Bovey Castle Hotel

My husband and I celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary with a stay at Bovey Castle. Whilst we enjoyed our stay, we felt that overall the hotel did not provide the level of service and comfort one would expect for the prices charged.
We arrived in time for lunch on our first day, and found the service from the waiter in the Club Bar very abrupt. The menu was unimaginative and overpriced, and the food was of a standard similar to the average pub lunch, e.g. beef sandwich made with white sliced packet bread –very disappointing.
The building itself and the gardens are beautiful, and we were lucky enough to be able to enjoy the outside space as the weather was beautiful during our stay. Our bedroom was pleasant, and a good size, with lovely views over the grounds, let down by one of the smallest bathrooms I’ve ever experienced in any hotel, let alone one of this calibre. Low water pressure and mouldy tile grout let it down further. At this price, I expect a decent sized bathroom, and really a separate shower – I’m surprised they get away with this standard of bathroom with all the Americans who stay in the hotel.
The swimming pool, sauna and steam room are very nice – but let down by poor changing facilities. Communal changing area with no private cubicles reminded me of school changing rooms; no lockers to put your things in – you just have to leave them on a wooden bench in the changing room; and no plastic bags provided to put your wet swimming costume in, so you end up walking through the hotel carrying a soaking wet costume up to your room – nice!
Pre-dinner cocktails in the Piano Bar were very nice – I had one of the nicest Margaritas I have ever had. Dinner was enjoyable, and the food was of a good standard, served by pleasant staff – but again, not of the outstanding quality one would expect. The restaurant was pleasant, but the atmosphere was somewhat lacking. There should perhaps be some way of screening off part of the large restaurant when it is only part full, this might help improve the ambience.
On a more positive note, we really enjoyed the wine tasting down in the cellar before dinner - it was informative and interesting. Also, the falconry display out on the terrace after a delicious and excellent breakfast served outside in the glorious sunshine, was really something special. The business centre with complimentary internet access and telephones (bearing in mind mobiles don’t work here) is very useful, too.
Overall, we enjoyed our stay – but we didn’t think it was worth the money – better standards are available elsewhere (even within South Devon) at similar (or lower) prices.