Pros

  • Nicely restored country house with plenty of space
  • Set within a well-tended garden overlooking fields and river
  • Short drive to Tiverton and Exmoor Park
  • In-room comforts include Egyptian cotton linens
  • Rooms have cabinets for storing hunting guns
  • Top-notch dining with local produce and fine wines
  • Cozy lounges and bar with real ales
  • Dogs allowed in some rooms
  • Free Wi-Fi throughout
See More Pros

Cons

  • Wi-Fi can be patchy
  • No spa or fitness facilities
  • Some annex rooms are small
See More Cons

Bottom Line

The three-and-a-half pearl Hartnoll Hotel is housed in a restored country house in North Devon, set in a pleasant garden overlooking pretty countryside on one side and a busy road on the other. The 18 well-presented rooms include flat-screen TVs, tea- and coffee-making facilities, Egyptian cotton linens, free Wi-Fi, and rainfall showers, though those in the annex tend to be smaller. The restaurant shines with excellent locally sourced menus, and guests can take their meals on the bright terrace. There's little in the immediate area, but the Hartnoll makes a good stopover for those looking to explore the West Country, Somerset, Devon, and Exmoor. It's particularly popular with shooting parties. 

See More Bottom Line

Amenities

  • Cribs
  • Internet
  • Pets Allowed

Oyster Hotel Review

The Hartnoll Hotel

Scene

Restored spacious country house popular with the shooting set

The owner of the Hartnoll Hotel -- Claire Carter -- bought the property in 2007 and spent two years restoring and renovating the country house into the fine 18-room boutique lodging it is today. Bright spacious hallways that lead to cozy lounges with plenty of plump leather couches and armchairs, hand-picked curios, and log-burning fireplaces. Trophy stag heads and antlers on the walls are a nod to the hotel's popularity with the shooting set -- a nearby river draws anglers too. Well-tended gardens provide pleasant seating spaces, and a croquet lawn overlooks adjacent fields and the Exe River. The atmosphere is busy but well-organized, and The Hartnoll also attracts older vacationing couples. It hosts a fair share of events, including occasional weddings. 

See More Scene

Location

Five minutes' drive to Tiverton in North Devon's Exe Valley

The hotel is located in the small village of Bolham, surrounded by the rolling landscape of the Exe Valley in North Devon. On one side of the hotel is a busy main road, and directly opposite is a primary school where children can be heard playing during school hours. While there's not a great deal to do in the immediate area, the town of Tiverton, with its medieval castle, is a five-minute drive from the hotel, and Junction 27 of the M5 motorway is a few minutes away. Exmoor National Park -- with its beautiful moorland and forests -- is within a 25-minute drive.

See More Location

Rooms

Luxury touches include Egyptian cotton bedclothes and fluffy robes

Most of the 18 rooms are in the main house, but a few are in the Gatehouse annex building. Rooms are individually styled but decor tends to be a simple mix of modern and antique-style furnishings. Beds are topped with Egyptian cotton sheets and thick duvets. All rooms come with flat-screen TVs, tea- and coffee-making facilities, fluffy towels and bathrobes, and free Wi-Fi -- though the signal can be patchy. Bathrooms have walk-in rainfall showers and wall-mounted hairdryers and soap dispensers. Gatehouse annex rooms tend to be a little smaller though they allow dogs. All rooms provide cabinets for storing shotguns. 

See More Rooms

Features

Excellent dining with a fine wine collection and real ales

Guests can start the day with a self-serve cold buffet followed by a cooked-to-order breakfast, which is included in the room rate and can be taken on the large south-facing terrace. The restaurant also serves lunch and dinner, with menus that focus on local fish and game, and include Devonshire cider, blue cheese, and homemade chutney. There's also an excellent wine collection, and the bar, frequented by guests and local residents, stocks real local ales. The hotel serves as a venue for business meetings and weddings, but has no on-site spa or fitness facilities on-site. Wi-Fi is available throughout, but the signal can spottty.

See More Features

Oyster Hotel Review

The Hartnoll Hotel

Scene

Restored spacious country house popular with the shooting set

The owner of the Hartnoll Hotel -- Claire Carter -- bought the property in 2007 and spent two years restoring and renovating the country house into the fine 18-room boutique lodging it is today. Bright spacious hallways that lead to cozy lounges with plenty of plump leather couches and armchairs, hand-picked curios, and log-burning fireplaces. Trophy stag heads and antlers on the walls are a nod to the hotel's popularity with the shooting set -- a nearby river draws anglers too. Well-tended gardens provide pleasant seating spaces, and a croquet lawn overlooks adjacent fields and the Exe River. The atmosphere is busy but well-organized, and The Hartnoll also attracts older vacationing couples. It hosts a fair share of events, including occasional weddings. 

See More Scene

Location

Five minutes' drive to Tiverton in North Devon's Exe Valley

The hotel is located in the small village of Bolham, surrounded by the rolling landscape of the Exe Valley in North Devon. On one side of the hotel is a busy main road, and directly opposite is a primary school where children can be heard playing during school hours. While there's not a great deal to do in the immediate area, the town of Tiverton, with its medieval castle, is a five-minute drive from the hotel, and Junction 27 of the M5 motorway is a few minutes away. Exmoor National Park -- with its beautiful moorland and forests -- is within a 25-minute drive.

See More Location

Rooms

Luxury touches include Egyptian cotton bedclothes and fluffy robes

Most of the 18 rooms are in the main house, but a few are in the Gatehouse annex building. Rooms are individually styled but decor tends to be a simple mix of modern and antique-style furnishings. Beds are topped with Egyptian cotton sheets and thick duvets. All rooms come with flat-screen TVs, tea- and coffee-making facilities, fluffy towels and bathrobes, and free Wi-Fi -- though the signal can be patchy. Bathrooms have walk-in rainfall showers and wall-mounted hairdryers and soap dispensers. Gatehouse annex rooms tend to be a little smaller though they allow dogs. All rooms provide cabinets for storing shotguns. 

See More Rooms

Features

Excellent dining with a fine wine collection and real ales

Guests can start the day with a self-serve cold buffet followed by a cooked-to-order breakfast, which is included in the room rate and can be taken on the large south-facing terrace. The restaurant also serves lunch and dinner, with menus that focus on local fish and game, and include Devonshire cider, blue cheese, and homemade chutney. There's also an excellent wine collection, and the bar, frequented by guests and local residents, stocks real local ales. The hotel serves as a venue for business meetings and weddings, but has no on-site spa or fitness facilities on-site. Wi-Fi is available throughout, but the signal can spottty.

See More Features

Best Rates

Amenities

  • Cabanas

  • Cable

  • Cribs

  • Dry Cleaning

  • Free Breakfast

  • Internet

  • Kids Allowed

  • Laundry

  • Meeting / Conference Rooms

  • Pets Allowed

  • Room Service

  • Separate Bedroom / Living Room Space

Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.