Hotel Endsleigh

In an 'incomparable setting' in 'beautiful gardens' running down to the River Tamar, this luxurious Regency shooting and fishing lodge is owned and managed by Olga Polizzi of Hotel Tresanton, St Mawes (qv). Mrs Polizzi oversaw the restoration of the house (designed by the eccentric Jeffry Wyattville), retaining the 'historic feeling'. The interior has regency panelling, contemporary paintings, original artefacts (fire buckets for the 'superb' log fires); candles provide much of the lighting at night. The bedrooms are 'beautifully kept'; a smaller room was 'slightly disappointing'; a suite had 'beautiful views'. Room 17 is the former gatekeeper's lodge at the top of the drive. Chris Dyke is the new chef in 2009, and we would welcome reports on his modern European cooking (typical dishes: wild garlic risotto; honey-glazed pork belly, pak choi and mustard velouté). Georgina, Duchess of Bedford, who built the lodge, was a passionate gardener; she commissioned Humphry Repton to design the gardens, which are also Grade I listed. The Endsleigh owns seven rods for guests to fish along 'eight miles of the best salmon and sea trout river in England'. (AF, and others)