Bovey Castle, Devon

Devon’s ultimate country retreat, Bovey Castle, should perhaps be displaying an “under new management” sign outside the front gate. Since its 2006 acquisition by Hillwood Resorts & Hotels, this formidable grownups’ playground set in the heart of Dartmoor National Park has got even better. 

Bovey Castle has long been a great place to come and have fun for the weekend, but it’s somehow even more fun now. In Stephen Towers, Bovey boasts one of the best general managers in the business, and every aspect of a stay here seems to tick along like the proverbial handcrafted Swiss watch.

Whether you are after a couple of days of lying “fallow”, grazing on fine food and drink—much of it locally sourced—or a hyperactive weekend of hunting, shooting and fishing, it’s likely that you will find what you need somewhere within the vast estate.

If golf is how you relax, the course at Bovey Castle is rated as one of the UK’s top 100, while other activities on offer include falconry, off-road driving, tennis, horse-riding and more or less any other country pursuit you care to mention.

The accommodation, food and drink manage to be both refreshingly up to date and reassuringly traditional, while the service is impeccable at every turn. All in all, it’s hard to imagine a better place to spend a weekend.

This year has seen Bovey Castle celebrating its centenary and if it continues to be this good, the chances are it will continue to thrive for at least another 100 years.