Taken completely on its own merits, this stone cottage is a perfectly charming place to stay in the Dart Valley. The design is fresh and contemporary, with cleansingly white walls, smart wooden floors and a minimalist kitchen complete with sleek surfaces and plenty of room for making a mess while you cook. Head out through the French doors and you'll also find a pretty courtyard space in which you can dine alfresco. What really distinguishes this home from others of a similar size, however, is the huge range of facilities and amenities that guests can access. Lying within a large hotel complex, there's everything from a championship golf course and tennis courts to a spa area and an indoor swimming pool with which to fill up your afternoons. There's even a restaurant and bar on the site in case you want a night off from the stove. Although there's more than enough to do within the estate, you're also spoilt for choice when it comes to distractions in the local area, too. Blackpool Sands is just under a quarter of an hour away in the car, while the village of Dittisham takes more like ten – it's possible to catch a ferry from here to Greenway, the former home of Agatha Christie.

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