Hotel du Vin Exeter

Formerly The West of England Eye Hospital, this impressive red-brick building dates to the Edwardian era and is awash in the stately grandeur of the times -- haughty gables, elongated windows, and carved stone with Art Deco accents. The Magdalen Chapter opened in 2012 and has retained many of the property's turn-of-the-century features, combining them with smart, sophisticated, and unabashedly artful style. The reception room is chic and uncluttered -- the check-in desk, which looks like a textured wooden orb, is an art object in itself, and contemporary photographs, paintings, and sculptures are sprinkled liberally throughout the property. There are two lounges -- one is cool though cozy with a 700-plus book library, and the other has low-profile design seating and opens onto a terrace and pretty walled garden. Despite its urbane ambience, the mood is relaxed and friendly, and particularly welcoming to guests of the canine variety. The majority of clients are couples, though plenty of families and business travelers also pass through. 

The hotel is located on a busy road in a semi-residential area on the outskirts of Exeter's bustling, historic center. The city's main shopping area and main street full of retail outlets, bars, and restaurants is within a five-minute walk of the hotel, while the Exeter Castle is a 12 minutes away on foot. The riverside and newly revitalized quay district are less than 10 minutes away on foot, while Exeter University's Streatham campus is about a 10-minute drive. The Medieval Underground Passages, which stretch underneath the city, take eight minutes to reach on foot while the English Channel coast is about 25 to 30 minutes away by car depending on the destination. Exeter Central -- the main train station -- is about about a 15-minute walk, or a 10-minute drive, from the hotel.

The hotel's 59 rooms are all individually styled and range from the relatively spartan Single Rooms to luxurious Feature Rooms. Each room has eye-catching details, with high ceilings, parquet floors, and chic styling that includes original artwork and statement wallpaper. Dark hardwood furniture looks sharp and sophisticated alongside accent walls in contemporary shades like gray and deep coral, and desk chairs have a whiff of Scnadinavian minimalism about them. Rooms come with 40-inch flat-screen TVs, iPads, Nespresso machines, free minibars, and free high-speed Wi-Fi, while extra-comfy beds are topped with Egyptian cotton sheets. Mood lighting is fully adjustable, and some rooms overlook the garden, although others, especially Singles, border on cramped. Bathrooms are equally well-presented, with subway tiling, spacious vanities, showers and/or soaking tubs, heated towel racks, and high-end REN toiletries. Some guests have complained about internal and traffic noise being an issue in certain rooms. 

The hotel's REN spa features a heated inside-outside pool, whereby guests can drift from the indoor area with its wood-burning fire out to the open-air walled garden. Robes and flip-flops are provided, and a range of massage treatments and facials are also on offer. There's a small fitness center with cardio machines but no sauna or steam room. An upscale and strikingly chic restaurant, with a show kitchen, alfresco terrace, and changing seasonal menus, serves breakfast (which can be included in a bed-and-breakfast rate or charged separately), lunch, and dinner, but it can be pricey. Guests can choose from an extensive wine list of more than 100 labels on an iPad. The lounge and bar provides lighter fare and a less-formal dining experience, and even draw local guests for their traditional afternoon tea service. While there are some parking spaces on-site, they are limited and on a first-come, first-served basis. Most guests end up using the adjacent paid public parking. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout.