Hotel Endsleigh
Devon, United Kingdom [view map]
Local restaurants
Mix a passionate chef with local produce and breathtaking views of the Tamar Valley, and you’ve got a dining venue that’s second to none. The Horn of Plenty in Gulworthy (+44 (0)1822 832528; www.thehornofplenty.co.uk) has its own organic kitchen garden, and a national reputation for its delicious food. The Harris Arms in Portgate (+44 (0)1566 783331; www.theharrisarms.co.uk) is another award-winning gastropub option for locally sourced, home-made food. An hour’s walk from Hotel Endsleigh along the River Tamar gets you to Horsebridge, where you can rest your legs and wet your whistles at The Royal Inn (+44 (0)1822 870214; www.royalinn.co.uk).
Local bars
At the Dartmoor Inn in Lydford (+44 (0)1822 820221), a series of small, airy and very chic dining rooms provide the setting for food cooked with love and imagination. The small bar does its own version of pub classics with a twist. There’s a wine bar and brasserie at Browns Hotel (+44 (0)1822 618686), where Modern British dishes are given a Gallic twist.
Local cafes
In Tavistock, Donella’s (+44 (0)1822 612888) is a stylish café housed in a former dairy.
Worth getting out of bed for
Walks through the grounds and, nearby, falconry courses, bike rental, archery and clay-pigeon shooting. Hotel Endsleigh’s spectacular location in the Tamar Valley on Dartmoor’s western edge makes enjoying the great outdoors as easy as falling off a picturesque, ivy-clad log. A particularly peaceful way to get an eyeful of all that outstanding natural beauty is from the water: Canoe Tamar (+44 (0)845 430 1208; www.canoetamar.co.uk) organises outings upriver from Morwellham Quay to Weir Head – you’ve a good chance of spotting kingfishers, otters, falcons and even the occasional seal. Yacht rental is also available locally from April to September.
Weddings
Smith hotels aren't just ideal for romantic escapes: many are also ideal wedding venues. Each fantastic wedding hotel we’ve highlighted has that all-important wow factor – and here we give you the insider low-down on how to sort out details from booking rooms to the bridal bouquet.
- Number of people
- 2-74
- Licensed for weddings
- Yes
Wow factor
The stable block looks fabulous when decorated with a candle display, and the countryside setting is beautiful. Hotel Endsleigh is best suited to small, intimate weddings though.
Need to know
The hotel can cater for 74 guests at the wedding breakfast, which spreads over the entire ground floor. The menu is specially designed by the chef together with the couple. Staying guests are limited to 36 adults and children; exclusive use is recommended for groups of 20 or more guests. The croquet lawn can accommodate a marquee; there is also a ballroom in the stable block that seats up to 80. Two excellent local florists can provide all floral arrangements, and can incorporate foliage from Endsleigh's own gardens.
Inspiration
The local vicar is happy to come and give a blessing after the civil ceremony, or perform marriages at the 1,000-year-old church in Milton Abbot village. The hotel is set in 108 acres of secluded valley on the banks of the river Tamar, so romantic picnics on the riverbank are a popular choice. Evening firework displays over the river are another possibility.
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