Boringdon Hall Hotel is a grand Devonshire manor which became crown property in 1539. This stunning building has since had a rather extravagant makeover and is now home to 40 bedrooms and suites, a well-stocked bar and two luxurious restaurants – the 3 AA Rosette fine dining Gallery Restaurant, and the Great Hall where lighter bites and afternoon tea is served.
Situated on the edge of the idyllic Dartmoor National Park and just 10 minutes from the vibrant marine city of Plymouth, Boringdon Hall Hotel is perfectly positioned for business or pleasure.
My boyfriend, Dan, and I were lucky enough to be invited for a stay at Boringdon Hall to experience their luxurious grounds, rooms, food and spa. On arrival, we were greeted by the Boringdon Concierge who helped take our luggage to our room and offer us an arrival drink. As we sipped on our drinks the receptionist came and sat down with us to explain everything we needed to know about the hotel. This approach was so personal and allowed us to ask any questions we might have about Boringdon Hall and the surrounding area.
We were staying in the Saltram Suite which has only been open for a few months. While the room had recently been renovated, it still kept it’s historic charm alongside the modern twist. The Suite is situated on the fourth floor which gave us stunning views of the grounds and surrounding area. The room boasts a grand super king sized bed, twin shower and double ended bath, with an entire lounge area of it’s own! It’s certainly the perfect room for a weekend getaway or a romantic break.
The aspect that I was most impressed by was the personalised touches to the room. We found chocolates on our bed alongside an extensive gift box filled with Gaia Spa products and a personalised note. Boringdon also offers a turn down service where they prep the room ready for bedtime while you’re at dinner. This service even offers the option of choosing what type of pillow you would like. It’s personal touches like these which really make the luxury experience and showed us that the staff will stop at nothing to make sure the experience is perfect.
After exploring our room we moved to The Great Hall for afternoon tea. What strikes you when you first enter The Great Hall is how much it has stayed true to it’s roots with grand fireplaces, high ceilings and traditional architecture. It had still kept it’s historic charm and was filled with decor that sparked conversation about the history of the building. It is definitely the perfect quintessential setting to enjoy some afternoon tea.
Boringdon Hall never fell short of excellence and that was very apparent in the Special Edition Afternoon Tea they offer. This menu changes bi-monthly and is created to compliment the current time, season or national occasion. The Easter Edition we enjoyed had clearly been thoughtfully created, in appearance and in taste, to be reminiscent of Easter and Spring. The colours and finishing touches really bring it all together and make the experience more interactive and exciting.
After relaxing around the hotel we headed to our dinner at The Gallery Restaurant, which is an intimate dining area which overlooks The Great Hall. The restaurant is stylish and elegant with furnishing that creates a calm and relaxed atmosphere. The award-winning Scott Paton is the head chef here and helped to prepare our five course tasting menu with wine pairings.
We started with some canapés and an amuse-bouche, which honestly topped all of the dishes I’ve ever had while growing up in France and Switzerland. Right from the start, the food was phenomenal with amazing flavours and immaculate presentation. The Gallery and staff helped us to try new and incredible flavours without going over the top, while the wine pairings made for an exquisite dining experience.
The tasting menu offered an impressive and imaginative selection of dishes which showcased amazing creativity with every dish packing the perfect balance of elegance and exciting flavours. Our favourites were the Brixham Crab which was refreshing and light, and the Aged Beef which was spectacularly flavoursome and was presented so uniquely. Each wine pairing truly complemented the dish and brought out certain flavours. We were once told to try our wine before the dish and then again during, and the difference in the taste of the wine was astonishing. It was evident that the staff had spent a lot of time pairing the wines to create that all round sensory experience.
Terra Iconia Beaujois- Burgandy, France
Laurent Miquel Albarino- France
The service was exceptional and each member of staff made us feel relaxed and at ease with a clear focus on ensuring that diners enjoy their experience to the full. We were served by a few different members of staff during our dinner and each and every one of them exuded a standard of excellence and professionalism which exceeded our expectations.
Essensia Oragne Muscat, Quady- California, USA
Trabach Gewurztraminer – Alsace, France
The Manager, Agustino, was particularly engaging and spent time chatting to us about the food and wine and their origins. He was truly passionate about the menu and you could tell he wanted to make the experience unforgettable.
“This isn’t just a meal. It’s an experience. From the moment you come in the door to the moment you leave, we aim to create a memory”
–Agustino, The Gallery Restaurant
The Butcher of Buenos Aires Malbec- Argentina
Sparking Rose Lyme Bay- England
The next day we began our “relaxation day” starting with a morning yoga session. Neither Dan or I had tried much yoga before but we both agreed afterwards that it is such a refreshing way to start your day. The session was relaxed and informal and was paired perfectly with a trip to the spa afterwards to ease our muscles.
When you leave the historic charm of Boringdon Hall and step into the Gaia Spa you are immediately met with a sense of calm. Despite the spa’s modern look contrasting with the traditional manor house, they fit together seamlessly. There is a huge sense of connecting with nature in the spa with the large open pool looking out over a long stretch of greenery and earthy tones being found in a lot of the decor.
I started out with a Hot Poultice Massage, something which I had never tried before but I certainly will again. The three notions of the Gaia Spa are Balancing, Awakening and Calming and the treatments are tailored to which of the sensation you would like to feel afterwards. I chose a balanced treatment which helped to completely relax me but also relieve any knots in my muscles and rejuvenate my skin.
If massages aren’t for you, then the rest of the treatment list is extensive with all treatments tailored to your specific needs. Gaia Spa really stands in a league of its own as the therapists really know their stuff and are there to work around your needs, helping you to get the most out of the experience. Gaia Spa also have their own product range which I have been using consistently at home and can honestly say has left my skin feeling fresher and brighter.
The Relaxation Room is yet another example of how Gaia Spa go the extra mile for their guests, providing you with a completely serene setting to relax and rehydrate after a treatment. You could instantly tell that a lot of thought and effort had gone into every aspect of the spa.
The facilities in the rest of the spa can easily be used over a whole day without you feeling at all restless. You could start with the experience shower with each of the different settings providing you with a different sensory experience. You could take a swim in their 14 meter pool or chill out with a drink in the indoor and outdoor hydrotherapy pool. If that’s not enough they why not try the Finnish Sauna, the Crystal Salt Steam Room or the Loconium Herbal Sauna? It doesn’t matter what you are after from a spa, Gaia Boringdon undoubtedly has something to keep everyone happy.
You can then break up your day with a trip to the Spatisserie which is the dedicated restaurant for spa visitors to try out some refreshing and comforting dishes. The layout is gorgeous, with views of the rolling countryside and even has curtains around the tables to give you privacy should you need it. The dishes here even stick with the same notions of Awakening, Balancing and Calming. As you would expect, the restaurant provides the perfect dishes to give you some extra energy without filling you up too much which is the exact feeling you want when eating at a spa.
After a long day of relaxing in the Spa we headed back to The Great Hall for an evening drink. At night the Hall is the perfect place for a relaxed drink, with Boringdon providing an impressive selection of drinks for you to try. While sipping on a cocktail we reflected on the outstanding break we had at Borigindon Hall Hotel. Every single aspect of the stay was flawless and is truly somewhere we could not recommend enough.
Boringdon Hall Hotel absolutely stunned us with its perfection. This hotel was perfect from top to bottom, in all areas of their offering. If you’re looking for a fantastic luxury experience in the middle of some of the most serene nature in Devon, then look no further than Boringdon Hall Hotel.
