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“Southernhay house is the creation of Deborah Clark, the woman who can claim responsibility for restoring Burgh Island‘s magnificent 1930s hotel to its former Art Deco glory. And it doesn‘t take a bookworm to connect a place famous for being a haunt and inspiration of Agatha Christie with the impulse for neck wringing [fellow train travellers not agreeing with The Bookworm]. But there shall be none of that at Southernhay, for its staff are so impeccably charming that you‘re more likely to want to give them a hug than harm them… Everything here is a sensuous and aesthetically on-point delight, from the bedrooms, which style themselves as a misture of Louis XV chic and velvet-draped 70s decadence, to the upmarket and deliciously desirable restaurant…” THE ARBUTURIAN
“In just over a year, Southernhay House has established itself as one of the most sophisticated places to stay in the English city of Exeter. The small chic boutique hotel is set in a grade II* listed Georgian townhouse in the upmarket Southernhay quarter. Ivy-covered brickwork and the grand white Georgian pillars create an elegant first impression. That stylishness continues inside, with plush décor and modern luxury… In “Chai Room”, the large comfy bed that dominates the room has a metal frame designed to look like it‘s been made from leather belts buckled together. It‘s one of many playful design touches from owner Deborah Clark, who‘s also behind Southernhay‘s sister hotel, the iconic art deco Burgh island in Devon… The hotel is perfectly located just a minute‘s walk to Exeter Cathedral and the city centre. It is a great base to get out and about.”
Destination of the World Magazine August 2012
“A gorgeous small hotel on the loveliest square in town, a short stroll from the cathedral. The house dates to 1805 and was built for a major returning from the Raj. These days interiors sparkle, all the result of a wonderful refurbishment. It's proved hugely popular with locals – the restaurant was brimming the day we visited – and those clever enough to check in for the night find some deeply spoiling bedrooms.”
Alastair Sawday‘s Special Places
to Stay 2012
“The brief for the décor at this colonial town house in Exeter‘s leafy Georgian quarter was: “Part repressed Victorian sexuality, part elegant Louise XV French and part groovy seventies.” It works.”
TELEGRAPH TRAVEL 22ND SEPTEMBER 2012
