A visit to Burgh Island is an adventure before you even set foot inside this proper glamourpuss of a hotel. If the tide is out, then you’ll be ferried across the sand via Land Rover, but if the 21-acre private island is cut off from the mainland (as it is twice a day), then it’s all-aboard the ‘sea tractor’. A massive-wheeled, monster truck-esque contraption braves the waves and delivers you, wind-swept and fabulous, to this vintage slice of Hollywood-on-Sea.
Built in 1929, the ultra grand Burgh Island Hotel sits on the scenic south coast of Devon. A favourite of Agatha Christie (and the setting for two particularly gruesome Hercule Poirot mysteries), this historic pile has some serious 1930s timewarp energy. There’s sleek art deco furniture at every turn and stunning common spaces, such as the twinkly Palm Court cocktail lounge and the majestic Grand Ballroom, where dinner is served alongside live jazz and black tie is mandatory.
It could all be a little cheesy, but it’s mainly just a lot of fun. With just 25 rooms and suites – many of them named after former guests such as Noël Coward, darling – the space always feels intimate, so much so that it’s almost possible to believe that you’re staying at the home of a wealthy great aunt. Big comfy beds and sea views come with every room (the benefits of being on an island), and fitting with the old school theme, rooms don’t have tellies. Frankly, that’s just another great excuse to pull up a velvet pouffe in the bar and order another dry martini.
Neighbourhood:
Just under an hour’s drive from Plymouth, Burgh Island sits opposite the small village of Bigbury-on-Sea in picture-perfect Devon. This is proper seaside holiday territory and there’s not much to do here apart from swim, stroll – and for the slightly more hardcore – windsurf and paddle board. Bliss, in other words.
Nearby:
1. Pilchard Inn: Don’t want to don a sequined flapper dress for your evening meal? Then this absolutely ancient pub, dating back to 1336, is also on Burgh Island. Portions of fish and chips are massive, and yes, they serve crispy bowls of whitebait-style fried pilchards.
2. Mermaid Pool: Enjoy wild swimming but rather it wasn’t too wild? Burgh Island Hotel’s outdoor Mermaid Pool is the spot for you; stunning, secluded, surrounded by rocks and filled via a WWII sluice-gate, it’s perfect for private dips.
3. Venus Cafe: Stroll across the sand to the mainland for breakfast bacon baps or an afternoon ice cream in Bigbury-on-Sea.
Time Out tip:
Even if you’re not a swimmer, head down the wooden steps to the Mermaid Pool and find a hidden terrace stacked with deck chairs. The perfect place to get stuck into some Agatha Christie.