[Disclosure: I visited Boringdon Hall twice for the purposes of this blog – once for afternoon tea and another as part of my experience of the South West 660 road trip route, which you can read about here.]
As you weave your way through streets of houses on the outskirts of Plymouth en route to Boringdon Hall, you could be forgiven for feeling slightly sceptical about where you’re heading. But somehow, once you pop out of the residential streets and up the hill, then onto the driveway of the historic building, you start to see why it’s dubbed the ‘enchanted place on the hill’.
That moniker actually comes from the Saxon Burth-Y-Don but is a pretty fitting description to this day for the 16th Century manor house-turned luxury hotel.
The setting is one thing, but it doesn’t really stop there. An award-winning spa. A Michelin-starred restaurant. Gorgeous rooms. And somehow a sprinkle of magic that really makes it like nowhere else I’ve ever been.
So here’s everything you need to know about what it’s like to stay at Boringdon Hall Hotel, and why you should probably consider it, whether it’s great food, a relaxing spa break, or just a luxury hotel stay you’re after.
First Impressions of Boringdon Hall Hotel
There’s something about the contrast of Boringdon Hall’s grounds and its nearby surroundings that add to the joy when you first see it. The imposing stone manor has something of the castle, with turrets, ivy-covered walls, and the kind of big doors that shout Game of Thrones to anyone of my generation.
The grounds are beautifully maintained, with plenty of places to wander and sit – including with dogs as you can take your four-legged friend with you – and it somehow feels wonderfully secluded despite being so close to the city.
Inside, the reception and bar area continue with the castle vibes. Big wooden doors, flagstone floors, huge imposing fireplaces and dark wood panelling. There are nooks and crannies to curl up with with a drink or a book, or afternoon tea, and an elegance that reminds you that this isn’t an old falling-down building, but a luxury hotel that’s had a hell of a lot of love (and money) poured into it.
The Rooms at Boringdon Hall Hotel
There’s a choice of rooms at Boringdon Hall, depending on what you want from your stay.
Signature suites with extras like hot tubs, rooftop balconies and private decking; heritage rooms which sit in the actual 16th-century manor building with all the history that comes with; and the courtyard and stable rooms that are in a new wing (and dog friendly too).
We stayed in one of the wellness rooms – which sit in a separate wing closest to the Gaia Spa and designed to encourage you to rest, relax and focus on wellness. Think freestanding bath tub in the corner of the cavernous room, a balcony to chill out on, and low lighting to make you feel all zen. It doesn’t stop there – there were tonnes of little details, from a yoga mat in the room to pillow spray, bath salts for the tub, and an expansive bathroom with all the toiletries you could need.
Everything about it felt very calm, and the fact it was just a few steps from a dedicated studio where you can do classes, or just practice yoga or anything else on your own, plus the gym and spa itself, served as a reminder that you really can do a proper spa break here.
The Gaia Spa Experience
The Gaia Spa is probably one of Boringdon Hall’s biggest draws (along with its Michelin-starred restaurant – more on that below) and it’s easy to see why.
When some hotels claim to have a spa, they mean a pool and a sauna and steam room, but the Gaia Spa really is up there with some of the best.
An indoor pool, plus a separate hydrotherapy pool that flows seamlessly from indoors to outdoors, plus outdoor hot tubs and a seating area to enjoy the fresh Devon air in between dips.
It doesn’t stop there. Inside, as well as the pool, there are two steam rooms, a sauna, a laconicum and invigorating cold showers, giving you the full contrast therapy treat.
A highlight for me was also the fact there’s a decent gym here. Not just a treadmill and bike, but a fully equipped gym with a range of machines, weights and cardio kit. A welcome treat compared to most hotel gyms.
I didn’t have a treatment, but of course there’s a full menu, and the whole atmosphere in the spa adds to that idea of stopping the clock on life and simply relaxing into it. Yes, there’s a luxury element but it’s also calming and nurturing – not always an easy balance to strike.
Dining at Àclèaf
It goes without saying that dining at Àclèaf was a highlight of the stay.
Meaning oak leaf in Old English, the restaurant headed by up Scott Paton not only has a Michelin Star but has also been awarded 4 AA Rosettes.
They serve a four-course menu, with a choice for each course, allowing you to tailor the menu to your own tastes to a certain extent without having to stick rigidly to a full tasting menu.
Of course, it’s not really four courses by the time you’ve had an array of breads, butters, amuse bouches and more put down in front of you, then the odd inter-course treat from the kitchen too.
Service was flawless and the food unsurprisingly excellent, pairing precision with a price in local, seasonal ingredients and a touch of fun at various junctures, including a game that allows you to accidentally alter the flavour profile of your palate cleanser.
Acleaf is a refined experience, yet somehow still feels relaxed, which seems to me to be the key to doing Michelin-level dining well these days.
It’s the kind of meal that becomes so much more than simply ‘dining in the hotel restaurant’, and one you’d go back to again and again.
Afternoon Tea at Boringdon Hall
I’ve been lucky enough to try afternoon tea at Boringdon Hall, and safe to say this is easily as enchanting as the other aspects that make it such a treat to visit.
The themes change fairly frequently and on my particular visit it was a literary-themed experience inspired by childhood classics. Think a delicate honey-inspired creation celebrating Paddington Bear, a beautiful rose-inspired dessert inspired by Beauty and the Beast, an indulgent chocolate cake worthy of Matilda, and a beautifully balanced peach dessert inspired by James and the Giant Peach.
The sweets and cakes were knockout – a feast for the eyes as well as the tastebuds, and definitely a highlight of the afternoon tea. But the setting, service and other elements were up there too. The same attention to detail that runs through the rooms, can be spotted in the spa, and shines bright in Acleaf continues here.
Breakfast at Boringdon Hall
Of course breakfast was good. What would you expect from a luxury hotel?
The obligatory extensive buffet selection, but it’s the cooked menu where it shone, with St Ewe eggs bringing the mark of quality to every dish, and a range of classics to please everyone, all served in a nice setting in another part of the historic building and plenty of chance to linger awhile before you reluctantly leave.
Service & Overall Experience
From the moment I peeped my head around that imposing wooden door to look for reception, the welcome was as warm as the stone floors are cold. Yes you’re in an imposing building with a lot of superlatives dancing around and words like ‘luxury’, ‘spa’ and ‘Michelin’, but the friendly greeting, the welcome drink and the offer to carry your bags to your room all remind you that high standards don’t have to mean sniffy service.
That theme continued from the accommodation of our dogs during afternoon tea, to friendliness of staff in the spa, and the relaxed service during dinner at Acleaf. Nothing was too much, at any point, and that level of service acts as a reminder that a great hotel experience is about so much more than the building, the amenities or the fine dining. It’s about how it makes you feel – and Boringdon Hall makes you feel pretty darn good.
Is Boringdon Hall Worth the Price?
A stay at Boringdon Hall certainly falls into the luxury category, but when you consider what you get for that, and the standards it hits, I don’t think it’s unjustified.
One for a special occasion maybe, or just a touch of luxury when you fancy it, but certainly somewhere you’ll remember. And even if you decide you don’t want to fork out to stay, you could just dip your toe in with dinner or afternoon tea.
Final Verdict: Would I Stay Again?
Yes I really would. And I’d dine there again, spa there again, and afternoon tea there again.
It’s just a place that does things really very well, combining its history with a kind of modern luxury that really is enchanting.
The spa genuinely is one of the best I’ve been to, the dinner was exquisite, and if I ever want to run off and hide from the world to take a breath I’ll be booking a wellness room immediately.
They call it the Enchanting Place on the Hill, and I can see why.
