We started 2024 off with a trip to Dorset, Devon and Cornwall, during which we stayed at Mill End Hotel on Dartmoor for the Devon leg of the trip. Mill End is an absolutely wonderful hotel, tucked away in the heart of the national park and beautifully appointed throughout – not to mention the outstanding food! I was therefore thrilled when they invited us back to stay for a last minute pre-Christmas get away: the perfect end to the year.
Being a last minute break I wasn’t able to book much time off work, so it ended up being a Friday to Sunday trip – it was a long way for two nights, but Mill End is such a fantastic place that it was worth it. We arrived at around 7.30pm on the Friday evening just as Storm Darragh was getting ready to hammer the South West: there was an Amber weather warning out for our only full day. We decided to worry about that in the morning, and got settled into our rooms before heading down for dinner.
This time, I stayed in East Okement – a spacious superior double which is light and bright, and has a view out over the garden as well as a huge en-suite bathroom. As with our last stay, there was a doggy welcome pack waiting for us in the room: I love how thoughtful these boxes are with a ball, poo bags, packet of treats, hand made dog biscuit and an ‘I’m staying at Mill End Hotel’ tag for collars. Turns out this was much needed as in my rush out the door I’d forgotten to pack dog treats!
Dogs are welcome to stay in the room on their own while you dine should you wish, but we opted to eat in the dog friendly area, where we were given the same lovely quiet nook which we ate in during our first visit. The food was once again incredible – I opted for the Hunter’s Chicken, while my mum who was visiting with me went for Skate. Not to mention the wonderful starters and amuse bouches which were brought out as well (including fresh slices of home-baked bread).
After a delicious dinner we retired to our rooms for the night. I don’t know if it’s just me, but I don’t think there’s any cosier feeling than being tucked into a warm comfy bed listening to a storm raging outside. I slept like a baby – as did Merry, on the very soft and comfortable dog bed which the hotel provided for him. He spent pretty much every moment we were in the room passed out on his bed – he looked so happy on it I feel like I need to try and find the same bed online somewhere and buy it for him.
I took Merry out for a toilet break on my way down to breakfast, which I was almost more excited about than dinner. I had my favourite from our previous stay, Eggs Royal, while the hotel kindly did an off menu breakfast for my mum (poached eggs and bacon). All with copious amounts of hot tea, of course. I think Merry remembered that dogs get a sausage for breakfast from our last visit: as soon as we went down he was eyeing up all the staff very meaningfully!
Full of breakfast and optimism (it was at least not raining), we decided to venture out into Chagford for a look around. This small market town is full to bursting with independent shops and cafes, and is less than a 10 minute drive from Mill End Hotel. With the amber wind warning, we opted not to do the walk along the river, and instead mooched around the centre admiring the historic church and buildings. There are several thatched cottages which lend the town a chocolate box charm, and I was very taken with the milk vending machine (and indeed would have been tempted to buy some if Mill End didn’t provide a jug of fresh milk in the rooms).
After a rather blustery hour wandering around we retreated back to the hotel. Despite it not raining, Merry had managed to get rather wet and muddy, so our first stop was the boot room to get him dried off. The boot room is one of my favourite things about Mill End: not just for humans, it includes spare poo bags and a basket of towels which you can use to dry your dog off after a soggy walk (these are laundered separately from the human towels). Not forgetting the jar of treats to reward your dog for waiting patiently while you towel them off.
We spent the rest of the afternoon in the hotel’s lounge, which is dog friendly and which had a roaring fire to keep us all warm. The staff made sure everyone was well looked after and we may have indulged in a hot chocolate or two as we whiled away the afternoon playing board games. Mill End has a great selection and while someone unfortunately beat us to Scrabble, we did manage to snag a version of Trivial Pursuit which didn’t seem to be as outrageously difficult as I tend to find them.
After a very cosy afternoon, we popped back up to our rooms to get ready for dinner before returning to the lounge. The menu here changes every day and I was thrilled to see my favourite – duck – on the menu. No deliberation needed! My mum opted for the lamb this time and even shared the odd sliver with Merry (who knows she’s a soft touch and played up to it. I definitely wasn’t sharing my duck, which was cooked to perfection and almost melted in my mouth).
The morning of our departure dawned much brighter and significantly less blustery – although there was still a rather stiff breeze blowing. With a big drive ahead of us we both opted for the full English breakfast, and then it was sadly time to say our goodbyes to Mill End. As we checked out we had a nice surprise when the hotel provided us both with a departure bag, including some exceptionally tasty chocolate truffles and some bottles of water for the drive home. The little touches here are second to none.
We didn’t head straight home though. It’s a long drive from Devon to North Yorkshire, so we didn’t have time for a big walk, but we did manage to squeeze in a quick visit to the church of St Michael at Brentor. This photogenic church is perched on the top of a tor and is one of the most recognisable buildings on Dartmoor.
There’s free parking in a large car park just off the road by the foot of the church, then it’s a short walk up the hill. When I say short I mean short – it took us less than 20 minutes to get up and down. The church does actually have services from Easter to the end of September, but visiting in December there weren’t any parishioners climbing up with us on this occasion. From the church there are great views over Dartmoor, and I resolved to myself that we will definitely be coming back for a longer visit next time. Driving home was very unappealing with the blue sky and tempting views, but with 360 miles to cover to get home we reluctantly set off on our way.
Dog friendly rating: 5/5. Mill End Hotel is by far the most dog friendly hotel we’ve ever stayed in. Dogs are made so welcome here, and it’s true that the little touches really do make all the difference. From the practical boot room with dog towels and poo bags to the thoughtful Mill End tags for collars, at no point do you ever feel like dogs are simply tolerated here – they are actively welcomed. I think Merry threw himself at every single member of staff for a cuddle, and not once did anyone get annoyed with him – they just gave him a stroke (and usually a biscuit too!). If you’re looking for a dog friendly escape, Mill End Hotel is at the top of my list of recommendations for you.
If you’ve enjoyed reading this blog today, subscribe below for more dog friendly walks and places to stay:
