The Devonshire Arms Hotel At Beeley

Sometimes a hidden gem lies literally on your doorstep;The Devonshire Arms at Beeley is a charming 18th century village inn, located on the Chatsworth Estate.

Most of the houses in the village are owned by the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire as well as the Devonshire Arms. I was intrigued to learn that you can tell which properties the Duke owns as a fitting on the property is painted a deep shade of blue, so whether it is a drainpipe, a door or a garden gate you know who the owner is!

The Devonshire Arms boasts a hamlet of eighteen stylish and well appointed rooms and suites inside the Inn and some rooms within a stones throw from the Inn.

If you are a dog owner it is useful to know that ground floor rooms in Brookside Cottage are dog friendly.

All the rooms within the cottages and the Brookside building are newly refurbished. Each room I saw appeared to be individual in style. The Kinder room we stayed in had the added feature of a separate wet room with shower and bathroom and a free standing roll top bath. I know they all might be the fashion at the moment but for anyone with mobility problems they are a no no.

Other features the modern traveller expects were present including a flat screen TV with free view channels, fast Wi Fi, Tea/Coffee making facilities including a Nespresso Coffee Machine, Yorkshire tea bags (only the best, naturally), locally made biscuits, DAB radio with Bluetooth connectivity, luxury duck feather and down pillows, mini bar with complimentary water, hairdryer and luggage rack. I liked the good writing desk too and lots of power sockets.

The room felt homely and had a good warm atmosphere. The windows opened up to a good height too.

Most of the staff we met were local and appeared to be proud of where they live. It is a quiet place though and you do feel a world away from the hustle and bustle of modern day life.

The restaurant in the Devonshire Arms serves either an a la carte menu or you can sample the more traditional pub classics. Diners can eat in the original Inn or in the more modern adjoining restaurant.

Pleasingly water was brought to the table without asking (always a good start). Our starter which we shared of Wye Bakehouse Bread served with Balsamic Vinegar tasted as if it had just been cooked.

For main my Beef Burger tasted like one of those proper ones you get from the local butcher. Served in a Wye Bakehouse Brioche Bun, cheese along with caramelised onions and triple cooked chips.

My sister went for another traditional option - Beer Battered Haddock served with triple cooked chips, marrowfat peas and grilled lemon. The batter was light and crispy, the haddock flaked like proper haddock does and seemed very fresh.

With Bakewell being just down the road I couldn't resist the moreish Bakewell Tart, served with Salted Caramel ice cream - a good combination.

My sister chose the scrumptious Sticky Toffee Pudding served with vanilla ice cream. They do a good cheese board too. I did try a slice of the Cropwell Bishop Stilton - rich and creamy which had a tangy flavour with lots of blue veins.

Breakfast can be a continental buffet selection or cooked to order full English breakfast where the quality continued.

Chatsworth House is a short drive or walk away. It was my first visit to this monumental house and beautiful gardens - it is a big place and you do need a day there to fully appreciate and see everything. "Why haven't I been here before" was the question that was foremost in my mind.

That very same question could easily apply to the Devonshire Arms at Beeley. From start to finish it was all a magical experience but the best thing is that the magic is a lot closer than you think.

www.devonshirebeeley.co.uk

Telephone 01756 718111