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Sages - Regency country villa in heart of Dolton (house and garden flat)

Photo gallery for Sages - Regency country villa in heart of Dolton (house and garden flat)

Exterior
Smart TV, fireplace, books, video library
Interior
Interior
Dining

Reviews

9.2 out of 10

Wonderful

Entire home

5 bedrooms4 bathroomsSleeps 11

Popular amenities

  • Washer
  • Parking available
  • Pet friendly
  • Barbecue grill
  • Kitchen
  • Fireplace

About this property

Entire place

You'll have the entire home to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.

Sages - Regency country villa in heart of Dolton (house and garden flat)

Regency country villa (sleeps 10 in beds, extras on airbeds welcome) with verandah and walled gardens in the heart of the village. Comprises Sages House and Sages Flat as a single rental (with communicating door opened up). Please see separate Sages House and Sages Flat listings for full details.

Sages is a grand 6-bedroom Regency villa with 80ft verandah hidden in an acre of walled gardens, at the very heart of a pretty Devon village of traditional houses in the Torridge Valley. It is great for families as the children can run around the extensive grounds without any danger of traffic.

The building is divided into Sages house (one half) and Sages Flats 1 and 2 (other halves of ground and first floors respectively). Sages house and Sages Flat 1 are available for holiday lets, either separately or together. Sages Flat 1 has private access and a private garden if hired separately. A communicating door enables the whole house to be opened up if hired together.

The house, out-buildings and grounds are also available for venue hire, for parties and weddings (NB: Sages is not currently licensed for wedding services but please enquire if this is of interest as it is our plan). Use for an event requires a minimum of 7 nights booking for both Sages house and Flat 1. Please contact us if you wish to hold an event so that we can discuss parking etc. with you. We can also provide folding tables and chairs, parasols, bunting, some village fete-type games etc. for an additional charge.

The accommodation at Sages Flat 1 comprises:
- a large drawing room with period features and working fireplace overlooking the private front garden.
- hall, with french doors to front garden
- kitchen
- bathroom, with shower over bath and with WC
- side bedroom off hall, overlooking private side garden (superking / twin beds + optional airbed to make a triple)
- rear bedroom off kitchen passage (1 king size bed)
- rear hall to courtyard
- courtyard parking (1 car)
- access to walled gardens (c. 1acre)

If hired together with Sages house, Sages Flat 1 has access to the front hall of Sages house through a communicating door in its drawing room. Please see separate listing for full details of Sages house. Summary details are:
- a large drawing room with working fireplace overlooking private front garden
- dining room with French windows onto front garden
- sunroom, leading onto private walled garden and ground floor shower and WC
- kitchen and scullery
- master bedroom (superking / twin beds) overlooking front garden, with ante-room that can be used as a nursery if required
- second bedroom (superking / twin beds) overlooking front garden, with communicating door into master bedroom plus separate entrance from bathroom landing
- third bedroom (superking / twin beds)
- bathroom
- WC
- shower room
- extensive walled gardens of 1 acre
- 2 acre paddock at the rear of the property, leading down to a stream, which can be used for event parking, fireworks displays etc.

Sages has been our family home for nearly one hundred years. We are at the beginning of a long-term restoration programme so we have set our rates and policies to reflect its element of "shabby chic" and families with young children are very welcome!

Property manager

Richard Hadden

Languages

French, German, Spanish

Property amenities

Internet

  • WiFi available

Parking and transportation

  • Onsite parking

Kitchen

  • Refrigerator
  • Stovetop
  • Microwave
  • Oven
  • Dishwasher
  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Cookware/dishes/utensils
  • Electric kettle
  • Toaster

Dining

  • Dining table

Bedrooms

  • 5 bedrooms
  • Bed sheets provided

Bathrooms

  • 4 bathrooms
  • Bathtub or shower
  • Toilet paper
  • Soap
  • Towels provided
  • Hair dryer

Living spaces

  • Fireplace
  • Living room
  • Wood stove

Entertainment

  • Smart TV
  • Games
  • Books
  • Video library

Outdoor areas

  • Patio
  • Barbecue grill
  • Garden
  • Firepit

Laundry

  • Washing machine and dryer

Comfort

  • Heating

Pets

  • Pet friendly
  • 3 total pets

Suitability/Accessibility

  • Smoke-free property

Services and conveniences

  • Iron/ironing board
  • Phone

Location highlights

  • In a rural location
  • In a village

Things to do

  • Birdwatching nearby
  • Wildlife and game walks nearby
  • Golf nearby
  • Swimming nearby
  • Hunting nearby
  • Mountain biking nearby
  • Horse riding nearby
  • Hiking nearby
  • Cycling nearby

Safety features

  • Carbon monoxide detector not reported (host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector)
  • Smoke detector not reported (host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property)

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Dryer
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Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 4:00 PM

Check-out

Check-out before 10:00 AM

Special check-in instructions

You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions

Pets

Pets allowed
Service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees
3 total pets
Restrictions apply; for more information contact the property at the number on the booking confirmation
Note from host: Pets taken ONLY BY owner's prior written approval

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Parties and events (including family gatherings, birthday parties and weddings) are allowed on site; maximum attendees: 99
Note from host: Event by prior agreement only Event fees may apply
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation

About the neighborhood

Map
Dolton

What's nearby

  • RHS Garden Rosemoor - 13 min drive - 13.2 km
  • RHS Rosemoor - 15 min drive - 15.6 km
  • Torrington 1646 - 15 min drive - 15.6 km
  • Dartmoor National Park - 25 min drive - 29.9 km
  • Saunton Sands - 53 min drive - 38.7 km

Getting around

  • Portsmouth Arms Station - 12 min drive
  • Exeter (EXT-Exeter Intl.) - 64 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪The Bull & Dragon - ‬8 min drive
  • ‪Globe Inn - ‬7 min drive
  • ‪Rams Head Inn - ‬1 min walk
  • ‪Northcote Manor - ‬13 min drive
  • ‪Lymington Arms - ‬13 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Sages - Regency country villa in heart of Dolton (house and garden flat) pet-friendly?

Yes, this property allows pets (limit 3 total).

What time is check-in at Sages - Regency country villa in heart of Dolton (house and garden flat)?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Sages - Regency country villa in heart of Dolton (house and garden flat)?

Check-out is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Sages - Regency country villa in heart of Dolton (house and garden flat) located?

Located in a rural location, this family-friendly vacation home is within 9 mi (15 km) of Baxter Hall, RHS Garden Rosemoor, and Highbullen Golf Course. The Plough Arts Centre and Torrington 1646 are also within 12 mi (20 km).

Sages - Regency country villa in heart of Dolton (house and garden flat) Reviews

Reviews

9.2

Wonderful

Rating 10 - Excellent. 12 out of 22 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 10 out of 22 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 22 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 22 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 22 reviews" "

9.0/10

Cleanliness

Reviews

8/10 Good

Linda E.

Liked: Cleanliness
Whit week at Sages
Had a lovely holiday week. We had the house and flat, ideal for our party of 9 and three dogs. Plenty of space for everyone to relax. Kitchens have just been refurbished, main house one wasn't quite finished but not a problem. Love the outside space too, enclosed garden for the children and dogs. Visited both the pubs for drinks and meals too, good food and welcome.
Stayed 7 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Sam S.

Liked: Cleanliness
Extended family holiday
Excellent property for our large multi generational family . Fabulous grounds for our family fun sports day . Jenny the housekeeper is also an excellent cook and can supply and cook a mean curry with all the trimmings. Looking to book again for next year ! Thank you Richard & Jenny for an excellent stay
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Graham D.

Liked: Cleanliness
great places to play hide and seek
Kids really enjoyed the space, amenities very good, no worries about the facilities, perfect for being able to relax and not worry, only gripe is the radiators being dangerously hot incase little hands touched them
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Tansy S.

Liked: Cleanliness
Peaceful and perfect holiday destination
We had ten exquisite days enjoying this rambling, comfortable home in rural Devon. The facilities were fab but not so perfect that you had to walk on eggshells. Lots of games, books, and nooks and crannies to escape into, old world elegance, and beautiful gardens. The weather was fantastic. The only thing that was slightly tough for a hot summer holiday was the warmth of the Rayburn but we soon got over that.
Stayed 10 nights in Aug 2022

8/10 Good

heather m.

Liked: Cleanliness
Enjoyable stay in interesting house
House was very interesting with lot of room some areas are in need of repair but that didn't detract from us having a lovely time.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2021

8/10 Good

Brian H.

Liked: Cleanliness
Sages
Lovely house, comfortable beds and well equipped kitchen. We enjoyed our stay. Only small observation is that there was no BBQ and the furniture in the house large garden was very dirty.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2021

8/10 Good

Helle T.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great, atmospheric and spacious property with fab garden
Great time was had in lovely spaces, generously sized rooms and fabulous large walled garden. Village is lovely, peaceful and has a treasure of local store and butcher. Friendly locals and great manager. Had fun cooking on an Aga. Beaches also great, half hour away. Definitely a great place for a family holiday. Rented both house and apartment for eight people.
Stayed 14 nights in Jul 2021

10/10 Excellent

Patricia J.

Liked: Cleanliness
Very quirky and plenty of room garden very spacious
Enjoyed our week weather was very good village very friendly
Stayed 7 nights in May 2021

8/10 Good

Matthew T.

Liked: Cleanliness
A relaxing stay in the country
Sages is an interesting house - lots of room for a large group of people. It is well-equipped (everything you could want in two kitchens), with washing machines, dishwashers etc. Due to its size, you certainly get your steps in, too! The beds and very comfortable the the linen and bedding lovely. Also, the bathrooms/shower rooms are good. For the size of the property, an additional toilet would be good but that’s a minor point. There is lots of lounge space. It’s tricky to get everyone around the table in the flat lounge area (warmer than Sages’ dining room) but we managed. The open fires were really good. As many old properties are, it’s quite cold; however, plentiful hit-water bottles made a big difference, and the Rayburn in the kitchen of Sages was fab for drying washing and when cooking! Sages is a great place to stay and Richard was a host who communicated well and efficiently. We really liked the welcome gifts, too. Staying there in the summer would be great with the terrace and the garden to enjoy.
Stayed 5 nights in Dec 2019

10/10 Excellent

Emma G.

Liked: Cleanliness
"We miss our Dolton home"
Well we were 10 friends who rarely get together. This occasion was for a nearby wedding. I booked the property and nearer the arrival date some of the crew rechecked the online reviews. Bland complaints around deposits retained due to broken stuff. One of the accident crew was warned lol But apart from constantly losing each other due to the size of the property. Plus having to number the rooms i.e. kitchen/lounge/bathroom number blah, we had the most amazing time. We had an evening with piano recitals, hidden talents, from most of the crew. We enjoyer a chilled DVD night, care of the collection in the house the night after the wedding. We enjoyed breakfasts and an afternoon picnic in the many outside areas. The baths were amazing! Best I've used in years. Lots of storage. The beds are soooooo comfy. Richard was so attentive. So there were no questions unanswered. We are just looking for a reason to come back tbh. Can highly recommend it!
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2019

10/10 Excellent

Megan F., Bristol

Liked: Cleanliness
A lovely break!
The house was fantastic. It had everything we needed and the village was wonderful to stay in. Thank you for providing us with a great house for our family holiday.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2019

10/10 Excellent

WILLIAM J.

Liked: Cleanliness
Beautiful house in beautiful Devon
Lovely old house with far more space than the pictures suggest and a fantastic set of gardens. Had a really, reallt fantastic stay and couldn’t have hoped for a better pace to stay. Close to Dartmoor and great beaches on the north coast (Saunton Sands particularly beautiful). Also a very friendly and helpful host
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2019

8/10 Good

Paul H.

Liked: Cleanliness
Good value venue for family get-togethers
Sages is a very large property with nice large gardens that was the ideal size for our multi-family gathering. It is located in a pleasant village deep in the Devon countryside, so cars are essential for major grocery shopping and sightseeing, though there is a village shop nearby. The level and standard of décor is rather variable , with some nice bedrooms, but other parts rather in need of updating especially in the flat (where in fact the kitchen was in the process of being redone) but the description is upfront about this and it is fairly priced. Unfortunately our children broke an ornate wooden towel rail and apparently there was minor damage to the new tiles in the flat kitchen and loose tiles in the house kitchen. We pointed out we had only used the flat kitchen and suggested replacing the towel rail ourselves. Richard was flexible in negotiating an agreed settlement for all the damage, which we appreciated. However if anyone brings children to the house we suggest you review what breakables you leave them alone with especially if they look valuable! I never got to meet Richard but he was a readily contactable and courteous host who ensured a smooth check-in and handled the whole process well.
Stayed 4 nights in May 2019

10/10 Excellent

Guy L.

Magical Regency villa in a Devon village
We had a fantastic long weekend reading books by the fire in this magical, warren-like country home. Richard was so helpful and communicative throughout and we really appreciated his flexibility around our check-out times. We rented the flat and house together and had a brilliant time when we first entered it up, walking down every corridor and discovering all the hidden rooms and passages. Ah it was great! I hope to stay again in the new year. Thanks, Richard!
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2018

10/10 Excellent

Patricia L.

Wonderful stay in a character filled house.
A beautiful house situated in magnificent gardens in a very picturesque village in North Devon. What more could you want? The owner Richard was very helpful and welcoming. The location is ideal for seeing large parts of Devon. We visited Clovelley, Westward Ho!,the sandy beaches of Saunton, Woolacombe and Ilfracombe, as well as walking in the Torridge Valley and spending time on Exmoor. The area is rich in history and unspoilt countryside. If the weather is poor there are inside attractions for families, within easy reach, but fortunately we were lucky. There are two very different public houses in the village. We tried both and found good quality food. Devon can boast some amazing thatched inns. Thank you Richard and Homeaway.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2018

8/10 Good

Jane W.

Really enjoyable stay
Sages is a lovely, homely and characterful house in the middle of a peaceful village. It's got masses of space which was ideal for our big family group (and great for hide and seek games!) and there was lots of lovely outside space too. The house was really well equipped with everything we needed and was very clean. We were also impressed at how well the shop in the village was stocked, with the two local pubs, and with the fish and chip van that comes to the village once a week. We all enjoyed our stay and thought that it provided excellent value for money for the space, facilities and character it offered.
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2018

10/10 Excellent

Derek Y., UK

Great location, lovely old property with garden room, gardens & open field to discover.
We had the two storey house & the ground floor (adjoining) flat; perfect for our extended family (7 adults, 3 children); lots of space, & we'd been there 24 hours before discovering we had access to the garden room, patio & (another) garden area. The house scullery/kitchen & the flat are probably in need of a refurb, but we were forewarned of this & it really didn't spoil our enjoyment/use of all rooms. The owner, Richard Haddon, was very communicative & easy to contact (Thanks again Richard!). We'd love to go again sometime.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2018

8/10 Good

Jessica H.

Lovely old property in beautiful village
Sages has loads of character as an old cottage, we loved staying there. The house is beautiful (though quirky), beds and bed linen comfy, showers hot, garden big. It’s quite a cold place as it’s so old with thick walls, but the heating eventually heats it up, and the Rayburn and open fires really make a difference. The kitchen could be better stocked with useful pans, mugs and another kettle, but we managed overall - probably worth packing your own if you’re cooking as a bigger group. There’s a dishwasher but there were no dishwasher tablets, and there wasn’t much toilet roll, but the local shop is great so we just picked stuff up there. We brought our dog, which has to stay in the kitchen area only (despite what the guest book says in the house). The kitchen is warm and nice for the dog, so it’s no problem. Richard was very accommodating and provided all information required. He did however accuse us of letting the dog into the house (despite this not being the case), and threatened to deduct my deposit because there was mud on the sofa throw (it was an incredibly wet and muddy weekend and we did a lot of walking, so perhaps we weren’t vigilant enough with changing our clothes before sitting down). On further discussion with Richard, he was understanding enough to decide not to deduct any deposit but I did feel slightly put out by the accusation and threat of taking money off as it’s very easy to wash mud off a throw on the sofa. That aside, we loved the place. Just be vigilant with cleanliness and your dog if you don’t want drama around your deposit once you leave.
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2018

10/10 Excellent

Jill M., Blackheath, London UK

Festive family break
There were nine of us staying in the flat and main house. Both are very well equipped and comfy. Biggest bonus is dogs are welcome but must stay in the kitchen with the raeburn. They loved it and kept swapping beds. The big old rambling house was wonderful for hide and seek with the children. Even the village is so dog friendly, with total strangers guiding us on where to walk the dogs. We had a wonderful few days here and would come back again.
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2017

10/10 Excellent

Francis A.

Simply fantastic!
Amazing!
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2017

8/10 Good

Martin F.

Spacious Property. Good Value
We rented the both the house and the adjacent flat over the new year period. We had 13 people, with a couple on airbeds, but there was plenty of space. There are also private gardens surrounding the flat, which I'm sure would be nice in the summer, and a field at the back, which we were able to use for a bonfire and fireworks. The house has a lot of character, with many interesting features and an interesting layout. The kitchen has a Rayburn, which we really enjoyed using, although there are ovens as well if needed. Dalton itself seemed like a nice village. We didn't spend too much time there, but there are a couple of nice looking pubs, and a shop 2 mins from the flat which is very handy. Overall, the house is in a better condition than the flat, which is in need of a bit of redecoration in places. For what we paid, we felt is was very good value though.
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2016

8/10 Good

Elizabeth C.

Spacious Georgian family property with warm welcome.
We loved the Georgian house and walled gardens of this beautiful property. Our grandchildren could hide under trees and thoroughly enjoyed gathering windfall plums and apples. What a lovely Devon town with excellent restaurants and pubs.
Stayed 6 nights in Aug 2016