Hotel Endsleigh

Milton Abbot, Devon

‘An enchanting destination’ is how readers describe Olga Polizzi's Regency hunting lodge, which stands by the River Tamar in an Elysian landscape designed by Humphry Repton. More

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Good Hotel Guide Review

‘An enchanting destination’ is how readers describe Olga Polizzi’s Regency hunting lodge, which stands by the River Tamar in an Elysian landscape designed by Humphry Repton. Built for the 6th Duke of Bedford and his Duchess, Georgiana, it has eight miles of riverbank on which to fish for salmon and sea trout. Readers arrived in winter to find ‘the fires roaring’ and the members of a shooting party departing. Bedrooms have a restrained elegance, with hand-painted wallpaper, fresh flowers, vintage bathroom fittings, Mitchell and Peach toiletries. You can take afternoon tea in the panelled library, dine on dishes such as haunch of venison, ragout, piccolo parsnip, garlic cavolo nero. ‘We had venison, duck, lamb en croûte, perfectly cooked,’ another reader reports. At breakfast there is ‘good fruit salad, excellent porridge’, kippers, local sausages. ‘The croissants were a bit small but freshly baked and the waiter brought me three to make sure I wouldn’t go hungry!’ ‘We left with a warm glow of a brilliant two days away.’ See also sister hotels Tresanton, St Mawes, and The Star, Alfriston. (Peter Anderson, C and ES)

Hotel details

Address

Milton Abbot
Tavistock
Devon
PL19 0PQ
England

Telephone

01822 870000

Bedrooms

19. 1 on ground floor, 3 in stables, 1 in lodge (1 mile from house), 1 suite suitable for disabled.

Open

all year.

Facilities

drawing room, library, card room, bar, 2 dining rooms, in-room TV, civil wedding licence, 108-acre estate (fishing, ghillie), EV charging, public rooms wheelchair accessible, adapted toilet.

Background music

none.

Children

all ages welcomed, cots free, extra bed £40.

Dogs

allowed in bedrooms (£25 a night), lounges, not in restaurant (but allowed in library at tea time).

Credit cards

MC, Visa.

Prices

B&B doubles from £240. Set-price dinner £62.50. 1-night bookings refused Fri, Sat, but ring to check.

Good Hotel Guide articles about
Hotel Endsleigh

Britain magazine: The 10 best British country house hotels
Britain magazine: 10 of the best British hotels with beautiful gardens
Luxury Travel Magazine: 10 of the top luxury hotels in the UK
Britain magazine: 10 of the best hotels for Autumn breaks
Britain Magazine: 10 of Britain’s best hotels for Valentine’s Day
Round and About Magazine: 10 top hotels in Devon
The i: Ten of Britain’s best hotel gardens
The Observer: 10 of the best hotels in Britain and Ireland
USA Today: British hotels with gorgeous gardens

Comments about Hotel Endsleigh

Endsleigh was our short escape destination l to celebrate our wedding anniversary. We were welcomed on arrival as though we were regulars whereas we had only stayed once before. The fires were roaring. The room on the top floor though dificult to reach up two very steep sets of stairs was welcoming and bright. The menu, though reduced, was excellent. The wine list was adequate. Seating was cleverly organised, with all the ground -floor reception rooms being used to create social distanced dining arrangements. As you have mentioned numerous times, many otherwise good hotels let themselves down at breakfast. Endsleigh does not by the simple device of having the head waiter in charge! We left with a warm glow of a brilliant two days away from COVID, Brexit and Johnson at an enchanting destination by the Tamar. - Chris and Erika Savory - January 2020

It’s hard to fathom just how many things the Endsleigh does right. Even the awful mobile reception and lack of 4g seem discretely put in place to preserve the pristine nature and atmosphere that delicate designs, alongside very personal service, evoke. It’s a place where you’re unlikely to hear a "No"’from any staff. Every time we visited, we’ve had the most delightful alarm one can think of. A little bird determinedly knocking against the window. The hotel insists the bird isn’t on the payroll but we can’t help think it’s just part of the harmonious relationship of the hotel, the grounds and all its animal life. The grounds are spectacular . - SG - July 2019

The most striking feature of our stay was the professionalism of the staff. Whoever trains them should write a handbook to be distributed to every hotel in the land. You are encouraged to feel like a house guest rather than a hotel client. - Andrew and Hannah Butterworth - January 2017

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