Small Luxury Hotel, the Peacock at Rowsley, in the Heart of the Peak District
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This 17th century Derbyshire hotel, once the dower house for Haddon Hall, is full of old world charm, yet its facilities are bang up to date.
There are only 16 bedrooms but all are luxuriously furnished with antique furniture, old pictures, crisp white sheets, flat screen LCD TV, DVD player, iPod docking station and ensuite bathrooms. Standard rooms have king size beds and the large doubles have super king size. And if that isn’t enough, there are two special beautifully light rooms, one with a four poster and one with an antique bed originally from Belvoir Castle.
Downstairs the low ceilings and subtle lighting emphasise the intimate whilst the roaring log fires, armchairs upholstered in acid colours and sea grass carpeting exude homeliness. This is not a place for the brash and the communal areas are all the better for the absence of piped music. There’s also a delightful personal welcome from Ian and Jenni McKenzie, the live-in managers, who know exactly how to pamper their guests without intruding.
The star of the show, though, is the restaurant. Dan Smith, Head Chef, worked with Tom Aikens in London but returned to Derbyshire to work his magic on the locally sourced ingredients. His menus are marvels of invention and he’s just been awarded his 3rd AA rosette. It’s best to work up an appetite with a day out on the nearby hills, and you won’t be disappointed.
There’s plenty to do in the surrounding area and the Peacock even has its own seven miles of fly fishing on the Rivers Wye and Derwent. It’s ideal for visiting Chatsworth House and Haddon Hall and the historic towns of Bakewell, Matlock and Eyam are close by. Best of all is to don your hiking boots and tramp round the Derbyshire Dales, whatever the weather, before returning to sink into the luxury. You won’t regret it.
Contact tel: +44 (0)1629 733 518, fax: +44 (0)1629 732 671, e-mail:
Cost standard double room: £££
Services parking, hotel restaurant, hotel bar, pets accepted, business services, internet access, concierge
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The Peacock at Rowsley
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