The hotel: As the name suggests, this is no humble pub with rooms. The very grand pile that is Bovey Castle was built in 1906 for Viscount “WH Smith” Hambledon, in the 368- square-mile Dartmoor National Park. More recently, it was turned into a less grand hotel, but it has since been returned to former glories by Peter de Savary (of Skibo Castle fame). He’s gone all-out on his art-deco theming, and not a detail seems to have been missed, from the knickerbockered porters to the 1920s music to the characteristic typeface on the room-number plaques. Latter-day PG Wodehouses will be inspired.

There are currently 65 rooms, all extremely comfortable, with thematically correct black-and-white bathrooms and mini decanters of estate-made sloe gin to ease your arrival. If you can, pay the extra for one of the rooms with a valley view; your morning curtain-drawing will be rewarded with the sight of rhododendrons, neatly trimmed lawns sloping down to the River Bovey, and more rugged bits of the national park beyond. If you can’t, the rear-facing rooms overlook the smartly gravelled courtyard, filled with PdS’s collection of vintage cars.

You might not be the only people staying, but the number of public rooms means you won’t be tripping over fellow guests. The Cathedral Room, with a huge open fire and a minstrel’s gallery, is understandably popular, but there’s always the Billiard Room, the members’ study, various drawing rooms and a cigar room to try. And it’s no great hardship to take a pew in the Oak Room bar while you flick through the many-paged cocktail menu — they’re about £15 a pop, so sip, don’t gulp.

Dinner is served... in the Palm Court dining room, all mirrors, palms and elegant furniture. You might hope to find a good few of your fellow guests here — when it’s empty, there’s something of The Shining about it. The food is tasty, and well cooked and presented, but, as the chef doesn’t always do a main cut of meat or fish, it doesn’t seem to be Bovey’s strongest point. Pan-fried Brixham scallops were very good, but seemed more starter than the main course they actually were. Home-made ice cream for pud made up.

For rather more spectacular grub, pop up the road to Gidleigh Park (01647 432367, www.gidleigh.com), in Chagford, a Tudor-style hotel with a Michelin-starred restaurant.

Breakfast is served in the same restaurant, though if the weather’s being kind, you can take it outside. The house’s broad terrace has more of those valley views; if they don’t distract you from your eggs benedict, the falconry display might.

And to work off that food? If you’ve seen the Kubrick movie, you’ll know what all work and no play can do. Luckily, there’s enough play here to fill a three-week holiday; it’s activities, rather than snowdrifts, that will mean you stay put. The golf course has been done up to resume its rivalry of Gleneagles and Turnberry; and, for the dabbler, there’s a nine-hole putting green on the lawn, next to the croquet and boules. The estate also offers tennis, archery, fishing, mountain- biking, and pheasant-, duck- and deer-stalking.

Further afield, staff can arrange sporting clays, tours of the moor and surrounding area, and balloon and helicopter flights. Separate activities are organised for children bored of the play barn. A private cinema and a full spa are due to open soon.

Is there life beyond Bovey? With Dartmoor on the doorstep — surrounding the estate, in fact — there are umpteen great walks. A gentle stroll along the river will lead you to the oh-so-English village of North Bovey, where the 13th-century Ring of Bells Inn (01647 440375) will reward any appetite or thirst you’ve worked up.

Timing your stay right could allow you to catch ale-tasting or bread-weighing in nearby Ashburton, a goose fair in Tavistock or the Town Criers’ Championship at Newton Abbot. If that sounds a little too quintessentially English, there are sandy beaches 35 minutes’ drive away, while the bright lights of Exeter are 15 miles off.

Who should go? Jack Nicholson, Jack Nicklaus, Bertie Wooster.

Who shouldn’t? Anyone likely to request Red Rum in the cocktail bar.

• Bovey Castle, North Bovey, Devon (01647 445000, www.boveycastle.com). Doubles start at £212, room-only, with valley-view rooms from £288. A three-course dinner is £53pp, excluding wine; breakfast costs £14-£21pp. Some activities are extra

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