Fowlescombe Farm is located in what I firmly believe to be the most beautiful place in the world: the South Hams, Devon. I will caveat this by confessing, up top, a significant bias. I was born just a few rolling hills away and spent my youth imbibing the area’s bucolic charms, as well as bemoaning the lack of decent places to eat, drink, and be merry.
If only Fowlescombe had been open when I was growing up (not that I could have afforded to stay there then). ‘Hotel’ isn’t really the right word for this place to stay, which comprises a handful of suites set across a Victorian farmhouse and a cluster of renovated barns. They’re located on a 450-acre regenerative farm, taken over by Caitlin Owens’ family in 2018. After retreating here during lockdown, she and her partner, Paul Glade, set about opening Fowlescombe to the public.
Swiss-raised Glade, together with Basel and London-based design studios, has brought an unexpected but effective note of restraint to the rural setting. An ode to cottagecore this is not, but rather a scene of flagstone floors and pale oaky minimalism, with bespoke joinery by a Bristol-based master that slips seamlessly into famously wonky Devon architecture. It’s all softened by tactile touches—woven tapestries, huge sheepskin pouffs, the kind of armchairs you can’t help but fall asleep in—and local artwork that restores a sense of place. The home away from home (and a sleek one that) atmosphere is enhanced with ample in-room sustenance like Devon fudge and flame-roasted nuts, English sparkling wine, Salcombe pilsner and even well-equipped kitchens in the larger suites.
The setting is improbably idyllic. Apple trees laden with ripe fruit, meadows full of wild flowers swaying gently in the breeze, butterflies flitting about over extensive vegetable patches heavy with the early autumn harvest: it’s the kind of place that would make The Pig Hotels and Soho Farmhouse quake in their Hunter wellies. Its beauty is enhanced by the fact that it’s productive, not just ornamental. It’s been landscaped to attract pollinators and provide produce for the talented chefs who cook here. You can see them throughout the day, plucking from tangles of wild herbs for infusions and cocktails, and carrying trays of vegetables back to the Scandi-esque ‘Refectory’ restaurant.
This, the beating heart of the place, is the scene of breakfast, lunch, and dinner, served al fresco or at a sleek communal table beside the intimate open kitchen. The focus is on organic meat and homegrown vegetables, all sourced from mere steps away and prepared with unfussy aplomb by Executive Chef Elly Wentworth and her team.
The menu shifts each day, guided by the seasons, but might start with a fluffy rosemary and fennel bloomer, salty cured meats from Fowlescombe’s dedicated charcuterie farm, and zingy pickled radish and ‘cucumelons’ that thrive in the greenhouse. A crisp tart of earthy beetroot, tart blackberries, and rich short-horn beef fillet might follow. It all feels deeply nourishing and, though indulgent, light enough that you’ll be hungry for creamy yogurt and home-baked granola with proper barista coffee come morning.
Staff know you by name and deliver the kind of service that makes you feel genuinely cared for from the moment you arrive, leading you to the communal sitting room and presenting a pot of loose-leaf tea. They’ll scoop you up from Totnes station, which is just shy of three hours away from London Paddington and, inevitable delays and overcrowding aside, an exceptionally scenic coastline-hugging journey. The 20-minute transfer is included in the room rate and particularly welcome given how hard taxis are to come by in these parts. Uber is not part of the South Hams vocabulary.
A stay also covers three meals a day and a rolling programme of wholesome activities. This means you could start the morning with yoga in the greenhouse before helping the chefs collect eggs that will be used in your Florentine or full English breakfast. After that, you might go damson picking, go for a sea swim at nearby Mothecombe Beach, or take a day trip to Salcombe—the options are extensive.
Although it’s all very grown-up, it’s great for kids and dogs too. They’re welcomed rather than feared here and it seems to work without disrupting those visiting a deux, perhaps because there’s plenty to satiate them—from feeding fallen apples to the farm pigs to daily cake at teatime. At present, there is something missing at Fowlescombe. It’s aimed at urban folk craving a rural retreat (hard relate, as the kids say) but the setting in itself is insufficient to get the most city-weary to really switch off. It needs a dedicated wellness offering.
Luckily, this is taking shape; a large natural swimming pond and sauna are due to open in March 2026. There will also be forest bathing, trail running on Dartmoor and an increased focus on mindful activities like flower pressing. One hopes there will also be the option to get a good old-fashioned massage or facial at some point too, but maybe that’s just being greedy.
Fast Facts
Location: South Hams, Devon
Address: Ugborough, Ivybridge PL21 0HW, UK
The vibe: Improbably idyllic Devon retreat with regenerative farm-to-fork dining
Room Count: 10 suites
Starting Rate: From about 550 USD per night
Dining: Three meals a day, sourced entirely from the 450-acre farm, vegetable patches and local area included in the room rate
Amenities: Bar, restaurant, gardens, in-room kitchens, complimentary tea, coffee and cake
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