Soar Mill Hotel has a location to die for, with wonderful views over the hills leading to a small, picturesque and unspoilt sandy cove. Our room was comfortable and quite large, and we appreciated the attention to detail: curtains that really cut out the light, cafetieres and real milk out of a jug for your coffee, home-made marmalade and jams at breakfast, good-sized bath and much more. The staff were very helpful and friendly and the food of a high standard, if a little rich. The wine list was more than adequate.
However, when you are paying nearly £200 per night b&b out of season, you expect an outstanding experience - and we did not quite get it. The staff were a bit over-stretched, which probably explains why they forgot to bring our coffee two nights in a row. The waiters appeared to be mostly untrained and ours, for example, did not know what a granary roll looked like. The atmosphere was relaxing but not cosy, and would have benefited from an open fire. So, yes, we left feeling revived and refreshed and it has the potential to be a truly wonderful hotel.

We felt that this hotel is very much pricing itself on its location, but doesn't really deliver value for money.
Staff were friendly, but a bit thin on the ground with one chap flitting between the cream teas, the bar and the restaurant.
The accommodation was good with a very large and comfortable bed and the wet room en suite was excellent.
But our stay was very much let down by the food. The first warning signs came with fact that we were asked to pre-order our menu choice, the second when the pre-diner drink order of
a Soar Mill Sour perplexed the barman - so we elected to go for a bloody mary so as not to tax him. This came without celery - so two menu cocktails not quite as they should have been.

Having elected to take our drinks in the lounge we were then left waiting there. It wasn't until I enquired whether our table was ready that we were told we could come into the dining room straight away. Had I not asked - might we still have been sitting there I wonder?

As for the food - my starter of scallops with chorizo were delicious, but the subsequent loin of pork main and brûlée dessert were each overcooked. Rendering the pork tough and the brûlée set solid! Deficiencies we would have mentioned had anyone enquired - but no-
one did. In fact after the brûlée was served no-one visited our table again.

So, overall a disappointing stay and based on our experience, not good value. At £300+ the food as well as the accommodation should have been right. I don't think we'd return or recommend to friends - which is a shame because some elements were good and the potential great.
Maybe we just caught a bad day at the office for the kitchen.

With a location and views like this, Soar Mill Cove cannot fail to impress upon arrival. With only 22 rooms and dogs allowed it was a perfect choice for a long girlie weekend away with the dog. To be able to swim in the sea in England is a real treat and the Cove was very clean with crystal clear water and a sandy beach inlet. If you have children you would need to keep a watchful eye on them. The room and bathroom were very clean and fresh towels were provided daily. The dining room for breakfast is like going back to the 50s with a buffet of every conceivable breakfast item you could want and waiter(ess) service for a full English or variations of. Everything looked fresh and appetising. We stayed on for dinner on the first night which was very relaxing and seemless. The staff are friendly and very efficient. The location is perfect and you have the best of the scenery, walks and a spot of shopping in Kingsbridge or Salcombe, each one providing a buzzing, exciting atmosphere. My sister was so impressed she has gone back for a further 4 nights. Loved it. Tip: if you book make sure you get a sea facing room; the back rooms miss out on the views and scenery which is why you would visit in the first place.

We stayed in a very clean family suite which meant our 10 year old could have his own room but that it opened off our room. The trip to the beach is a bit of a hike (5 minsthere, 10 mins back up the hill!) but so worth it - the beach is stunning - acres of good sandcastling sand at low tide and some good rolling waves all day for children to body board. The food in the hotel was delicious and breakfasts were great with plenty of choice. The most impressive thing about this place was the fact that all the staff were really interested in making sure that we had a great holiday - they seemed to care so much about our comfort and take a real pride in their hotel. All the little things are thought about leaving plenty of time for Devon cream teas on the lawn, staring out to sea and dreaming!