting and range of activities. I’d highly recommend it.