The English countryside just takes my breath away every single time. It is the best place to de-clutter your mind. I absolutely adore the rolling heaths, the moorlands, the clean crisp air, the natural scenery everywhere you look and watching the horses and cattle, roaming around grazing whilst you drive through quiet country lanes. It is the perfect escape from the daily urban madness of the concrete jungle I experience everyday, not to mention so romantic too! What I love most is the tranquility and how serene it all is.
PS: I did (Sheepishly) have to try and look cool as cars drove past whilst I tried to pose with these clouds with legs which was rather amusing for both me and for the drivers!
We recently visited south-west Devon, close to the Dartmoor National Park, as well as a short drive away from the ocean city of Plymouth for a staycation. Our home for the weekend was the Moorland Garden Hotel, which was absolutely gorgeous.
With amazing and enviable views of the moors, the aptly named Moorland Garden Hotel is accessed through a scenic driveway and it just has stunning greenery all around it. We felt instantly relaxed as we drove in and parked in the car park, which has ample parking. We did spot a horse and a rabbit whilst we drove in and as urbanites we squealed with excitement. It is so peaceful and quiet – an oasis of calm and just the perfect location for a little escapade.
Check in was so quick and seamless and the hostess was so lovely. Our room was the Lily of the Valley Suite and it had serious interior goals inside! It was all just so pretty. The hotel has forty four rooms in total and is a 4 star hotel.
It was spacious and comfortable and I was so excited to have this as my home for 2 nights. The colour scheme is eclectic and I adored the wallpaper and furnishings used in the room. There was a cupboard for storage, a desk, sofas, and a television. Our view looked out to the Moors and the gardens and it was just serene.
There were bath robes on our bed which were lush and the bathroom was spacious with fabulous toiletries and a bath tub. The perfect way to relax after a long day exploring is definitely to run a bath and take a soak!
There is a lounge area within the room with a long coffee table with lots of magazines and novels tucked inside it. I love it when hotels think of all the little extra ways to make your stay that much more special and thought this was such a lovely way to encourage people to relax.
We also had a fresh fruit bowl and some cookies to welcome us with which we thoroughly enjoyed after an unexpectedly long drive thanks to London traffic. What was lovely was that these were replenished the next day!
The hotel has an award winning in house restaurant called the Wildflower restaurant, which recently retained its AA rosettes. How stunning is the restaurant?
The food we had for dinner was exquisite in terms of taste, presentation and choice and I loved that a lot of local regional produce was used in the dishes.
We especially loved the cheese selection we had for dessert so much so that we had to go find the cheese at a local farm shop before heading back to London. Big thanks to Moorland Garden Hotel for the recommendation as the farm shop was amazing.
The Wildflower restaurant is also the venue for breakfast and you could have either continental, cooked or both. It was a really good selection and there was also a lovely spread of fresh juices, pastries, fresh fruits and cereals if you fancied something lighter.
There is a separate bar and lounge area with a roaring fireplace which is such a lovely comfortable place to spend time. There is a shelf with books and board games to keep you busy or you can simply just chat and catch up over a lovely drink.
The hotel also serves an award winning Devon Cream Tea, as awarded by The Cream Tea Club and at an amazing £5.95 per person you would be mad not to try it! I did of course indulge wholeheartedly and can happily report that it was absolutely incredible!
We had a mix of fruit scones and plain scones and just to be on the safe side I tried one scone the Devon way with cream first and the other the Cornish way, with jam first. Both tasted really good 🙂
The hotel is in such a good location as you can explore the ocean town of Plymouth, Dartmoor, south-west Devon and the eastern fringe of Cornwall from it. The area is perfect for walks and there are some activities near by, including the Buckland Abbey which is really worth a visit. We especially loved driving into Plymouth, which has a marina and some cute fudge shops and team rooms, as well as a Gin Distillery where you can go for tours.
If you are looking for pretty destinations to get married, the hotel has some beautiful grounds and a massive bridal suite! They offer wedding packages and with such amazing food on site it is a fabulous venue to have your big day. As well as weddings, it is a great venue for conferences too and there was actually one on whilst we were staying there.
If you fancy some pampering, the hotel does offer in room treatments such as massages, reflexology and beauty therapies. Whilst there is no spa on site this is a fantastic service available from the comfort of your own room.
If you fancy taking your pooch along for a break, this hotel is very dog friendly and there are little water bowls I spotted everywhere to keep your dog hydrated.
We had a truly wonderful stay and loved our room as well as the dining options and food in the hotel, especially the cream tea, and would love to come back one day for a break from the city! It was just the best way to re-energise and rest.
If you are looking for a little country escapade I can’t recommend the Moorland Garden Hotel enough. The location, the food and the service make it the perfect place for a staycation with beautiful surroundings.
For more information on Moorland Garden Hotel you can visit their website here.
Our stay was complimentary but all views and photos are my own.
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