Fodor's Expert Review Boringdon Hall Hotel

One of the foremost manor houses in the West Country during Tudor times, this battlemented pile oozes historic character. The centerpiece is its Great Hall, dominated by a capacious fireplace above which is emblazoned the coat of arms of James I. The hall has galleries at both ends, at one of which the semiformal Àclèaf restaurant offers traditional English dishes of a high standard, while the more relaxed Mayflower Brasserie in another part of the hotel has a lighter menu. Guest rooms vary from standard (verging on the bland) to luxurious and spacious (some with four-posters). The hotel, which is situated next to a golf course on the outskirts of Plymouth, is especially popular for its fabulous spa facilities in a separate modern annex.