Hotels with Spa in Newton Abbot

My wife and I came to live in Devon, happily discovering The Ilsington hotel only seven minutes walk away. After three or four visits and stays, we have been hugely impressed by the comfort of the rooms, the range of facilities in the hotel and spa, the quality of the two restaurants, and above all by the excellence of service from the staff who create an atmosphere of calm combined with impeccable efficiency. An unexpected but perfect neighbour.

The hotel is in a very picturesque location, overlooking a lake. The bedrooms are large, with comfortable beds and prices for a stay are very reasonable. Having said that, the completely uncalled for surly, unfriendly and distinctly unhelpful of one member of staff at reception when we returned to the hotel after going to the Newton Abbot races soured the overnight stay for our group of 7. Firstly, after serving drinks to two members of our group, who arrived at the hotel ahead of the rest of us, he didn't allow them to take the drinks outside to a veranda area so they could have a smoke and could provide no good reason for refusing the polite request. Secondly, when the rest of us arrived at the hotel at around 11.30pm the bar was shut and he refused to serve us any drinks, even though we asked politely, merely wanting one more drink before going to bed. He was also curt, rude and distinctly unhelpful when we asked him to point us in the direction of our rooms, giving one word answers and seeming to regard us all as a hindrance to him. All in all, this experience made us regret our choice of hotel and we are disinclined to return to the hotel in future. A further gripe was that the breakfast service was poor and slow, with cooked breakfasts taking 25 minutes to arrive and many key items missing and not replenished unless guests specifically asked, including cups, tea bags, sugar and orange juice,

I was lucky enough to receive a gift voucher for Bovey Castle as a gift and what better way to spend it than enjoying a festive afternoon tea. Bovey Castle located within Dartmoor National Park is a stunning 5 Red Star, award winning country manor hotel, spa and golf resort, offering a first class luxury experience. We were greeted and welcomed by friendly doorman whom took our details and temperatures before we entered as part of their covid 19 precautions which was very reassuring. Once we were given the all clear we were shown to the Great Western Restaurant and told we were free to enjoy and explore the hotel. Full of country charm and character finished off with beautiful seasonal decorations, a stunning setting for a festive feast. Service was friendly and prompt. We were given the choice of tea's and coffee, and the option to add champagne, presecco or a glass of mulled wine to enhance your experience for a small charge. Afternoon tea was presented nicely, a delicious feast for the eyes and tasted even better than it looked. We opted for a glass of mulled wine to add an extra bit of festive cheer, which was full of seasonal flavours. The savoury tier offered the following finger sandwiches; Roast turkey and cranberry Mature cheddar cheese and onion Oak smoked salmon and lemon butter Honey roast ham and pickle Served with Chestnut and Clementine Sausage Roll and a Pear and Blue Cheese Quiche. Everything was super tasty and full of flavour. Our favourite being the chestnut and Clementine sausage roll. This was followed by the traditional Fruit and plain scones served with ample clotted cream and mulled wine jam. The jam was fruity with a hint of festive spice, delicious and novel although a little runny. This was accompanied by a slice of traditional stollen, a favourite of mine. The sweet tier offered Yule log with orange and vanilla butter cream Honey and cinnamon macaroon Cherry and pistachio choux Spiced apple mince pie Everything was delicious, nothing was too rich, we loved the honey a cinnamon macaroon with indulgent honey and cinnamon ganache. We really enjoyed our experience, and everything offered as part of our afternoon tea, stunning setting, great food and service. Would recommend and definitely come back for a special occasion. Perfect for a special treat.