A town that is celebrated for its naval heritage – the Britannia Royal Naval College sits proudly overlooking the town and river dart – Dartmouth is one that is filled with hidden gems as you traverse its cobbled streets. From fine dining hot spots to historic sites and picturesque vistas, you don’t have to search far and wide to find a place of interest.
Blending both great food and a fantastic history, Bayards Cove Inn, just steps from where the Mayflower set sail for America in 1620, is a true gem in the heart of this town. We checked in to find out more.
Hotel
Blending history and great food with sweeping waterside views is what Dartmouth does best and at Bayards Cove Inn, guests can experience a little of it all. Built and named Agincourt House by a merchant around 1380, the Tudor inn is now a Grade II listed café, restaurant and bar with seven luxurious ensuite rooms.
Tasteful and careful renovations showcase the beautiful building in all its glory and stepping inside, you’ll find cosy nooks, warm and welcoming décor and plenty of original features that tell a story of the building’s lengthy past.
Room
I was staying in ‘Nelson’, a family suite sitting on the third floor – the top floor – which sits in the pitched roof and boasts two bedrooms. Connecting via a shower room, the bedrooms make for a perfect place to reside when enjoying the highlights of the inn and town beyond.
The main room holds a very comfortable king sized bed alongside a soft velvet, deep blue couch and two mustard toned armchairs to relax, while the second bedroom has a double cabin bed for two little ones to share or perhaps for one older child.
The classic décor perfectly reflects the historic nature of its setting, while antique wood furniture and gold touches add a richness to the overall look. The uneven floor and sloping ceilings added to the charm, and it was a stylish, comfortable space to spend some downtime.
Local toiletries, classic Dickens books, an antique telescope, and blue painted panelling on the walls add character, while plenty of wardrobe space, a kettle, fridge, safe and ironing are provided for your essential needs.
Views to Dartmouth castle can be admired from a side window directly from the bed – just one of the reasons to choose this loftily located suite for your Dartmouth stay.
Food
Bountiful breakfasts, luscious lunches and divine dinners are all served here and I’ve been lucky enough to sample a good variation of these on previous visits. Bayards Cove Inn is definitely a destination that locals swarm to for hearty meals at any time of the day. On this occasion, it was a dinner and breakfast that I was to devour and a copy of the menus in the room afforded me the chance to get a head start on my dining decisions.
Dinner
Sitting by the fire on a comfy sofa in the corner, sipping on a gin and tonic, was a lovely way to start the evening and provided the perfect spot to relax and make our choices for dinner. The setting is cosy, smart, stylish and welcoming boasting low ceilings with beams, a wood bar and painted stone walls meeting bare wood tables, muted greens and a wood and slate floor.
I started with scallops which was served with chorizo and a puttanesca sauce and loved the flavours on this dish. Two plump and meaty scallops, which came from Brixham, just across the water, were served with little spicy chorizo sausage pieces and a flavoursome puttanesca sauce. The spicy elements paired well with the light Californian Pinot Noir I’d chosen for the meal and I love that scallops work so well with just about any flavour, with this dish being no exception.
My main course consisted of the slow cooked duck leg served with dauphinoise potatoes, seasonal veg and a plum and apricot sauce. The warm, sweet and fruity sauce worked so well with the crispy-skin duck and the vegetables were the ideal accompaniment on this winter-warming dish. A sweet white chocolate crème brûlée, which was served with some berries and shortbread, finished the meal with a flourish.
Breakfast
A place certainly worth travelling to for the breakfasts alone, guests can choose from the likes of a farmhouse breakfast (sausage, bacon, egg, hash brown, tomato, mushrooms, beans and toast); smashed avocado with feta and harissa oil on toasted sourdough; eggs Benedict or Florentine, a full vegan or vegetarian breakfast and a breakfast bap, in addition to a continental buffet.
I opted for the breakfast bap, which contains a sausage, rasher of back bacon, an egg and a hash brown inside a toasted brioche bap. It’s the perfect breakfast, in my opinion, as it’s not too filling so you can’t enjoy some buffet items as well, but it still feels pretty indulgent and leaves you thoroughly satisfied.
To do
Dartmouth is a great place to visit for those who want to explore the beauty of the South Devon coastline, uncover some of the country’s naval history from various points around the town, and dine on delicious dishes, among many other exciting ventures. Boat trips take up you upstream, out to sea or across the water to Kingswear, while the latter connects to the steam train, which is a popular activity, and you can also take yourself to Agatha Christie’s home, Greenway.
In the town you can follow the Mayflower Heritage Trial (look out for the blue plaques), visit the shops, cafés and art galleries, enjoy the coastal walk to Dartmouth Castle, and take on an array of activities both on land and on the water.
In a nutshell
A gorgeously cosy, welcoming and historic inn that has stood through Dartmouth’s most exciting points in history, a stay at Bayards Cove Inn will delight, and the food isn’t bad either!
Factbox
Address: 27 Lower Street, Dartmouth, Devon, TQ6 9AN
Email: info@bayardscoveinn.co.uk
Tel: 01803 839278
Website: bayardscoveinn.co.uk
See snippets of my travels on Instagram @tashheard_food_travel
Hotel and food imagery supplied by Bayards Cove Inn.
